Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-06-14
BY JAxE BOSWELL MOORE.

BY JANR BOSWELL MOORE. ny.
On my return from the Hospital Of til,
eighteenth Army Corps, near the headquar.
ters of Ger. Butler, found letter asking
for some account of the scenes threugh
which our couhtry has lately been passing
Whilst for the present lam mitch too weary
Apd occupied. to give, you any accp1nt OF
i my buried departure from Gen. Sigsis
army, in which ! had been IaborfnK prevf.
Gus to their disastrous advance, aud 7ol
many touching incidents in the valley oi
the Shenandoah, in which have seen SO
many Of our brave men laid to rest;t ufmy
Voyaga1o Fortress Monroe, through Hamp.
ton Roads, up the, James river past New
port News, close to whose low shore the
shattered wreck of the immortal Camber-
land may yet be seen, kindliug in every
patriotic heart the most intense haired OF
intamy and treason, and devotion to that
cause to which her crew was faithful aud
undaunted In the very presence Of fldeatb;
the ruins of the old settlement of James.
town with its associations of Pocahoutas;
Hsrrison's Landing, City Point, Bermuda
Hundred, and iron clads, rams, flag ships,
&c, nor of Port WaIthalI, with its Point
of Rocks, looking out tin quiet bea6 " over
the Appomattox, our hospital OF teuts
pitched on the grounds Of wealthy rebel
slave holder, who had sought safety in
Hight OF the amusing "reminiscences of the
few of his "ohAttleS" left behind; of the
beauty OF the little earthly Eden be had
once Inhabited, aud in whose field now
sleep nearly seventy Of the dead Of New
York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Connecticut and many other
states. Friends in loyal Baltimore geuer.
ously placed in my hands large supply
of stores and with these my mother aud
self took up our quarters in little room
Of an old tenement house, infested with
entrprising mice, reaches and ants, max
ing and distributing daily, galIops of Gus
tard, iced lemonade, wine, soft crackers,
stationery, &c, &C., not to the Surgeons
but with their approval to the patients
themselves, the only way 10 which the
wants Of our soldiers can eVer Be eHectually
supplied. Gen Butler and Gen. Wm. Smith,
known as ,"Baldy" Smith, gave rs every
encouragement aud facility in our work.
Among the wounded was poor Charley
Copeland, who said to rs ~ have dear
mother, yes aud three dear sisters at home.
Tell them love them dearlyn and died
little while after talking hopefully of going
TO them. Much that is interesting might
be said of many etheIs, but hasten on 10
oHe-Yss tIco. the recollection Of which has
been 70 me even moro awful than those
seen on the battle field where We have lit
tie opportunity 70 learn anything of the
wounded individually. The first sight
saw on entering this hospital was that OF
. Au1 tuIettfHeuE young man, iln whose
breast large hole bad been pierced by a
ball, through which he breathsd-his
head resting on ilthy pillow, clotted with
Eian 1snk . he I'D =
a Ely" tent. Clean clothing, a haudker-
chief, pillow, fly netting, &C., made him
much more comfortable and his eyes bright
ensd as spoke Of custard, turkey and
various delicscies designed for him. He
was afterwards moved 10 a bed and from
that tims until bis death was my constant
care. Long familiarity with the wounded
convinced me thAt hewould not recover and
wrote thus to bis mother, of whom he
spoke of the fondest affection, read TO
him several hymnB and psalms and At
his request the little, soldiers leaflet,
"He is my ChristH-he feebly murmur-
ed "Lord l trust in Thee-take me home
from all my suferingsi" and then said
something about the shade of a green tree,
perhaps alluding to one at home. He
wished me to tell his mother that he had
died in the defence of his country, true
aud faithful soldier. It was, distressing to
hear his earnest inquiry If l did not think
Kim able to go home, and If the climate
Of the North would not restore him. On
the evening of the Goth Invent into his
tent, having returned from, riding through
the densest pine woods to the hospital OF
the Tenth army corps, into which the
wounded were being brought from the
6eld-among them the rebel Gen. Walker.
That vas the night Of the battle when tho
enemy made such desperate attempts 10
break our -lfhes. The firinR of heavy guns
from our batteries and gun boats caused
. booming, heavy sound, like aIgtY thun.
der,-the houses and windows shook and
ratified, for the work of death was scarcely
two miles distant. The night was exI
lquisitely clear and lovely, and the brilliant
I moon revealed all nature at perfect rest
but even Leonard's dying moments were
broken by the thunder Of guns, the SHARP
report of musketry aud the explosion o.
shells, which seemed to shake the yeEJ
earth. then made him the lemonade be
bad enjoyed so much for the last time, ant
placing my hand on his brow found him il
. burning fever. he spoke of the guns
saying he would soon hear them no more
A little later, went in and found him 10 {
gentle sleep, the soft peaceful N oonlighl
that shone also on his pleasant New Hamp
shire homo beamiug on his young face. In.
stinctiVely remembered that
HJOEuS can make . dying bed
as ~ Peel Boft a. dOWny pillows arc, -
IL while on his breast l lean my head.
And breathe my Life out SWeetIy there''
Again Lief him, and going over thl
stI1s, looked down the road towards Pc
tersburg, watching the sky as 1t seemet
cleft in two BY a bright strip Of flame
parting the thin grey of the night, whils
, tho booming report which follow
ed, and the bright ball of flame told
that . she'll had exploded. That nigh
LeonGrTs suftriHgs tOsrs OUsrE Next day