The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-16
What is War Like?

From memoranda for the Surgical His
tory of the War, by Assistant Surgeon
B. Howard, U. S. a, p. 12Sl
| The battle (of Bull Run, the second
| commenced on the 18th august, 1850, and
continued until the evening of the S0th.
All the wounded were not brought in until
the 9Th of September. Some of them stated
| that they had received no food, drink, or
assistance from the time they fell until
brought off by the ambulance. giving a
mean of four and a half days without
food. Some shared the meagre fare of the
struggling rebels. On the evening of Tues
| day, the I'd (September), there arose very
| heavy thunder storms. which were repeat
! ed the next two days. drenching the
| wounded. OF those brought to the peach
| orchard, with a few exceptions, all were
| submitted 10 the necessary operations be-
! fore further removal The hot sun and
| drenching showers alternated, 10 the great
| discomfort of the patients. but the most
| painful consideration was how to appease
| their hunger and save them and ourselves
| from starvation. Supplies had been for
| hidden TO come with the flag of truce, and
| those which were being sent in abundance
! from Washington were secured by the
! enemy for their own wounded. On Sep
| TENDER 3, there were about 5000 wounded
! on the field, but still no food; everybody
suffered from hunger; and, although con-
| stantly operating. I had only a little tea,
| brandy and sugar."
| (From a narrative of his services on the
Medical Staff. by Assistant Surgeon A.
H Smith, L. S. A, p. 129.)
I'VE reached the battlefield OF Cedar
Mountain CVa.) on the 9Th of August QS62).
after the firing had ceased. l spent the
following night in assisting in the attend
ance upon the wounded of Banks corps,
who were at house near where our reg
iment lay. During the severe fight
ing on the 30th of August, our brigade
was on the left of the line. Early
in the engagement / was separated from
the command by large masses of troops
which interviewed while l stopped TO at
tend those who fell before the regiment
got into position. In a few moments the
enemy had gained a position in the rear
OF our left, and were sweeping the ground
with shell and round shot. Finding
l could render no assistance to the wound
ed where l was, with any safety to them
or myself. l set out for the general depot
for the wounded, about half mile to the
rear. Just as | reached it, the last of the
wounded were being removed, the enemy's
shells tearing up the earth in every direc-
ton around the tents. The left wing was
by this time, in full retreat, and was car
ried along with it over Bull Run. The
first house on the left of the Centerville
turnpike was filed with wounded, and
from twenty-five to thirty were lying in
the yard. Here l passed the night, ex-
tracing balls. applying water dressings,
and distributing morphine. Towards
morning d cold rain set in, but there was,
fortunately, a quantity of lose boards at
hand, with which shelters were contrived,
Of oil 80
ed.
"On Monday morning I went from Cen
treville to the field with the flag of truce.
1t was supposed when we left Centreville
that all the wounded would be removed
that day. The ambulances, said to be 200
in number, remained, however, until
nearly night, when they were loaded and
sent away, taking but a portion of the
wounded. Nothing more was seen of them
until Thursday morning. On that portion
of the field where our brigade was en-
gagged 1 found from sixty to seventy of
its wounded. During the first day, assist
ed by DR.. Shackleford of the Ninety
fourth New York Volunteers, l succeeded
in getting many of the wounded on that
portion of the field collected into groups,
and part of them removed to the shade
of a neighboring wood. Before night
nearly every one of the ninety soldiers
VINO had been brought with the train to
assist in removing the wounded had de-
serted. 1t was said that, they went to
Gainesville and were paroled. DIR. Shack
elford and 1 were the only unwounded
persons on that part of the field. 1t rained
heavily just at dark, and the rain was
followed by a cold wind. We passed the
greater part Of the night in carrying rails
10 build fires, and in distributing soup,
brandy and morphine. The sufferers were
cheered with the assurance that the am
balances would return in the morning
In this hope we were disappointed, and
all suffered from hunger, after the hand
full of bread brought with US was ex-
hausted. There was then nothing to eat
but concentrated beef essence which was
so favored that the enfeebled stomachs
Of the wounded rebelled against it, even
when greatly diluted. A few
blankets had been brought with the am
balances, but they were Immediately dis
tributed to the wounded near the center
of the field, and we were unable to pro-
cure any for the more distant point at
which We were occupied