Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-06-09

they, rather than the nShtlnS men,
should pick up the wounded and bear
them to the rear. In every bate, the
field hospital of division was to be no
farther distant than two Thousand
PAGES from the line of battle, that the
wounded might be transported there as
quickly as possible, and with as little
suffering as the nature of their wounds
would admit. And to this end the San
itary Corps was regularl y instructed and
drilled in the art of quickly and tender
ly transporting tn 'ir charges to the am
bulance hospitals, which occasionally
chanced to be in a neighboring village.
Every available place is crowded; &;
mansions, cabins, barns, and at last the
open streets. AS the wounded arrive
on stretchers, the busy surgeons assign
them places according to the severity OF
their wounds; some need immediate at
tention to save them from death, while
others can more easily wait till the am
bulance wagons convey them to the
more distant stationary hospital. Not a
few die on their way from the field, and
some are even hit by stray or vicious
bullets on their way to relief; and thus
occasionally even the members of the
corps lose their lives while in the per-
formance of duty.
The Red Cross knows no foes and dis
tinguishes no nationality mission is
to humanity, and therefore even the
bitterest enemies are kindly brought to
the ambulance for treatment; it is not
seldom you will see the savage Turco
beside the German soldier, and the
French receiving attention at the hands
of Sister of Charity. The Red Cross
knows neither sex nor age in its ranks,
for many women and children even bear
it's white band in the numerous hospitals
extending from the battlefields of France
to the military centers and prison camps
of Germany.
And this war has been q great triumph
for German womanhood, from the
throne to the cabin. Thousands OF de-
voted women have given all their time
and strength to the care of the wound
ed at home, and many have gone, under
the protection of the banner of the Red
Cross, to distant battle-felds, and been
the solace of the sick and the comfort
ers of the dying. 1t required a contest
to make old soldiers believe this thing
feasible or advisable, but the calmness
and efficiency of the hospitals under
the direction of women, and the intiu-
ence of their presence among the sick
and dying, have gained them many
friends among the early doubters. And
all who have experienced the horrors of
a military hospital know that it requires
no less heroism to perform all ones
duty here than on the fields of strife.
The only wonder is how so many deli
cate and sensible women have been able
to pass through scenes so trying, and
bear such fearful trials as many OF those
have done who have faithfully served
their country under the banner OF the
Red Cross.
And now comes a scene where all is
shadow,-dark to blackness,-ft SYM
bolized by the Black Cross, which is
placed over every German soldiers
grave. Too many, alas receive this
distinction, and it is very often con-
ferred with heartfelt tears and regrets
of surviving comrades and friends. Af-
ter great battle scores of fallen braves
need, in the hurry of the hour, to be
consigned to common grave, and re-
ceive common cross. Their compan-
ions endeavor to accord to all this honor,
as also that of attendance with the deep
roll of the drums in the last sad funeral
march.
But occasionally d ath calls to his
ranks one that Is more than usually
loved. He was the pride of his family
and the favorite of his men, who are
now, under the banner of the Red Cross,
silently bringing him to his last resting
place. His code was devotion to duty,
and his fortune loyalty to his country,
and he would willingly have given his
life for the poorest of his friends. In
the presence of human suffering he was
the tenderest of all, but on the battle
field he was the bravest.
His battalion was making an assault
with the bayonet, with his tall and slen-
der form in the advance His helmet
and mantle are already torn by bullets,
and he and his are surrounded by
band of maddened Zouaves IN the very
act of protecting one of his men from a
fatal thrust, he falls with deadly bull
let in his heart and it stands still in
death. All that brother can do is to
rescue the corpse from the scene OF con-
hict, and when this was over the sol
diers bore it to the best house in the
village, and gathered flowers from all
the gardens to beautify it for the grave.
For time the bronzed warriors stood
weeping around it, and then bore it
forth to its cool resting place within
sight of the walls of Paris and the smoke
of the roaring cannon.
His grave is dug in silence and in
tears, and short sermon is preached
by the chaplain. This reaches the
hearts of his men, and draws from
MANY of them the sobs of children,
mingled with the vows of soldiers that
his example shall not be lost on them.
And when the good man closes with
the sad though cheering words, "Peace
be unto thee u the weary warriors
around the grave respond, with the ar
dent heart-wish that peace may soon be
accorded to all the living as to the dead,
and to the end that such sacrifices may
cease to be demanded on the altar OF
the country.
When the dull earth is rolled upon
the coffin, his comrades tarry to place
the Black Cross on the grave, and re-
lieve it with garlands of flowers. But
the fate of war may soon carry all these
away, for foreign soil will grant no mon
ument to the fallen foe. But around
the camp fire his soldiers will continue
to talk of his devotion to them and to
duty. and will carry home to his mourn
ing ones a lasting monument in their
hearts that will assuage the pangs OF
wife or mother. The Fatherland now
accords a common honor to all, whether
thew return with the Iron Cross on the
breast. have faithfully served under the
folds of the Red Cross, or lie beneath
tbo ,oo,,nd marked by the Black Cross