The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-09-18

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"a surgeon serving with the Frnssian
army gives the following fearful descrip-
tion Of the scene in church near Forbach
tho time is EVENING":
In the schoolrooms, which in the morn
ing were overfowing, all had their wounds
fresh bound. Through the open windows
fresh breeze was blowing IN. The dead
were removed and all seemed in o refresh
ing sleep. 1t was otherwise In the church.
French soldiers, operated on and trans
portable, bedded ON stretchers, form an
avenue right and left up the graveyard to
we step across some severely wounded,
who continually creep from out of the cor
ners, and with q part of their chaff- bedding
block the way. On the Gospel side Of the
church choir, the altar of which is removed
and the floor of which is decked with
straw, lie the sorely wounded victims OF
Frossard's army strewed around, part
naked, part half naked, part clothed; but
ever, ala yesterday, some silent, with closed
eyes and tight compressed lips, the others
pitifully wailing. The beautifully painted
pictures of the Passion of Christ and the
stations of His Cross which adorned the
circuit Of the church's walls, rising above
the heads of the wounded soldiers propped
and leaning against the walls aud COMES
sinnal- seats, appeared ia-selema harmOny
with the pangs of the mangled sufferers,
and in the gloom of the evening twilight in
voluntarily the deep, awful symbolism Of
the story smote upon the conscience. AL
though l had broken many Panes In the
church windows, the foul air left much to
be desired. The only light which burnt i'll
the choir was the still small flame known
AS the perpetual lamp" In this char
| 0scarO the surgeons had to grope round
! for the Wounded" Beyond two who,
wounded in the thigh, sat between the dy-
ing upon the altar steps, smoking their
cigars, all were hopeless. Under the sta
tue of the Mater, Dolorosa leant young
French officer, who, shot through the
breast, rocked his head upon, the bosom
of an attendant Franciscan sick nurse. AT
my signal that the last hour of the I'M
happy officer had struck, tears filed the
eyes of the faithful attendant. The Sisters
of Mercy find it very hard to resist the en-.
treaties of the many wounded. They Will
beg for water when they cannot swallow
drop; now they will be laid on this side,
now on the other; now they hope to relieve
their pangs by having their heads raised,
and now they seem to experience light
ming OF their dying agOnies as they stretch
out their cold, staring, rigid hands, and
they seem in that act to close more peace
fully their eyes in death if permitted to
enclasp our hands. On the Epistle (right)
side of the choir, the pews have not been
removed: in these lie or sit the less
severely wounded, smoking cigars, eating
bread; they write or dictate letters, and,
unlike the severely wounded on the left,
are able to converse with the doctors aud
nurses on passing events. Quilted the
church with u glance, by the light OF q
pocket lantern, at a wounded French SOL
der lying by the porch; who greeted me
with a military salute. In the open door
way of the shed in which the chief opera
tions of the surgeons were performed, the
sick attendants were busily engaged wash
ing away the pools of blood from the oper,
alton tables and the floor. The amputated
limbs were thrown together and buried il
the Gods Acre. The surgical operators
had flung aside their black, clothed
long aprons, and put on their uniform
over their d-shirts. Peacefully resting
, from their nerve straining labors, they sa
t smoking quiet cigar, sharing their allow
ance of wine with their patients in thei
dark cool street. AS wandered back to tn
bivouac of my troop my excited brain wa
in a confused whirl-were they realities"
had lived through the past two days, OF
were they wild visions dreamt after
late evening carousef"