The National tribune., 1890-04-17
Woman on the Battlefield.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF NATIONAL rREsr-

Woman on the Battlefield.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES or NATIONAL PREsI-
DENT.
Second Paper.
When the attempt was nlnde TO dig ship-canRi
across the peninsula opposite Vckshurg, IL was
necessary TO employ thousands of soldiers on the
works Hundreds Of these heroic men were killed
or wounded while toiling in the trenches.
BY long practice the gunners on the bluffs of
VicSsburg could drop shells into the great ditch
whore the men were at work and innct terrible
slaughter. Our guns answered the ViclSsburg bat
ieries with vgor, but failed TO silence them.
The men wounded in the trenches were taken to
n hospital nj n point just opposite Vcksburg, where
they were protected by high embnulSment. Al
though more than "a half mile nearer tho enomy's
guns, and only The river between them aud his
batteries II was place of comparative safety.
had been sending supplies over to that hospital
with lavish hand, ns they were completely cut of
from the rest OF the army, and from all human
sympathy, except tic one Surgeon and the regular
hospital attendants These isolntod wounded,
homesicb boys, who slept with the flying shells Of
two armies screaming over them desired greatly
TO see me. The Surgeon brought the message:
"Will you go?"
There was hut one way by which could reach
them, and that was 10 cross the canal Mt point
near it, terminus where the EN- bank ment could be
reached. ns the low lands were miry. But this
would ohge us TO go almost entirely around the
peninsula. In the face of tho batteries OF Vicks-
burg
WIN you come to them under tho cover of dark
ness, or take your chances In day Ight7"
preferred to so In daylight and it was 80
ranged.
Gen, Cyrus Bussey, Assistant Secretary OF
the Interior, aud his lovely, heroic lit:e wife, vol.
unleercd 10 accompany me. The Surgeon
guide Mrs. Bnzscy think had side snddie, and
rode her own horse. was mounted ON cavalry
saddle, on great. raw-boned animal that look cd
nH thouR he had been Ia tho service Of iris country
for years; but he proved trus,y fast going stced.
The guns Of the two armies were screaming over
Us when wc reached the point designated by our
guide ~ tho safe place 80 cross the canal" lilo
did uOt know that Soma If the barriers above had
given way, and that iIo canal was severed feet
deeper than when lac bad crossed Il n few hours he
fore. II was aEwt aud angry looking tide, bat the
Surgeon. unteruhed. called out, 3" Follow me; IL -
perfectly sale" Tho next moment his horse
plunged INTO iitc muddy ~wiFing tide. aud gained
the opposite si,urc with difficulty. lie called back
io Us that lac had missed the right crossing and
designated a point q little above where lac said
" II j. perfectly safe: crossed there this morning"
Settled myself we'll Isl ltg saddle. prepared for
whatever might come. aud giving the horse loose
rein lac marched hrhveiy into iiie food Tho next
moment he made "a fearful PIuugv. Gen. Bu-scy
spurrrd his horse in bc-dc mine, and the two
struggled together until they reached the shore.
Thanks to my Eruluck tTaining / kent the sai-
die we'll. 1t was Thought best TINT Mr. Bu--,y
should not attempt t1 cross but should remain Hl "A
cnhn near 10y tilI so returned, Reaching the cn-
b4tiSmcnt sc scattered. the surgeon, whose name
have forgotten. taking the lead, following
nbout 20 ynrl4 b.iiud him. nuI GEN Bussey hring-
ing up the rear. The road was fair, and sDurrcd
our horses 10 "a gallnp.
II was u mud wild ride. We were surrounded
by batteries. Tic Union moriHrhoaga Ind been
anchored AS pear as ps'szbe t. Vic<-bufg, aud
ff.F4sF Al.
dcriug horrors, over Dur heads into tie doomed
ciiy, with dcRl~HinR rom oi fury tIpt shook tho
earth. The heavy guns along tho nights of VlclSa-
burg answered, shot ioF rhut. tho solid balls aud
screaming shells Of gbo Union army, that seemed To-
reHd the sky above our beads But our horses
kept thc road flying with swiftrr feet the
heavier the shot and she'll, that shric,ed ike de-
mons Rbpvs them. Their flesh ali Rqujvcr
when we disnouI,tcd by Tie hospital door, under
the cmbaukmsHi. II guns were cveled at ia that
day from any OF t1" nrar batteries, We were not
wlthn rnugc when the shots came over.
iiut what rhnll -hy of this hosptlat2 Certainly
word 81 complaint may bc uttered IN regard TO
those who had charge of II.
