The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-12-22

ags was making his way behind all tie
rest to reach the alnbulaUce. He though,
it would leave him. and, painting, cried
out with most arxious and pitiful ex.
pression Of countepance, "Oh. wait 'fou
ne!' / think | shall never forget his
look Of distress When he reached the
ambulance he was too feeble 10 step 10,
but Capt. Davis and Rev. j A. Wnita-
ker, Sanitary Commission agent here. as
sisted him till he vas plsced BY the side
OF bis companions. who were not in much
better condition than himself. When he
was seated, he vas SO thankful that he
wept like child, and those that stood BY
TO aid him could do no less. Soldiers,
brave soldiers. officers aud al, were NOV
ed to tears. That mus. be sad discipline
which not only wastes the manly form ill
lbe sign of humanity is nearly obiiierated.
but breaks the manly spirit ard makes il,
~ tender as cbild's
SAD SCENES.
The dead and dying sre carried of The
steamer 6rst. and the battalious arranged
IS before. could nsrrate many tales Of
sadness and woe. for know that under
ncath the emaciated forms, that are borne
on ssretchers to the hospitals. and those
With little more life, who are slowly foot
BY foot, making their way TO the space
oear the barracks. there are crushed spir-
its and bruised hearts that only await the
lime and occasion for ntteTance more at
length than they have already poured ou,
TO me; but, for the slightest attention they
receive. they pass on with, 'God bless
you,' Oh. thank you;" How very kind"
&c.
DECK LOAD OF The DYING.
10 shor, time another boat load drew
near. and such scene of suffering hu-
msnify my eyes never desire TO behold
again. The whole deck Was bed Of
striw for our exhausted, starved emaciated
dying fellow creatures. or the FIVE hun
dred and City that left Savannah, the sur
geon informed me no. over two hundred
would survive; fifty had died on the pas
sage; three died while the boat was CON-
ing 10 the land Of liberty. Isaw Eve men
dying as they were carried on s.retchers
from the boat to the naval hospital. The
stretcher bearers were ordered by DR.
Vanderkief, 10 pause a moment that the
names of the dying men might be obtain
ed. To the credit of the officers and their
assistants it should be known that every
thing was done in the most systematic
and careful manner Eich stretcher had
four attendants who stood in iins aud came
up, prom BtIg. one after the other to re-
celse the sufferer as he was carried By two
men off The boat. There was no confu
sion. no noise; all acted with perfect mi
Etary order. All. it was soienn funeral
service to many bave soldier that was
thus being performed by kinds hearts and
bands.
THE INSANE.
Some had become insane; their wild
gszs aud clenched teeth convinced the
ob<ervsr that their reason had fed
Oiaers vas idiotic. A few were laying
10 spasms; perhaps the realization OF
the hope long cherished, Jet oft de-
ferred, or the welcome sound of the mu
sic sen, forth by the military band was
more ,hsn their exhausted nature could
bear. When blankets we're thrown over
them, no one would base supposed that a
human form lay beneath save for the small
prominence which tie bony head aud lee,
Indicated Oh God OF justice what ret
ribu:ion awaits the perpetrators of such
slow aud awful MURDER
vERMIS AND DISEASE.
The hair Of some was matted together
and like beasts Of the stall they had laid
in their own 9Th, vermn running over
them in abundance. Nearly every man
was darkeoed by scnrvy, or black with
patches or scales and with scorbutic sores
One in particular was reduced to the me
rest skeleton; bis face, neck and feet GOV
cred with thick green mould. A mum
bar who had Government clothes giver
them on the boat were TOO feeble 10 pu
them on, and we're carried ashore partial
Iy dressed. hugging their clothing with
death grasp that they could not be per
susded to yield. 1t was not unfrequen
t. hear man feebly call as he was laid OIL
a stretcher, "Don't take MY new cothes;'
"Oh save my new Shoes "Don't let m,
socks 90 back to Andersonvilic." In the,
wild death-strugsle, with bony arms AMI
hands extended, they would hold up thei
ne~ socks that could not be pu. on be
cause OF their swollen limbs. ying Saw
'estill | ge. home" Iu.a lite while hos
ever, ,he sou! vas released from its wor1
out frame, and borne to that higher hom
where all thing. are registered for grea
day of account.
The Last Message.