The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-05-17

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kee in all that broad field who had not
been stripped of his shoes and stockings,
and in numerous cases beer left as naked
as the hour he was born.
"Our barefooted and ragged men had
not hesitated to supply their necessities
even from the garments and equipments
of the dead. So numerous were the
wounded Yankees, that in four days
5000 had not been attended to-"
The following is from the narrative of
a Confederate Lieutenant:
The fight was by far the most hor-
rible and deadly that l have seen. Their
dead Union on the field were left in
sush numbers as to sicken even the vet
erans of Richmond and the Shenandoah
Valley. They left 1000 dead, rotting
clay, and almost
INNUMERABLE WOUNDED.
Their discipline and night saved them
| from FOut."
The writer has a record Of a great
many individual experiences of what
they suffered on that fatal field As we
have seen, the badlv-wounded were neces-
sarily abandoned to the uncertain mer-
cies of the foe; some of them robbed the
dead to supply their own necessities;
others treated all alike, be they dead or
living the helpless wounded in too many
cases were stripped even of blankets,
haversacks, and canteens Of water, and
left almost as naked as the day they
came into the world, and with curses on
their lips left to their fate.
There they all lay in companionship,
the bloated corpses of the dead, the dy-
ing, and the suffering, during the long,
dreary night, which seemed never to end,
upon the wet ground, the rain falling
upon them; but to some this was God
send, for they could open their mouths
and partially quench their feverish thirst
Happily not all were heartless; some
of their former foes came to them as
ministering angels, and from their own
poverty shared what they had to relieve
their suferings, and they felt grateful to
their Maker that he left some good in
this world of ours. But only those who
lie here helpless, the victims of legalized
destruction and murder, hear the prayers
for mercy; the cries, the groans, the un-
told suffering the calling out in deli
rum to wives and children, mothers,
friends, and all who are dear to them, or
the demoniac yells and curses that went
out on the midnight air for vengeance.
Here and there these sounds ceased in
the last gasp of death.
Now, l will close by saying that the
above narrative of the part taken in
the battle of Second Bull Run by the
9th n. Y, and of Others is not drawn
from imagination, but is true account.
The principal part was written years
ago from letters sent from the front Just
after the occurrence of the events de-
scribed also, from diaries, information
from old members of the regiment, and
from the personal observation and ex-
perience of the writer, who enlisted
April 10, 1861, and served continuously
with the regiment until its muster-out
Map IA, 1868.
Out of about 900 original members
he was one of about so who was in every
campaign, march, and battle the regi-
ment participated in, and was spared |
from absence by reason of wounds, sick
ness, or furlough. He went to shoot |
and be shot at.
If any comrade feels that his COM
mand might have been mentioned, | de-
sire to say to him that / should have
been glad TO do so, but it is out of the
province of an article of this kind, and
that he must remember that the account
was about the doings of the 9th n. y.
Appended is some testimony from the
enemy we fought, which | never saw
until after my story had been indited.
Comrade B. f. Finley, of Co. 6,
while on the cars going on a Southern
tour, found in Frank NJ. Smith, of Peters
burg, Va, the conductor Of the train, a
member Of the 9th Tex. He served all
through with them to Appomattox, and
then went to work for the railroad where
he has been ever since. In the course
Of a conversation Finley asked him
what regiment he opposed at Second
Manassas. He replied: The 9TH Ny.
Zouaves were in front there" and that it
made good fight against them; also,
that before that time they thought one
Southerner could whip three Yankees,
but they were ever after convinced of
their error.
lie kept by Finley all his spare time
during the trip, invited him to call on
him at his home (handing him his card)
if he ever had the opportunity, and he
would be well entertained, etc. He also
said that a four-mule team could not
again drag him in to
FIGHT AGAINST THE OLD FLAG
The Rev. j. S. Johnston, in a letter to
the writer, Jan. u, 1881, says: x x x
"Wa as wounded at Gaines's Mill. K X x
At Second Manassas was a courier at
Gen. Laws Headquarters. = x
You correctly describe the position of
our troops, etc; X x 4; also Butter
fields attack, etc. !: = :: Immediate
ly the order was given for us to charge,
81 III, Il,