West-Jersey pioneer., 1866-01-13

ia w hcopAonAC 0hA O"AON Ao'' N~'S
work, however, Of interring nine thousand
dead and removing about twenty thousand
wounded to comfortable quarters, was a
task Of herculean character. The rebel
army had left most Of their dead unburied
on the field, and also large number OF
the wounded uncared for, and had fled for
safety. "But," says letter-writer, "after
the dead and wounded soldiers had been
kremoved, the battlefield was not deprived
Of many of the most impressive evidences
of the severity Of the struggle. The car
casses of about three thousand horses, the
most Of which were killed by shells and
shots from the artillery, and lying singly
and in groups, and filed the air, for miles
around, with effluvia so offensive as to
render it a severe task to visit the field OF
death. Trees were SCARED and shattered,
thousands of minnie balls, Of solid shot
and shell, lay scattered over the ground,
and cast off coats, knapsacks, blankets,
cartouch- boxes, canteens, scabbards, and
other accoutrements in vast numbers,
were everywhere to be met with. About
twenty thousand rifles and muskets were
gathered up for the Government by the
officer in charge. Fences were swept
away, houses shattered, and the fields
trodden down like q highway. 1t seemed
as if a furious hurricane had passed over
the town, sweeping with destructive vio-
lence, everything before it,
Such are few Of the horrors presen-
ted by condition of war, and they are
but an insignificant modicum of those met
with on single field of battle. But
what contrast does a state of Peace offer
to the contemplative mind. Where war
with its iron tread passes, hamlets, towns,
villages, and cities are laid in ruins, but
where peace smiles, villages and cities
are built up. Where war sends its armies
the country is desolated, farms laid waste,
and all civil law and domestic tranquility
cease-where peace sheds its benignant
smiles, fields TEEN with luxuriant crops,
the soil is converted into agricultural rich
ness, and law and order prevail. Where
war RACES manufacturing and mechanical
labors are suspended, mills are silent, in
dustry no longer fourishes, and pail OF
inactivity spreads over the land; but peace
levelops all those, and makes the desert
to blossom as the rose. The change is
wonderful, for it is that from destruction
to the building up of national greatness
from exhibitions of madness and murder
to those of humanity and mercy. We
must again visit the fields of Gettysburg
for examples of this change.
Scarcely had the booming of cannon
and the rafting Of musketry ceased before
anxious crowds of visitors began to throne
the town and the surrounding hills and
valleys which had been SO recently the
scenes of slaughter and death. Here
mercy was the guiding principle prompt
ing to action. Many came to search fol
husbands, brothers, fathers, sons, or Other
dear relatives and friends-if yet living,
to minister to their wants, to alleviate
their suferings, or to perform other acts
which affection dictated, or if dead, to re
move their mortal remains to their family
burying ground, as last resting-place
where they might be able to shed the
tear Of sorrow over them, and frequently
call to mind their virtues and noble deeds
Our informant tells us that it was sad tt
witness, every day, the manifestation o.
almost inconsolable grief, when wife ol
mother realized her worst fears, gazing
upon the cold and mangled remains OF 9
loved one placed before her eyes, and being
assured that those lips which had OTTER
spoken words of kindness and love were
| forever sealed in death. Others came
| merely as angels Of mercy, on the blessed
errand of helping to gather the sufferers
although strangers, from the CORY felc
into hospitals and shelters, where theil
wounds could be dressed and they nigh
be made as comfortable as possible. These
noble and heroic men deserved all this ant
more from those whose comfortable homes
they had endeavored to defend and who's
humanity they shared. In large number
they came -men and women, young ane
old-each striving how he or she nigh
be the most useful. And although Their
were many who came, they we're not to-
numerous; not few, watching and labor
ing by day and by night, almost regardless
Of food and rest, at last felt wearied ma
ture giving way, and they were oblige'
to give place to others. They came t.
take care of The more than twenty thous
and wounded men Of both armies VIII
we're left on the battlefield. And hoy
we'll did they discharge the duties of thei
mission. So soon as labor aud time pei
| m;ttod tbose disahled heroes wore take
care of, the dead we're buried, and peac
again smiled over the town and hill
where the furious storm of iron and deaf
had but recently swept. m
| The roar of cannon has ceased, but a
over that memorable field evidences Of th
fearful struggle met the eye. lnnumeI
able graves everywhere dot the ground
showing that the hand of mercy has no
boen backward in its Offices Of car