The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-07-16

. ASe " AeA1 sAAS iNPPN-oS "A
With the roar of exploding fortresses
in their ears, with shells and shot foro-
ing through the roof and sides of the
rooms in which they lay, with the
cracking and Kissing of fire around
them, those poor fellows, who had
served their loving friend and master
the Car but too we'll, were consigned
to their terrible fate. Many might
have been saved by ordinary care.
Many lay, yet alive, with maggots
crawling in their wounds. Many
nearly mad by the scene around them,
or seeking escape from it in their ex.
tremest agony, had rolled away under
the beds, and glared out on the heart
stricken spectators, o with such looks
Many with legs and arms broken and
twisted, the Jagged splinters sticking
through the raw flesh, implored aid
water, food, or pity; or, deprived Of
speech by the approach ofdeath, on by
dreadful injuries on the head or trunk
pointed to the lethal spot. Many
seemed bent alone on making theil
peace with heaven. The attitudes o.
some were so hideously fantastic as tc
appall one by sort of dreadful fasci
nation. Could that bloody mass O.
clothing and white bones ever have
been human being, or that burn
black mass of flesh have ever had 6
human soul? II was fearful to think
what the answer must be.
confess it was impossible for me tc
stand the sight, which Mortified oul
most experienced surgeons.
But what must the wounded have fell
who were obliged to endure all this
and who passed away without hand
to give them a cup of water, or a voice
to say one kindly word to themw
In the Chinese insurrection, 1876
the city of t'uhshan, containing pop
ulation of six hundred thousand, was
set on fire by the insurgents. The con
flagration lasted three days, and two
hundred thousand people, according tc
the Chinese estimate-which, howev.
er, may be an exaggerated one-were
burned to death
But we forbear. Enough has been
said to give faint picture of the per.
sonal sufferings entailed upon man.
kind by war. Edmund Burke has es.
timated the total loss of life by war al
thirty-five thousand millions. Owhat
tears and sighs and groans-what
pains of body and griefs of mind
what crushed hopes-what bleeding
broken hearts, have attended the raw
ages of this cruel demon among sc
many of our race! We often shuddel
at the view of single sufferer by dis
ease or accident; and although he
may be stranger to us shed tears o.
kindly sympathy for his woes. How
then, should we be affected by the
view of millions writhing under tor
lures such as are rarely, if ever, wit
messed in peaceful land There are
many who weep profusely over the fic
titious sufferings of imaginary heroes
when painted by pathetic novelist
What scalding tears, then, should suf
fuse the eyes that read of Wars rea
havoc! And here tears are manly
and it is weakness to withhold them
Upon such subject rs this, not to fee
is to repudiate every higher instinct o
our nature, and become worse thar
brutalized.
True, the view of such suffering j!
soul-harrowing and shocking to rein
ed sensibilities but shall we permi
the evil to 90 unpitied and unalleviat
ed because it is so gigantic al end
Or perhaps there are some who, famil
lar with history and accustomed t.
such details, have ceased to be touched
by them. Is it so, then. that the yer.
frequency of this curse must render u
insensible to it? Had there been bu
one or two battles in the worlds histo
ry, they would be universally deplor
ed; but because there have been thou
sands, they are regarded by man.
with Indifference. Do we need an,
other proof of the evil Of war thai
this-that it has rendered it so com
mon for men to suffer, that their suf
ferings almost cease to affect us? Th
world has become, in this respect, yer.
much like the experienced soldier
who, though once he would not know
ingly have trampled upon an insect, i
habituated to behold unmoved tn
most excruciating agonies of his fel
low-men. Is it not time that we cas-
aside the stony exterior with whicl
habit or prejudice has encrusted ou
hearts, and allow them to be impress
ed with those woes which are so wei
calculated to move them? "Shall th