Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-12-04

MISSISSIPPI RIVER TOWN DURING WAR TIMR'
Old Photograph.
position with so little resistance, the opin-
ion came to prevail throughout the Federal
army that Vicksburg would yield without
further resistance. Filled with this idea
the Union forces confidently approached
the outworlks of VicEsburg on the morning
Of May 10, but found the Confederates
without these in line of battle. They soon
retired, however, and meantime the Fed
erals, by this time convinced that the foe
in front intended to fight, approached eau
tiously but determinately.
The division established its hospital
about four miles from the Confederate
works at the house of man named SWEET.
The house was built mainly of logs in the
center of large yard that sloped down in
nearly every direction.
Every thing was got in readiness at the
hospital to receive the wounded. The sur
geons had their instruments all ready for
use; long, bright, razor-edged knives for
tons and sharp-toothed, shining saws for
saving bono. Then there were strong for
ceps for extracting bullets, bone pliers for
shipping off Jagged ends of bone and tour
niquets for ARE sting hemorrhage.
Sponges for washing wounds and lint
and bandages for dressing them were in
plentiful supply.
Among the more prominent drugs were
morphine, for alleviating pain, chloroform
and ether for producing GneSthesiG Cnsensi-
bility to Suffering), brandy, wine, whisky
and quinine for exhaustion, and perchloride
of iron, apowerful styptic, to stop bleeding.
To be used in the way of nourishment
there were beef essences, condensed milk,
strong coffee, beef soup, broths, crackers,
ETC., etc.
The yard at Swett's was filed with shade
a,1 +hno ool 20
put the wounded. Ambulances were sent
| to the front and every thing was In readi-
ness at the hospital to make as comfortable
as possible the injured. Towards noon the
writer went forward a couple of miles
| since eight o'clock there had been firing,
and this grew heavier and heavier as the
day advanced. AS yet, however, there
| was but little in the immediate front, but
| nearly all was to the right. Sherman with
the Fifteenth Corps was on tho extreme
| right, Mcpherson (Seventeenth Corps)
was in the center and McClernand (Thir-
teenth Corpse was on the left.
At noon the firing to the right became
| very heavy, the musketry was incessant
| and this was very frequently punctuated
| with the boom of cannon. Gradually the
| incessant report of musketry and frequent
boom Of cannon crept round to the left, and
| in the afternoon the whole line was en-.
| BdBOus 4O"aEu SNShAh5 PhO athOuAdhOOs
commenced coming in loaded with the
wounded. These poor fellows had to be
lifted carefully from the ambulanoes and
laid around upon the ground till the sur
i geons could examine and care for their in
/ juries. Two or three operating tables had
been extemporized with boards; at each Of
these surgeons were soon busily at work
| amputating legs and arms, probing wounds
| and otherwise operating upon the injured
The great majority of injuries came from
musket balls, q few came from pieces Of
shell, and occasionally one from a grape
| shot.
Nearly all were perforating wounds
though occasionally only bruise was found
and this usually came from a piece OF
she'll Where bones of extremities were
seriously injured amputations were near.
~ always resorted TO. In the case Of the