Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-10-09

Tn Mrs. .Hoge's book, 10 ghfch she
describes what she saw of the war. we
find the following In sketch of her ex
perience IN hospital after tile battle of
Donelsou:
Our solemn round was stopped, and
the current of our feelings changed, by
tfte s'u>nhy smile of a Saxon faced boy,
with eyes as blue and hair as fair as
though he had never heard the .ain of
battle, nor miihgsgsd IN It's scenes Of blood
and carnage. He looked as / fapcv
David did when he went out to tend bis
fathers hocks, for he was sfair of coun2
tenance," and had smile s,fch as makes
a mothers heart leap with Joy and pride.
He had seen scarce nineteen sumnlers,
yet there he lay as a mummy, legs and
arms bandaged. And there he had lain
five weeks, as the sister told ns, anu had
been that day turned ON his side the first
time. "My boy" L said, as passed my
| fingers through the damp curls that elu ,.
tered round his brow, "do you suffer
IN uch?" "Not as much as did, " he re-
piled. The nurse said, "we cali this boy
our miracle, for through all his Hong
weeks of suffering he has never uttered /
mur1nhr, and is always as you see hihs
now-smiling, happy and grateful"
"Why shouldn't be?" said he, FI've
The best of care, and Il, suffering for the
old flag"
'sTeil me-" I said, "when and whers
you were wounded2 But first tell mes
have you tnother?"
The bri ght blue eyes moistened as ne
said, softly. eyes; | hear from her of
ten; but she hasn't the money to come To
me, and send her word never TO mind.
for have almost a mother here. We"
looking at the boy in an adjourning cot,
rare farmers sons from Illinois. We
lived neighbors, went to school together,
and enlisted at the same time in the same
Company. We were wounded about the
same hour, in the attack on Donelson.
We fell near together, and lay from Sat
urday morning till Sunday afternoon be-
fore we were picked up"
"How did that happen7" / asked,
quickly.
why, you see, /" said he, ''they were ,
50 busy taking the fort they had no time
bother with u.s. ..
but did you not think it monstrotis
to be left 50 long without lleip?"
"Of course not" said he, with look
of astonishment; show could they help
it? they had to take TIE fort" and his
eye kindled as he said, 'fand when she
was taken, and we heard the cheering Of
the boys in front, [ tell you, not mar
of US that could speak but cheered; and
even the h1en with only stumps tried ~ 6
raise them and huzza" qaF
sDid you suffer mtichY''
He bit bis lip. "I don't like to think
about that" he said. "We had to be
chopped cut, we were frozen SO fast in
the mud, and then the rebels, the devils,
had tripped us almost naked, bat we
were thankful they did not serve us as
they served some we saw Jim," said he,
as his sunny face was ciouded with wrath,
didn't we see them pin some poor fell
lows to the earth with their bayonets,
because they tried to hold on to their
watches and pocketbooks7" aa @
faye, aye, said Jim, II want to getup
and make them sweat for it, do"
well, boys, you've had a hard time,
and got more than you bargained for.
Do you rue it?" 1J--s9
s'Not bit Of il. we came in for besc
ter or worse, and if we got the worse we
oughtn't to complain. ~.e.s .s-E .-~-
Thus talked this boy, nine months Oh
u from his mothers wing.