The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-04-26
ARMY SURGEONS IN BATTLE.
Interesting Story Of the Fight at
Chickamauga.
Chicago Inter Ocean.

say adventures, in time Of battle. On
the night Of September 10, at Chieka-
mauga, was left in charge Of about
fifty wounded men from our brigade,
most of them severely wounded, some
Of them fatally. This was on the
right, and, Of course, TO the rear of
the line Of fighting on that day. Ny
self, associates and attendants spent
the most of that night looking after
the wounded. 1t had been so warm
that most Of the men left their blan-
kets behind, and We could not collect
from the ambulances and the field
enough blankets to keep the poor fel-
lows comfortable. We had placed
them on straw to the leeward OF an
old cabin and built fires Of rails to
keep themf from freezing.
s'The wind would send the smoke
sometimes over the men, sometimes
in the opposite direction, but the
worst of it was the straw on which
the men were lying would take fire,
and the surgeons, assistants and nurses
had to be constantly on guard to keep
the wounded from being injured by
fire on one hand and cold on the other.
-Four of the men died during the nighh:y,
and early on the morning Of the 10th
an order came to transfer the wounded
to the general field hospital at Craw-
fish Springs, and my associate sur
geons left for that point. There was
that morning chilly. dismal sort Of
fog over all of Chickamauga Valley,
and the wounded were so much in
need of shelter and better attention
that with my small force Of attend
ants ] proceeded to place them in the
ambulances ready for transfer to Craw-
fish Springs. While we were engaged
in this two cavalrymen rode up hur-
riedly to where I was standing and
i! said without ceremony; What are you
doing here? Why don't you get out 2
Resenting what seemed to me imperti-
nence, I made no reply: in fact, did
not even lookup. One of the cavalry
men said, excitedly, Why don't you
get out? And, touching me on the
shoulder, pointed to the road extend
ing in our rear.
fsI was astounded to see full regi-
ment Of rebel cavalry moving quietly
and in order along the road three hun
dred yards from US. I expected to be
captured. asked the cavalrymen to
assist us in loading the wounded and
said we would make dash to get out
Of the way. They worked with US
! untilthe cavalry came, to point on
the road nearly on line with us, then
they mounted hurriedly and galloped
away. The rebel cavalry were evi-
dently after bigger game, because they
paid nc heed to us, but moved in
splendid order to our left. AS soon
as the wounded men were in the
ambulance I started in almost the op-
posite direction toward Crawfsh
Springs, puzzling all the while over
the fact that regiment Of rebel cav
airy had passed between me and the
general hospital, had passed to my
rear, to the rear Of our own line Of
| battle. I could not understand it ex-
cept on the. theory that there had been
a change in the lines during the night
and that the hospital had been left,
without notification, outside the lines.
aWe proceeded as rapidly as the
condition of the wounded would per-
mit to Crawfsh Springs, where we
found the general field hospital in
good shape, the surgeons in charge
satisfied with their arrangements and
ready to handle the wounded as they
we're broughti in to them. Everything
here was so quiet, so snug, so seem
ingly remote from the trouble and
.confusion Of battle, that the tempta-
tion to remain was very strong. AS
soon as my wounded were made COM
Portable the question came up as to
which one of the four surgeons present
should return to the field and who
should remain. Remembering that
regiment Of cavalry, | was ready to go
back TO the field, but said nothing.
The senior surgeon decided it would
be we'll for me to return. The alacrity
with which mounted my horse seemed
to amuse the others greatly. as they
expected I would demur. [ rode up
to the surgeon in charge, held out my
hand >and said goodbye He looked
up in quizzical way and said, What
do you mean 2 | replied, od-byc,
until you are released from Libby: |