The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-05-12

Since war has actually begun and our
boys have gone to the front, IL has been
almost the ,ole topic OF conversation,
and "reminiscences by the veterans Of the
eos are often heard. In speaking OF
the demonstration made by Hillsboro
citizens at the departure Of the troops.
one who had been through the OWL War
and taken part in some of it's severest en-.
gagements, referred to his own depart
ure from home and mentioned some of
the privations he endured and horrors
of which he had witnessed and been a
part during his service. Before leaving
home he said he had looked upon the
body of but one person who had met
death violently. But after several en-
gagements in the field he said he could
look calmly at the death of comrades
and with no more show of feeling than
If they were rabbits. He remembers the
battle of Chikamauga wildly. As his
wing the army under the command of
the ga mt Tb 'nas swept forward to the
rebel lines, like an irrepressible tide
wave OF humaul'y crying "Here we come
Father Abraham three.hundred thou
sand ssrong," tue scene is ineffaceably
stamped upon his memory. Hundreds
went down under the fire of the enemy,
and he among them, but the great col
umn OF the army swept by unheeding.
They were no longer men, they were
soldiers, and under the frenzy of battle,
feared not death nor shuddered at it.
From the field he was carried to the
hospital, and was there a witness to
scenes more horrible than those of bat.
tie. One man lay upon his back and re
fused to take an opiate while his arm
was being amputated' and sang "Nearer
My God to Thee" When the member
was dressed he rose and carried water to
those around him in his left hand, (it was
here observed that most of those who
lost their arms lost their right ones
The arms and legs of the wounded were
thrown into separate piles and our mar.
rator says that the pile of arms was as
high as hay stack and the legs formed
heap about twice as large. From the
hospital he again went to the field but
was captured and taken to Libby prison,
and from there transferred to Danville,
where life was living death. Hun.
dreds died around him and death on
the battlefield was thousand times
more preferable than the hideous and
horrible form in which it came upon
them there. At last news came to them
that sent joy to many a respondent
heart. They were notified by the prison
authorities that those who were able to
crawl to their banks to a certain place in
the yard would be exchanged and sent
back. Many who had resigned them.
| selves toldeath and who had been too fee.
BILE to raise hand, now crawled out. The
thought of freedom, home and friends
gave them life and strength for task
they could not have otherwise have &C.
complished. At this says the narrator
he was too feeble to raise himself from
his bunk and was resigned to die. And
fortunately for him he was, for the rebel
authorities with q cruelty that is almost
inhuman, sent back the weaker instead
OF the stronger, because they would not
be able to re.enlist and fight against
them, and those who had accomplis he'd
the trial of strength, born of visions Of
home and friends, were heartlessly told
te remain, These are few of the scenes
of which one soldier witnessed and was
part. Surely "war is hell"