Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-03-14
Horrors of War Pictured.

pattlcueiu, tHe private letter Vi
young medical officer at Spion Kop.
printed in the Daily Graphic, can
scarcely be beaten. II selected a pass"
he writes, "overhung by steep clay
banks, on the top of which got up a
Red Cross flag. Cases now began to
pour down from Spion Kop on STREET
chers, The Beers opened fire on us,and
three bullets went into the fire, knock
ing the sticks about. The reason for
this fire was not the Red Cross flag
but owing to some Tommles strolling
over 1t, either to take cover there or to
see what we were doing. l ordered
them away. In few minutes the
Beers let five shells go in quick success
sion in my direction, but the y fell
short and did no harm. This sort of
thing went on around me for the rest
OF the day, but l always kept well in
the shelter fthe bank.
Prem this time to 10 o'clock next
morning the wounded came through my
dressing station, as the pass was the
only exit from the hill. | saw every
case. and some of them were mutilated
beyond description.
Fully 800 wounded and dead, who
had died on the way, passed through
my hands. The cheerfulness Of the
wounded struck me as remarkable
men with shattered wounds smoking
their pipes, and although starving
not a grumble did | hear. Many {
poor chap shot in the morning in the
front trenches, who could not bt
reached, lay in the blazing sun all day
"One old colonial in Thornycroft'
With a gray beard, walked down lean
ing on his rife; he was mass o
wounds; one ear cut through by a bul
let, his chin, neck and chest also sho
through by others, and his back ant
legs torn by shell. He came and saiC
he just dropped IN to let me take hi!
finger off, as it was so shattered hi
could not pull the trigger of his rife
IS it got in the way of the next finger
which he could use, for he wanted t
get back up the hill to pay the Dutch
men out. OF course | would not lie
him go back. The bullet wounds arr
beautifully clean, just little rount
hole, and as a rule do not do mucl
damage, as they often go through thu
bone without shattering it, and they
don't bleed much. The shell wound:
are hideous
1T was now frightfully dark, and
put one fthe lanterns on a stick as
directing light to my pass; one of {
group of soldiers returning to the hill
.ried to run away with it, and l woult
have lost it only | snatched up a rife
from wounded man and shouted
would shoot him if he did not bring i
back. He dropped it and ran away an(
it went out; but got it again. Short.
ly after this both lanterns went ou
and had a pretty bad time ,as the pas.
often got blocked with the wounded.
Finally | could send no mort
wounded across the drift and had t.
stack them with the dead in rows oil
the grass. | collected all the wounded
officers on stretchers around me anC
gave them brandy and a hypodermi
Of morphia.
The morning light began to dawr
about 4:3O, ard lit up the ghastlI
faces Of the patients around me. Ny
men got fire ready and got somt
more beef tea and coffee, and / haC
some myself, the first meal since my
dinner the day before, and after giving
| the wounded some as well, | sent then
in the ambulance across the drift.
1T was very sad to see the things
we found in the pockets of the deaf
men-love letters, Christmas cards
little pocketbooks with accounts, hall
| finished letters. Several of the Beers
handed in little things they found
check for ten shillings, a purse with
money, etq Some of the officers had
trinkets around their necks. One poor
chap had locket with a spray OF
white heather, and We had to cut his
name off his shirt and pin it TO tht
locket as means of identification.
am sorry to say that a number haC
had their fingers cut off to get theii
rings, but the Beors said that they die
not see who did it, and were indig-
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