North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-02-01
Experience of an Ambulance Man.

The driver of an ambulance aud dresser OF
wounds, whose first experience ON the battle
field was at the first battle of Bull Run, gives
us his testimony as follows
owe ambulance men knew but little OF the
awful work before US. Like great many
others, who ought to have known better,
went out to- that battle very much as would
have gone TO clam bake at hon.e-with no
other thought than that the jaunt would be
pleasant one perhaps little exciting, bu
not rCaIly dangerous. But we were soon
brought to our senses.
In five minutes after the first shot was
fired. was called upon to take a wounded
Lieutenant to the hospital. He was not
more than twenty years of age and had his
sword arm shattered He had tainted as he
fell, and was still insensiblc when we picked
him up. The surgeon soon made his appear
aRce, the arm was amputated and the boy
comfortably disposed before the effect of the
chloroform had passed off. His first question
was as to what had happened, and when told
he suddenly rose upon his elbow and enquir-
ed. What did you do with my ring 2 The
surgeon handed it to him, the Lieutenan,
kissed it, asked me to place it on his other
hand, and almost instantly went TO Sleep
He Was convey ed to Washington, soon recov
cred and did good service afterwards in
score Of battles.
When the battle ragged with its greatest
fury, and when we all supposed we had grin,
ed the day, was directed to remove q veneer
able looking gray bearded Major to the rear
He was stunned by nearly spent canister,
which hit him on the head, but had drawn no
blood. found him quite delirious. and
| remember the first words | heard when
reached him were willie my boy, GO right
on with your men. You must not seem TO
skuIk. / will be with you directly after
wards learned that willie was the Majors
son. He had behaved as kis father wished
him, and after the fight, had leave to accom-
pany him. He recovered from the effects of
the concussion before he reached Washing
| ton.
was soon afterwards ordered to take a
| wounded Fire Z0uave to the rear He had
been hit in the hand by a Minnie ball but
paid no attention to it, until he tainted from
loss OF blood. AS we were lifting him he re-
covered, and swore at US terribly for daring
to take him from the field. He declared he
| wouldn't go; and surgeon being at hand,
two OF his fingers were stipulated and rough
Iy dressed, when he broke away from us and
| rushed back into the fght. Three DAYS
afterwards | met the same Zouave in the hos
pI'al, with gushed cheek which he received
from the sabre Of Black Horse cavalryman
| whose horse he had bayoneted, and whom he
| declared be had killed with the but of his
musket. after he received his sword CASH.
| met the same brave fellow with Majors
straps on his shoulders ct Antietam.
Another case remcmber-a tall. raw.
b)ned private f5om Western State. The
Lieutenant Colonel Of the regiment had been
wounded in front of one ofthe rebel masked
batteries, from before which our troops had
been driven, and lay there His men had
made several efforts to get him off, but in ey.
cry case they were driven back. This good
fellow told his companions he would try to
get oil the body if they would permit him o
| go nione, Permission was given he boldly
walked out erect to where the Lieut.. Colonel
| lay, took him up tenderly in his arms inter,
posing his own body as much as he could
| between the enemy and the wounded officer.
and proceeded to carry him off. During the
perious march he received three bullet
wounds, but neither made him abandon his
hurthens, which he brought away safeIy.-
Although thus brave in this severe trial in
dressing his wounds, which were not dan.
gerous but painful, he was as tim,d as child
lie shrank from the probe as do not believe
he would have done from bayonet, and
seemed as fearful of being hurt by the doctor
| as if he was about to be raked by q chin
shot. And this scrt of timiilty is often seen
in the bravest men. They would face the
cannon's mouth without a shudder, bu. they
cannot lear to lie down belplessly to have
their wounds dressed. He is superlatively
brave man who fights calmly and suffers
himself to be tortured blythe surgeon with
| equal equsnmity."