The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-05-20
given the soldiers after their heavy ,ohor, L.,

given the soldiers after their heavy ,ohor. DIM
ing the past week. ''ooio oui-
All was very quiet along the lines pr,;, ,,.,
in the afternoon of Monday. "N'h ia'e
1t was thought the rebels were nrohoh,,,
falling back, or that General Lee had oIreadyy
gone TO richmond to meet General Smith. who
was reported as being close to that nloca onS
therefore move was determined on orr n e'rp
ana our forces commenced moving at abont
nall past five o'clock on Monday evening.
OUR WOUNDED.
me wounded in all, are estimated as high
as 19OOO men. which includes of course ali
the battles. The killed outright are supposed
10 De 5,OOo, while OF missing, there are in the
neighborhood of 5000, almost all of whom
had been captured in the fights of Thursday
and Friday.
Inc movements of the army since the battle
OF the Wilderness have been much impeded bv
the vast number of the wounded we were
Obliged to take with us, and if they are not sent
TO washington. via. Acquia creek, as it is re-
OF such serious incumbrance must be de-
vlsed very soon, for the number of our dis
abled is increasing daily
THE HOSPITAL.
The hospitals of the several divisions at the
battle OF the Wilderness presented fearful
picture OF suffering. Long trains of ambu-
lanceS were continually in bringing men
IMAGINATION can conceive The few minutes
that spent at one of the field hospitals that
mas le1C q picture OF horror on my mind that
Will not soon be Obliterated. Some lay pale
and quiet. almost dead others were fright
iully dlstgured by wounds in the face, and
the olood oozlng from his wounds formed
pools upon the ground. Oaths, prayers, sighs
groans and shrieks assembled together. The
tired and Overtasked surgeons were constantly
at work probing wounds, dressing Commissions
and performing amputations, while outside
the fly where they worked lay piles of arms,
legs, hands, feet and fingers. To add to the
discomfort OF our wounded, the weather was
unusually warm. and many of the poor fell
lows had but little protection from the rays of
the sun. They lay grOaning with the anguish
OF their wounds, and half sutfocated with heat
The surgeons at the different hospitals and
upon the battle field did all that was in their
power to mitigate the sufferings of the men,
THE LABOR ATTENDING THE REMOVAL OF THE
WOUNDED.
When the army advanced from the Wilder
ness, our sick and wounded had to be loaded
IN the ambulances and empty baggage wagons
and taken along with us. 1t is work of con-
siderable importance to transport from twelve
to fifteen thousand wounded men under such
circumstances as attended the present march.
AS many as could be transported were loaded
in the wagons and taken along. One thousand
al least-some say mOre-were left behind, un
able to be removed. Large numbers of our
wounded men left the hospitals on foot as soon
as they heard they were to be left behind, pre-
ferring to limp and crawl after the army and
all day yesterday disabled soldiers were drag
ging themselves along after our wagon trains
some substituting pair of muskets for
clutches, while Others might be seen too weak
to support themselves, but each assisted along
between two comrades, both of whom were
nearly as badly off as himself.
OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
Pontoons have been laid across the Kappa
hammock below Fredericksburg, over which
there will be communication to Aqua Creek.
where our transports lie a distance of about
eight miles from Fredericksburg.
THE MAYOR OF FREDERICKSBURG
In Fredericksburg, to-day, there were $4,000
OF our wounded, who have been crOwding into
the town since Sunday morning. When the
first party Of three hundred manned and bleed
ing soldiers came into the city, Mayor Slaugh-
ter and Mr.. Mayer, prominent citizen, rallied
a few guerillas, and marched them into the
rebel lines as prisoners of war. Mayor Slaugh-
ter and his friends are now in the guardhouse
of Fredericksburg.
MORALE OF OUR ARMY.
General Meade has had exclusive control of
the troops, and in carrying out Gen. Grants
plans has handled the army with consummate
skill, notwithstanding the shifting of divisions
and the temporary disorder which occurred
from time to time. The army is in fine con-
dition, in complete order, and confident of sue
cess. Our wagon trains are all safe in the rear
OF the troops, with plenty of supplies. and,
excep. the loss Of men, the army is as formid-
able as ever.