The Wilmingtonian., 1885-05-16
SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1885.
GETTYSBURG.
Field Hospital "reminiscences of
that Battlefield.

little I know OF what they are talkkiiTngg u.HaG
Gettysburg and in the hospital tents where
the wounded and dying were lying around
cut and torn and mangled by bullet and
shot and shell, they weuld hesitate before
expressing themselves in that glib way.
They would say that such thing as war
should neUer be.
was not soldier, but
was one of the forty sent down from this
city by the State of Delaware to look after
the wounded ofour regiments.
You remember the plan of that part of
the battlefield v here the long, sloping hill
was crowned by a low wall, with a heavy
built stone house Immediately behind it.
Well, the Union wounded were laid in long
rows along the slope; at the base of the hill
was stream curling along its edge and on
its other side was q low flat bank; the woun.
ded Johny Rebs were ranged in extended
lines.
You who have never seen battlefield can
have no conception, even with the most
graphic description of the no rible sights OF
distressed humanity. The fields were COW
cred with overcoats, kuapsacks, rifles, even
bibles, backing boxes and every species OF
miscellaneous object imaginable.
After attending to our own men whom we
had early ascertained to have been looked
after, few of us, l among the number,
crossed the stream and gave our attention to
the Confederate wounded. 1t had been
raining all the time since our arrival. lit is
strange but the doctors told us that the
rainy weather was the very best thing for
the wounded men, as they lay on the ground
gassIsSd, with thorRelting rain beating
surgeons on the field is in strange coinci-
dence with the modern scientific treatment
of cold water bandages.l Suddenly some
body gave warning that the creek was ris-
ing. 1t had already over-run the low flat
bank upou which the unfortunate Confeder-
ates were lying. We hurried along to move
them higher up the bank One man found
lying half way in the water his face lust
above the brink.
The rushing water was swaying and bob
bling his head and shoulders back and for
ward and up and down, while he, from his
helpless wounded condition, could not stir
arms or legs to relieve himself. remem.
bsr him well, nice gray-haired old gentle
man. lie was so thankful, and expressed
himself so politely to me for saving him
from drowning. carried him up to the
foot of chestnut tree near by, whose up
per parts, all but the butt, had been shot
away. braced him comfortably against it
aud gave him all the relief had at hand
When returned in the evening he was in
the same position exactly, but stone
dead
Behind the stoLe wall spoke Of the dead
were lying in heaps. saw there the first
two dead Confederate soldiers had seen on
the battlefield. 1t was curious fact that
they were black in the face, and | noticed
the same in almost all the others of the re-
bel soldiers, while that dscoloration was
noticeably absent in the Union deed. This
was ascribed, at the lime, to the low physi-
cal condition of the rebel soldiers, from ex-
treme exposure and insufficient food, had SO
reduced them that, when they received their
death, modification more readily set
in.
At this spot many wagon loads Of shells
might have been picked up. They almost
covered the ground. Trees of ten and
twelve inches diameter, which stood close to
this point, were literally sawn in two Ly bull
let's Cut clean down three feet from the
ground. The tle iring could have cqualled
nothing else but hail in its fierce peltcling.
Behind the stone wall stood heaps of unused
cartridges, showing the manner and method
of the defense
was walking past row Of wounded
men. One of them addressing me pointed
to his bare leg upon which noticed small
blue spot. He asked me to have him taken
to the operating table. He was druggist
He knew the significance of that bIotcb.
lie was operated upon, but an hour after
his leg had been omputated he was dead,
the modification had crept to his vitals.
Alongside the operating tables were piles of
arms and legs, some booted, some bare
arms with sleeves on, others but shifted
The heaps looked like nothing else thaa
large cords of wouG.
The best surgeons were in those tents but
they had 10 time to discliminate. At a
glance the decision was made, aud to save
lifa, of came the arms or legs by the dozens
aud scores, Some died, Of couls, but most