River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-01-11
ON GETTYSBURG FIELD.
What a Good Samaritan Saw During
the Days Following the Battle
Twenty Thousand Patients.-Many
Pathetic Incidents

What q Good Samaritan Saw During
the Days Following the Battle
Twenty Thousa nd Patients.-Many
Pathetic Incidents.
From the Phil. Times.
On the morning of Saturday, July 4,
1868, came the glorious news of our vic
torious arms and Of the retreat of the
enemy towards the border. We learned
that by afternoon supplies could be for
warded to our army. The public square
in York was rapidly filed with wagons
packed with provisions, clothing, blank
cts and hospital stores waiting the arriv-
al of the banished horses which had
been sent across the river before the oc-
cupation of the town by General Cor
don's command. The urgent call for
help from Gettysburg decided us to go
through without stopping.
Exhausted with loss of blood, faint
with hunger, they turned to us with i'm
ploring looks, and dying eyes frightened
at the sight of friends bringing food and
aid. Some who seemed almost gone,
apparently too weak to take sustenanue,
could be revived with few drops of
brandy or little wine and water until
they could swallow some moistened
bread. Many had to be fed like infants,
either too weak or too disabled to help
themselves. How eagerly they de-
voured the sweet homemade bread and
butter, which we gave sparingly at first,
only q little piece at time. repeating
the ration as they were able
TO bear il. It seemed at first
incredible Is them that we had enough
for all, and in several instances with
heroic self-denial, one would turn to his
comrade and say: "Give it to him; he
.IrryIs II JxI0I 40, Il mao a DIS
cult this morning" saw tears of graft
itude run down the cheeks of men who
would have died in the ranks without
flinching as they received the food We
so gladly gave. Even the nurses came
to the wagon and begged for a crust of
bread, having been two days with moth
ing to eat.
Much of my work lay among the con-
| fede rate troops, whom | found in most
| deplorable condition. In some instances
/ fDeN were GDliTttN uC6LlAAltG Va tiOAAAAiASf
being covered with piece of old blank
ct. Others had nothing on but a ragged
| shirt or a pair of drawers, those who
| were fortunate enough to have two gar
ments sharing with those who had none.
The long march had completely worn
out the poor uniform, and the distance
| from the base of their supplies rendered
| it impossible to replace them. Prov.
| dentially our sample stores enabled us TO
| ulothe them all deeently. How emacia~
ted they werei Some of them told me
| they had subsisted almost entirely on
corn, gathered from the fields in their
| hurried march, which ravenous hunger
often compelled them to devour green
| from the stalk. After the struggle was
| over and there was no longer need for
exertion, nature seemed to have ex
| hausted her resources, and they were for
the most part Indifferent, depressed and
| hopeless.
| The larger number of those in my care
| belonged to the poorer class of whites at
| the south, but among them were many
| of natures noblemen," intelligent and
| courteous, fully representing the idea oil
Southern chivalry," showing in their
| bearing towards the women of our party
the utmost Difference and gratitude; pre-
serving their dignity and manllness UNI
| der the most trying circumstances. sun
| it was very apparent that they bore, IN
bitterness of soul, the downfall OF their
ambitious hopes. But one short week
before they stood in battle array, with
call the pride, pomp and circumstance
/ of war" to crush the Northern army.
Now prisoners ON the invaded soil they
lay at the mercy of their captors. They
| manifested the utmost surprise at the
| impartial treatment they received at
our hand, and could not understand
why we fed and clothed them as prompt
w and willingly as we did our own men.
One day, after very fatiguing morn
ing, sat down on a stump for mo-
ment's rest among the Southern soldiers.
As usual group ofboys gathered around
| me and one said
"Madam, / can't understand your
| fraattnant nf no Oar Wonen would not
be SO willing to help prisoners from your
army, but you are just as kind to us as
to your own men,"
ooh" | said, ''the reason is that we dc
not look upon you as enemies. We still
regard you as our children, and although
yoa have gone astray we have not given
you up and expect you to come back to
us, Just as loving mother hopes her
! hayward boy will repent of his wander
| ings and disobedience and return again
to take his place around the hearthstone.
You belong to us yet, and the time Will
come again when we shall be one peo-
Pile, under united government"
"Well, boys" said one of the bright
est of them, there is something in that
Now, marin, won't you please give us a
| chaw of tobacker?"
| SECTIONAL JEALOUSY HARDLY NOTICEABLE.
| was much surprised at the absence
| of all sectional jealousy among the en-
| listed men, The greater number ig-
| nored the difference between north and
| south and many on both sides seemed
| to have but a faint realization of the
| meaning of the warfare in which they
engaged, and were entirely ignorant OF
the great principles invoved. met
| but one union soldier who complained
| that we treated the "rebs" as well as
/ our own men. | had asked him to car
| nv the heavy tray for me one morning,
as | was about to give out the breakfast,
and as l went to group of prisoners
| who came first in my way he refused to
90. saving he would not feed the rebels
while so many of our men were still
hungry.
Among many similar instances recall
| one ola confederate officer of high rank,
who, by the courtesies of war, would nj
| once have been removed TO comfortable
| quarters. first met him on Wednes-
| day, lying on the ground, with no shelf
err but couple of army blankets. Upon
my expressions Of surprise at finding
him in such situation he replied
that he could not desert his men.
II enlisted most of the poor fellows, "
said he, "and will stay by them as long
as am permitted to remain"
/ He had a brother, also, an officer in
his regiment, lying near him. They did
all in their power to help the men bear
the terrible reverse. He, besides being
painfully wounded, was suffering severe
" from chills and rheumatism.
offered him some brandy which he
refused, saying. 81 can do without it,
but if YOU can give some to that poor TEL
| low" (pointing to one lying near him
racked with cramps) II will be exceed
| ingly indebted" After complying with
the request I told him had some fer
him also, and gave him cup and bot
tie of old whiskey that he might use al
hot coffee, which revived him, and pro-
cured for him some quinine and sup
ply of blankets and pillows, and had a
tent put up for him that night. subse-
quently had several interviews with
him and found him an earnest, thought
full man, who deplored the war and felt
from the beginning that it never should
have been inaugurated. His heart
overlooked with sympathy for the unfor-
tunate men who had been coerced into
the fight, and who had lost everything
with no hone of TeparatiOn.