Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-03-27

cause real regret to the volunteer host
or hostess.
l remember that one old colored
aunty pressed me so hard that I took a
olt OF nice corn dodger and "greens,"
with vinegar, which went first rate (the
lltte succeeded in swallowing), and
she thanked me as though I had done
her a favor.
MANSION HOUSE HOSPITAL.
Reaching the city limits I met a bri-
gade surgeon, who, after inquiring
when and where 1 was wounded,
rode on. Presently he came gallon.
ing back. dismounted and accompanied
me to town, supporting me with an
arm. He took me to the Mansion
House Hospital, introducing me to the
surgeon in charge with: This boy has
walked from Bull Run with his head
half shot off; do what you can for
him. and left me. The first question
asked, "Do you wish something to
eat!' l of course answered in the af-
irmatiye.
They gave me a cup of bean soup
(army strcngth), bread and coffee and
sent me to the surgery, where one of
the attendants, after looking at the
wound in my neck, insisted on putting
on a compress of plasters to draw the
ragged edges of the opening together.
l objected, urging that the wound
should be cleansed and properly
dressed, if at all, but he prevailed,
squeezing the sensitive flesh together
regardless of the handkerchief and lint
within or of the agony he caused me.
Then l was directed to the wharf and
placed upon a boat that was to take
a cargo OF wounded to Washington,
and there offered more coffee and bread,
but my sufferings were so great that /
declined. Meantime. the congresses
had caused such AGATE pain that 1
pulled them loose, and the pus and
blood flowed profusely, saturating the
upper portion of my person with
corruption.
ON A TRANSPORT.
The night Of the 4th the vessel re-
manned at Alexandria, and the space
being crowded L lay in the stern sheets
of the small boat on deck with my neck
resting upon the gunwale for a pillow
to deaden the pain. l had not slept a
moment since the night of the goth of
August and then for not more than an
hour, and during the long hours of
darkness l listened to the groanings
and meanings of those about me while
my mind darted from one thought or
memory to another increasingly, as it
had done on the field of battle.
l think that night 1 experienced the
first real symptoms of inconsistencies
subsequent to enlistment. To be so
near home, only a couple of hundreds
of miles away, with a loving mother
waiting for a son whom she never ex-
pected to see (for my name had been
published in the list Of the killed,
though l was not then aware of the
fact)-it was terrible beyond the power
of language to describe.
Next day, the 9Th, at high noon, ]
reached Georgetown College Hospital,
just opened, and was taken into
Ward 6.
IN HOSPITAL AT LAST.
l sat down upon the cot assigned tc
me with a sense of relief. l had won
the goal for which l had striven,
reached a place where even death,
should it come, would be robbed OF
some of its t%errors, and was glad. ]
had not sat there long before an old
darkey with a bucket Of warm water,
soap and a sponge came along.
"Boss, you'se lookin' mighty likes
if you ought'n be wash" said he, with
a good-natured grin. I agreed. Then
he cut from me nay vermin-infested,
blood and dirt encrusted clothing, send
ing it, all save blouse and cap, which ]
kept, away, and, naked as I was born,
washed me from head to heel.
Talk Of your moments of luxury. As
the liquid water and CASTLE soap were
softly sponged over my person 1 forgot
pain, fear, everything but the exquisite
sensations developed as. the feverish
skin grew cool and clean under his
skillful manipulations. And when he
robed me in one of those wonderful
hospital shirts, made to fit any size OF
stature, and assisted me to lie down be-
tween fresh white sheets upon a straw
mattress, Heaven opened before me and
1 was almost willing to die. Some may
think this extravaganza language, but |
felt as 1 now write. The thirst, the
hunger; the hard bed of the battlefield,
the walk of many weary miles and my
cruel wounds had produced a condition
of mind and body to which even the
slightest relief proved grateful. To be
thus tenderly cared for was ecstatic.
In about an hour the surgeon of the
ward, DR.. William Il. Dewitt, formerly
of Harrisburg, Pa, came along and
dressed my wounds. He relieved my
neck of a handful of maggots, removed
the handkel chief and lint and cleansed
the gaping cavity with a syringe. 1t
was not until 1 felt the water trlckling
down my back that I knew the ball had
passel, clear through.
Tho surgeon under whose care I for
tunately happened to fall was the only
one among cores who saw me who
thought recovery possible, and his faith
was not very strong until a month had
passed and more. When sloughing set
in at its worst there were continual
hemorrhages occurring. and 1 remem-
Der that on lwo occasions when the
large arteries were threatened he re-
manned by my bedside during two en-
tire nights until all immediate danger
was past.
Though 1 regretted leaving the good
Samaritan who cared for me SO faith