The National tribune., 1889-11-14
DURINa TmE AFTERNooN

our infantry took possession OF Gettysburg
town, which they found full of the First aud
Eleventh Corps wounded from tho first DAYS
battle, together with many of tho rebels who
were too badly hurt to DO removed. Some of
our Surgeons had remained with our wounded
III the town during its occupation by the
enemy, of whose treatment of them they said
they had no complaint to make. The rebels
had not plundered the town as much as we
supposed they would. but they had stripped it
OF everything eatable, so that the inhabitants
had 10 draw rations at first from tho commits
sary. In fact the tOwnspeople told US that
there had not boon many rebel troops in the
village at any time, except enough for gen.
eral guard, and TO take care of the wounded
that were brought In. There was no difference
in tho treatment of the wounded by either
side In fact discrimination would have been
almost impossible, as they were all huddled to-
gether in tho same houses, aud frequently In
the same rooms, and attended by the same
Surgeons, our own and the rebel Surgeons hay-
ing worked together as il belonging to tho
same army. In fact, several of the rebel Sur
geons were still there after their army had left.
During the 5th and 9th, and all along after
the retreat OF the enemy, great numbers of
people focked into Gettysburg from the sur
rounding region, and also from more distant
points; some out of curiosity to SEQ the field,
but the great majority looking for wounded
to help generally. Vast quantities of every
thing in the way of comforts, such as delicacies
To eat fine undercothing, wines, cigars, and in
fact everything that kindness could suggest,
poured in from the North, so that in the course
of week the town full of wounded were as
comfortable as they could be- As y rule the
non combatant people were as kind To the
wounded rebels as our own soldiers were, but
there We're some exceptions, of which / wit
messed one. AS soon as tho enemy was known
to be gone from Seminary Ridge, we were per-
mitted to go down into the town aud hunt up
our wounded comradea 1t was no easy task
to find them, as every house was full and no
lists had been made out as yet SO, while two
OF US were looking from house to house for
some of our gun-comrades who had been nit
the first day, we found in one house some of
the Northern visitors There was one wounded
rebel in that house, and We stopped to say
word to him. While we stood by him clerical
looking man came up. and seeing the dirty
gray coat spread across the foot of the cot, he
said; $50 you are one of these internal traitors,
are you, who came up here to desolate our fair
country lt Ia good enough for you to lilo
there with good Union lead in your dirty car
eass!"
This was more than the old fighting veteran
who was with me could stand. He had as little
use as anybody for rebel with gun in his
hands, but he did not believe in abusing q
wounded foe. So he turned upon the clerical
looking person with fierce rebuke, under
which he "cnrled up" like whipped cur. "If
those homegaard wheips want the privilege of
kicking the Johnnies when they are down, let
them come and help down some of theml" ex-
claimed my comrade as we went away. This
was the average spirit Of the soldiers in matters
OF this kind.
lz9 be e0aiiansdl