Twenty years lInye passed. more than "A
quarter Of "a century, but ile pathetic scenes wit
nen-ed timt jny vivid get that must needs
bent back me- tcnFa - Try 10 wri;o the simpls
story. These brave men. who ia their strength
Ind faced the cannon without iiinuhiug aud In
many nrd'taught battle had carried the stars
and Stripes through tile storm OF lire and lead 10
victory. tow lay weak aud helpless wounded and
fever pnTchcd, Isolated mad yet In the Tempest of
battle. Longing for rest Hud quiet with hundreds of
guns screaming over their heads ight aud day
liuincsick for lack Of sympathy, what could say
My garments were rtll dripping with the muddy
water Of the canal but ma one noticed, aud 40 one
cared A. pasacd from cot ia cot tried to speak
words Of cheer, ar gra~pcd the ehcd hand;
but tie simple bsuodlction. God bless you for
coming To as that came from white, phrChed Inns
was chokcd with tears. answered back with
Tears, fairly Hobbing out my words of cheer " God
bless you. boys; deliverance will soon come Well
get you out Of this as soon M possible" That they
did not go mad ia their weak and nervous state il
~ wonder. great purpose lad taken possession
OF my soul. The next day went To Gen.
Grant that great hearted soldier wlo never turned
deaf eRr To suffering lac could relieve aud shortly
ailerwnTd the men were moved.
Bidding the mCu 10 keep heart aud hope we
mounted our horses aud galloped back ~ we had
come facing the batteries OF Voksburg the Sur
geon going with us to see that we got safely over
the canal. When We reached the other side Ia
safety he waved us his hdieu, aud Mrs Bussey
Joined ~ and we returned TO camp
In this care WIS not only GA battlefield but
between two grent aFmics,-Anno Wilteumyer,
National President.
WORK OF THE w.R.c.
DEAR TRIBUNE: have ofen heard the question
asked. What Is the object of the WumHu's Relief
CurpaT" We are pleased Ia reply. We nuxilinry
Ia the Grand Army. aud work for sweet char
hy," aud add I'VE welcome TO our ranks all loyal
ladies"
IL oft-repeated fact that great good Is rarely
done without great effort, SouIc rare fortune some
lucky moment, may occasionally bring about great
results Hat. an At rule. nothing Of moment Is ae-
cOmplished without corresponding effort
We Of tile W.it,C. often grow weary In our
work, and but for iie noble cause TOT which we
labor would at times be tempted To resign IT, But
us loyal women, who love our country, aud realize
how drhr how precious II shnuld be To us, We can
not hud IT Ia our hearts TO de4pond. The price Of
It's preservation the lifesbood of our inthers
brothers, husbands and SONS Can we do less thnn
aid Hnd care for those who are still with ~ who
rsked their lives aud endured the untold hartishps
of war Ia the great cause? Can we do less than
care for their widows aud orphans in their hour
"f sick ness and necd7 Some poet has beautifully
said
Large charity doth never soil
Bat only whitan soft white hands"
And when consider hew many humea are
frightened, how many sad hearts oheered how
many needy ones are helpsd how many little
children would suffer for food and clothing were IL
noI for he Relief Corps, we ihke courage and ask
God 10 bless oHT efforts
Sister members OF tile W, re " wherever you may
be- let ever Ice mindful Of tire noble principles TO
which we stand pledged, and SVEN though at times
disconrngemenle ssall ns, Let ns not weary la we'll
doing. III. Gieasgu, Secretary, John A
Logan Corps, No. 40, Los Angeles Cal.
Department Glcanings