The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-08-16
The Wounded i'm the Eastern War Al
lowed to Die--A Day Among Them
at ErZerOum.
TBoston Journal.J

Twelve days ago the first real battle !
since the fall of Ardahan took place. |
Six days ago there was another. In these |
two engagements probably not less than
two or three thousand men were woun-
ded. There were no ambulances on the |
field, no surgeons, in fact no prepara-
tions whatever for caring for the woun-
ded. The poor fellows, after lying for
hours, perhaps days, where they fell, |
were finally loaded on to OK carts and
started of for Erzeroum, fifty miles
away. After lying for three or four days
on these carts, under the burning sun,
and covered with dust, they finally ar
rive in Erzeroum and are put into a
khan, where they spend the night lying
ON the bare floor, with not so much as
blanket to cover them. About eight
o'clock this morning Mr.. G. and myself,
with two native assistants, gained admit
tance to the khan, having the day
previous succeeded, after much vexatious
delay, in obtaining a paper from the
| government, without which we should
be unable to do anything. Immediately
on entering we saw a sight which can
| never be forgotten. 1t was man woun-
| ded in the face. The ball had entered
| the left cheek, making a fearful hole,
and passed out just under the nose.
Seven days had passed and the wound
was still undressed. Such sight Ihope
never to see again. The stencil was some
thing fearful, and the mans cheek,
tongue, mouth, and nose literally alive
with worms. For want of better
instrument I took my pocket knife and
succeeded in dislodging a number of
white worms, half an inch long. After
a while l got a very small pair of
tweezers, with which, at least, one hun
dred were taken out. By the aid of a
surgeon, who happened in, the wound
was cleansed as much as possible, bound
up, clean shirt put on the man and q
blanket procured, on which we left him
The poor fellow was afterward taken tC
the hospital, where he will probably die
for want of care. One other poor fellow
whose leg was shattered by rifle ball
, was in much the same condition, though
the worms were not quite so numerous
! as in the other case. We remained il
l the khan till one o'clock, during which
time we helped to dress at least sixty
wounds, providing our own bandages
? lint, sponges, etc., distributing quantity
of shirts, and also bread, for the mel
S were hungry. Thanks to the Red Cros
. | Society, we have some twenty-five shirts
! small number of bandages, very Ettl,
1 lint, and also a few pairs of drawers
4 But what are they among so manyn
t The government actually hasno prepara
e ton for the few hundreds now here
g | What will become of the thousands We
+ to be brought in? Unless money AM
' supplies are provided Immediately, no
d only will there be most terrible suffering
t but hundreds, and perhaps thousands
+ must die, and all for lack of prope
preparation.
e Telegrams have already been sent
" England and Constantinople asking fo
: money and supplies, which it is hope
:, will be forthcoming. We, the America
n missionaries at Erzeroum, have entere
It upon this work with the intention {
U devoting our time and strength to i
W and most cordially invite all friends {
st humanity in Europe and America to al
o in this work of mercy, and we also mo:
cordially. undertake to distribute, {
faithfully and judiciously as possible, a
moneys and supplies, of whatever kint
which may come to our hands.
ri Money is also greatly needed to pr
u vide bread for the thousands of destitut
s. families in and about Erzeroum. If til
N suferings of the poor villagers must /
* * fearful. Crops are destroyed, anima
u stolen, and in many cases the inhabitan
II obliged to flee for their lives. War an
>e famine in Turkey are tenfold MOI
terrible than in most other countrie
m God have mercy on the people!