The National tribune., 1898-11-10
THE HOSPITAL TREE.

On the evening of the same day i'm
which the victory was won / visited
what was then and is still called the
Hospital Tree" near Fair Oaks. 1t was an
tended branches the wounded were car
ried and laid down to await the stimulant,
the opiate, or the amputating- knife, as
the case might require.
The ground around that tree for several
acres in extent was literally drenched
with human blood, and the men were laid
so close together that there was no such
thing as passing between them; but
each one was removed in his turn as the
Surgeons could attend to them. / wit
messed there some OF the most heart
rending sights it is possible for the human
mind to conceive. Read what Massa-
chuSetts Chaplain writes concerning it:
There is a large tree near the battle
ground of Fair Oaks, the top of which
was used as an observatory during the
| fight, which stands as a memento of I'M
told and perhaps to- be-told suf-
fering and sorrow. Many of the wounded
and dying were laid beneath its branches
after the battle, in order to receive Surgi-
cal help, or to breathe their last more
quietly.
What heartrending scenes did / wit
ness in that place, so full of saddened
memories to me and to others. Brave,
accomplishing men were brought thither
out of the woodland, the crimson tide of
of those who carried them. Almost all
who died met death like heroes, with
scarcely groan. Those wounded, but
not mortally-how nobly they bore the
necessary probingS and needed amputa-
tionsl Two instances of this heroic forti-
tude deserve to be specially mentioned.
One of them is that of William c. Bent
ley, of the I'd r. L., both of whose legs
were broken by bombshell, whose wrist
and breast were mangled, and who yet
was as calm as if he suffered no pain.
| lie refused any Oplate or Stimulant that
| might dim his consciousness. He asked
| only that we should pray for him. that he
| might be patient and submissive, and
dictated letter to be sent to his mother.
Then, and not till then, opiates were
gwen him, and he fell gently asleep, and
| for the last time.
The other case was that Of Francis
Sweetzer, of Co. f of the 10th Mass,
| who witnessed in death, as he had uni
formly done in life, a good confession of
Christ. Thank God, he said, that am
God, more yet, that | am prepared to die
And then, after moments thought, he
modestly added: AT least, hope Lam. ,
When he died he was in the act of prayer"
Oh, who that has witnessed such tri-
umphant deaths on the battlefield will
presume to doubt that the spirit of that
patriot who falls amid the terrible clash of
arms and the fierce surge of battle is pre-
pared to go from that scene of blood and
strife, and to enter into that rest that God
has prepared for them that love Him?
Yes, the noble men who have gone from
under the sheltering wings of the differ
ent evangelical churches throughout the
land, have gone in the strength of God
and with the full assurance that if they
should fall fighting for the God-given
rights OF humanity, there, amid the shock
of battle he still, small voice Of Jesus
would be heard speaking peace to the de-
parting soul, and that their triumphant
spirits would go home rejoicing to be
forever with the Lord
Good Bishop Simpson, Of the Method
ist Episcopal Church, soon after the
outbreak of the great rebellion, delivered
a sermon on the National crisis, at Chi
cago. 1t is represented as one of the
ablest efforts of this clergyman, so dis
tinguished for his power in the pulpit.
AS it was one of the anniversaries Of the
denomination, thousands were present to
hear the discourse. Suddenly, at one
point in the sermon, and as the fitting
close of a most impassioned paragraph,
he gave utterance to the following noble
sentiment:
1--WE will take our glorious flag, the flag
of our country, and nail it just below the
crossl That is high enough. There let
it wave as it waved of old. Around it
let us gather: first Christ's; then our
country's."
ITO be continued.)