The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-05-14
Miss Helen ellison Mt Gettysburg.

DIR. Bellows writes as follow Of his cx-
periencc on this field, and gives strik.
ing picture of Miss ellison as she appear
ed at this time -
"a few days after the battle of Gettys-
burg, when more than twenty thousand
badly wounded men filled the Inns and
private houses, the barns and sheds, and
the extemporized canvass hospitals which
made that once fair region spectacle of
boundless misery, l went out to the field
hospitables of the Sd Corps, four miles
from town, where twenty-four hundred
men lay in their tents, vast camp of
mutilated humanity. Who can ever de-
scribe, or who would ever wish TO de-
scribe if he could the various and horri-
BILE forms of injury represented in the
persons of the victims OF that glorious and
decisive fight But, amid all their suf-
lering, an air of triumph animated the
pale faces Of those ranks of heroes, even
on their dying beds. No murmurs min
glcd with the sighs of the- exhaustion, or
the groans of their anguish.
zone woman, young and fair, but grave
and earnest, clothed in purity and mercy
the only woman on that whole vast
camp-moved in and out of the hospital
tents, speaking some tender words, giving
some restoring cordial, holding the hand
of dying boy, or receiving the last
words OF husband for his widowed wife.
L can never forget how, amid scenes
under ordinary circumstances no woman
could have appeared in without gross in
dccorum, the holy pity and purity of this
angel of mercy made her presence seem
as fit as though she had indeed dropped
out of heaven. The men themselves, sick
or well, all seemed awed and purified by
such resident among them.
Separated from the main camp by
shallow stream running through deep
ravine, was hospitable whore, with per-
haps fifty Of our own men, more than
two hundred wounded rebels had been
placed.
Under sudden and violent rains. the
shallow stream had in few hours swol-
len to such torrent as actually to sweep
away beyond recovery several wounded
men who lay, thoughtless of any new
peril, asleep upon its banks. For three
days the flood kept at an unfordable
height; and the wretched hospital of the
rebels was cut off from medicine and
supplies BY the impossibility OF reaching
1t. A brave young rebel officer repeat
edly swan the torrent with bag Of
medicine and small comforts the only
communication that was had meanwhile.
Accompanied by the young woman NAM
ed above, | found my way, at the earliest
moment possible, to this unwilingy neg
lected scene. The place was a barn aud
a stable. Every foot was occupied by
wretched sufferers, clad usually in the
ragged gray Of the Confederate uniform
There, upon heaps Of manure, reeking
with rain, and tormented with vermin,
their wounds still undresoed, aud many
longing for amputation as the happy long
for food or drink, lay fair and noble
youth, with the mark of gentle breeding
in their fne-cut features, and hunger,
despair, and death in their bright and
hollow eyes. The surgeons mad at last
got to work among them and limbs just
cut off Zone | recollect veil, with the
heavy shoe and stocking still upon it) lay
in dreadful carelessness, in full view,
about the place.
"When we had exhausted the little
store of comforts we had brought with us,
one Of the sufferers said to Miss ellison,
"Ma'am can't you sing US little hymn ?"
"Oh, yes ?" she answered ;"I'll sing you
a song that will do for either side y and
there, 10 the midst of that band of neg.
lected sufferers, she stood and with
look of heavenly pity and earnestncss, her
eyes raised to God, sang, "When this
Cruel War is Over" in clear, pleading
voice that made me remove my hat, and
long to cast myself upon my knees
Sighs and groans ceased and, while the
song went on, pain seemed charmed away.
The moment it ceased, one poor fellow,
who had lost his right arm, raised his left,
and said, 80 maam l wish l had my
other arm back, if it was only to clap my
hands for your song!'
81 returned to Gettysburg that night,
and sent out at once from the Sanitary
Commission stores there heavy wagon
load of supplies for these poor wretches,
of fool, medicines, and clothing.--From
"OLD AND New" for May.