Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-21
CHAPTER XXX.

While the fight was raging the house and "quarters' were both in flames, fired by the shells from a Confederate gun. But for the strenuous efforts of the detachment guarding the prisoners in the barn that. structure would have also been reduced to ashes. It therefore came about that when the battle was over and men began to bring i'll the wounded the barn was the only shelter to be had. The prisoners were turned out and the place given up to moaning. grooming men and those who sought to succor them. The sounds of battle had been heard in the Federal lines, and q brigade of infantry arrived about g o'clock in tho evening. While their services were not needed, the half dozen surgeons sent out with the column had work to last them the long night through and far into the next day.
 It is a grim sight, a fleld hospital like this, and they arc grim men into whose hands the wounded fall as theT arc lift ed off the stretchers, grooming, caT5lng or crying. The flight of a snowflake ill a gale of wind is not more cratic than the flight of death missiles in a hattie. Here are men wounded in the face; the next three or four may be wounded in the feet or ankles. Sabars havo dcsccnd- ed upon heads And shoulders; bullets have plowed their way into arms, sides, hips or legs; fragments of shell have carried away fingers and reduced hands to pulp. Of hundred mon no two have received the samo hurt.
 Rude tables have been prepared, aud strong men lift each victim up to be overhauled by the men who have strip ped off coat and vest and rolled their sleeves far back. They look like butch CTS in a slaughter pen, but their hearts are tender toward these victims of bat tie. whether friend or foe. The bitter ness of battle is at its height when the crash of artillery and the cracllle of musketry are fiorcest. When the battle is over, wh5ther victorious or defeated, pity returns to the heart and blinds the eyes to the color of the uniform Over each man lifted up there is a brief con- sultation.
 Those bare armed men need waste no time. They can tell almost at glance what the result will be. If it is mor- tai hurt, the poor fellow is lifted aside to breathe his last as peacefully as pos sible under such surroundings. If there is hope for him, his wound is dressed with agile fingers, and he gives way to the next.
 "That's Captain Wyle, my company captainl''
 So exclaimed Steve Brayton as he en- tered the barn about o'clock at night to see if he could recognize any Confed crates being brought in. The captain had just been lifted to the table. He was conscious, but had not yet spoken. Those who brought him in said that he was pinned to the earth by the hind quarters of his dead horse, and that the animal was fearfully mangled by grape shot.
 Shoulder dislocated, ribs broken, leg broken, struck in the groin by carbine ball, announced the surgeon who made a rapid investigation.
 Any hope for me?'' asked the cap tain, whose lips had been moistened with whisky, as it was observed that lie desired to speak.
 The surgeon shook his head and mo- tioned to the attendants to lift the off cer aside. When they had left him, Steve Brayton sat down beside him and bathed his face with whisky and rave him to drink The captain had cog nized him at once, but 1t was several minutes before he queried:
 cYou and Kenton were in the fight at Harrisonburg and were captured. How came you here?"
 s'We uns made bolt fur it on the road and got away
 And what has happened here?"
 ''Waal, Kenton was wounded, then me and him stood off Ike Baxter and his crowd, then the gals mother died, then the gal and Kentpn hay bin driv