The National tribune., 1900-04-26


periodical hunt in which thumb-naiis are
the weapons most prominently used.
About 20 rods from our regimcntal camp:
in Il beautiful, grassy valley. stood tree
with a large. round top of thick foliage
which came down within about eight feet
Of the ground. After dinner, when the in
vadcrS had been driven from my under
clothes. / strCl'cd out TO this tree.
Off 10 the right. on the higher ground
of an open field SlopIng upward from where
| stood, was Division Headquarters. and all
about it could be seen men in the familiar
position of shirts over heads.
| then concluded that the festive gray
back was no respectcr of persons, for in
that group were general and staff officers
with stratesical problems and military
combinations rclcgated to the rear while
a hand-to-hand, or, more precisely. thumb
to-thumb conflict was being waged against
| the common enemy, Having nothing else
todo, lay down in the shade of the tree and
| went to sleep
Some time in the afternoon awakened
with the hot July sun beating squarcly in
my face. | tried 10 get up, but could not.
Every bone in my body seemed to have a
grievance of its own, and how did ache.
Though the sun was shining brightly there
appeared to be a vail over my eyes and a
somber hue pervadcd all nature.
Just what happened then have no means
of knowing but along in the night awOkc
and found myself in sort of box in large.
dimly-lighted room. In the morning /
| found the building was church; that the
pewS had been turned, each alternate ono,
and made into bunks for use as hospital.
How long | lay there | do not know but
from the looks of the attendants and fire.
quent visits of the Surgeon. concluded they
thought me pretty sick. The church was
large and so far as could determine every
bunk had an occupant.
One morning the brigade band came and
took the comradc next to me OF the left and
bore him away to his last resting place. he
having succumbed to the inevitable during
the night. | was too sick and weak TO
think or notice much of what was going on,
but when the band in soft, mellow tones,
played its beautiful dead march Il direct
| appeal Was made to all the musical educa-
| ton and inspiration possessed, and every
| fiber OF my being thrilled with the divine
| harmony until | wished it was they We're
taking away.
| Shortly before s,Indown they came again,
and this time took the one on my immedi-
| ate right could not give much attention
| 10 this departure, for q reaction from the
mornings cxhilaration, when my heart
strings vibrated III such strong sympathy
with a common chord like those OF violin
| in sympathy with another instrument,
| had set in and fully expected that dead
| march would be played for me in the morn
| ing. am now "a retired music teacher and
| bandmaStcr. but in all my experience, try
as | might, | could never get band or or
chcStral instruments TO sound quite so
sweet us did those at Huntsville.
How long We remained here | cannot tell,
| as was too sick 10 know mitch of anything.
but remember that i'll a hospital at Win
chester, Tenn. Byron. Jim and Sherman
came one day to say good-by. for the ad-
vance on Chattanooga had begun, and our
regiment was passing through Winchester.
was not in Il condition 10 fully realize
all tins separation might imply. They
were going where glory awaited. and l.
whore? The probabilities were We would
never meet again, and this made the part
ing so much harder. | learned afterwards
they at that time gave up all hope Of ever
seeing me again.
DAYS OF ILLNESS.
Soon after they loft a canopy Of oblivion
must have settled down on me, for there i; Il
long blank i'll my recolcctions. but have
since been told that was taken from hos
ptal TO hospital, and WIS thought 10 he dy-
ing at Iul!ahoraa. ] came TO myScIf how
ever, i'll Hospital No. /. the old Shot-toWer.
at Nashville. One day heard the Surgeon
say TO my nurse: "Thc crisis has passed and
left him pretty low, but If we cal get him t.,
take some food have hopes Of getting him
on his pins again"
How long | had been without eating !
did not know, but could see by my hands |
there was little left Of inc besides skin and
bones. The nurses here were all Sisters of
Charity. Mine was known as Sister Mary. |
my, mothers name. and my heart went out |
to her at once. After trying in vain TO |
tempt my appetite she asked if could think !
Of anything / would like to eat? If could |
she would get it, told her mother used to |
give me scaided bread and milk when deli |
cate about my eating, and maybe | could |
eat, that. In short time she was back |
with a steaming bowl full and it tasted as ii |
used 10 when | was boy.
From this on gradually improved, and |
no one, except my mother, could have taken
greater interest in my improved condition
man did Sister Mary. God bless those
noble women who so earnestly exemplilied
he teachings of the Master through tho
!edication OF their lives to the relief of dis
reSsed and suffering humanity! What
sver their creed, theirs was a life of self
lenial and patient work for others, Chris
ianity i'll its loftiest sense.
In the latter part of August I was sr,r
lrised to see Rev. ]. n. Cundall Pastor of
he Congregational Church at Roseudalc
where our squad attended church and Sun
lay school before ciliSting, coming toward
my cot with the Surgeon in charge of the
ward.
Our meeting was joyous one. on my
part at least. He said my parents had sent
aim down there to see if he could take me
lome. He interested himself in my behalf
with the powers that be to get me fur
oughed, and succeeded i'll getting Il con-
crence of Surgeons on my case. They said
my trouble was of the lungs, and that my
lays were numbered; that I might possibly
'ecover in the piney brcczcs of Wisconsin,
but there was no prospect Of doing so in the
South. They also said it was out of the
question to give me furlough, for strict
orders had been given not to furlOugh anv
one. They further said my condition was
such that | ought TO be discharged did
not want Il discharge, but they said that
vas my only chance for life, and had better
axe it; so on Sept. 2, 1863, was brought a
,archment bearing the signature of r. S.
iranger, General commanding the post,
eleasing me from the service Mr. Cundall
hen got my pay, and we were in due time
bound.
For some time before my discharge ha d
leen taking cod liver oil and whisky. half
md half, and the Dispensary Steward fixed
up for me two two-quart bottles of the mix
ure, putting in each a liberal supply of {.
lncture OF cinnamon 10 ease off the hOrrid
aste Of the oil, saying there was enough TO
asst me as long as | would live. With the
assistance of Mr.. Cundall | walked to the
lepot and boarded the cars.
Go be continued.)
At Blakely.