The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-15

realizing that he newly periled his life by
the answer.
"What's that?" asked the official
''That's a niger regiment as you call
it, was the heroic reply.
1t was soldierly answer by soldier
to n soldier, and no harm came of it to
either. Yet it required courage to speak
the truth in such an emergency.
ON PAROLE
Before many hours had passed, an or
der came from Gen. Reauregard's head
quarters directing me to report at the Pro-
vOst- Marsbal's for parole. and for service
| among the wounded Union soldiers in the
Yankee Hospital" Nineteen of our ell
listed men were to accompany me. At
the Provost-Marshal's I signed parole.
| by which l agreed not to attempt to
escape while on this duty. and to obey
meanwhile the orders of the Surgeons in
charge. Thus a new phase of prison life
| opened before me.
| Wounded Union soldiers, from the fight
of Saturday night on Morris Island fall
ing into the hands of the enemy after the
repuse of the assault, and brought on
Sunday evening and Monday morning to
Charleston. were together in a large four
story brick building on Queen Street, to
which I was conveyed. This building was
said to have been originally n private
| dwelling, then a grain warehouse, and for
time q slave mart, before its use as a
prison hospital. 1t was well suited in
size and structure for its present purpose.
What sight met my eye as | entered
that building! Our wounded men. shot on
Saturday night, had, many of them, lain
where they fell until the next day, ex-
posed to the trampling of our retreating
soldiers, and to flying sand half buryinc
h,vh vyra i've Int Ind ri,
again wounded by the enemy's rifles as
they lay on the field. Taken into Fort
Wagner during the day on Sunday. they
lad passed Sunday night On the little
steamer at the dock and on Monday were
brought to this Yankee" hospital. One
hundred and sixty-three of them were
here. AS they were brought in, they were
laid in rows on straw on the floor Of the
long lower room. Their bloOd-matted hail
and boards. and their biood-sa turated
clothing. marked their need of care that
could not yet he given them. In the yard
of the building back of t..s room were
six operating-tabl es, at which force OF
bnsy Surgeons was constantly at work
The severely wounded were taken, one by
one. from their resting-place on the straw
to those Surgeons tables, where they wer.
examined and operated on. After this
treatment they were removed to hospita
cots on the upper floors.
j AMONG THE WOUNDED.
The Confederate Surgeons did every
thing in their power, with the means a
their command. for the safety and com
fort of the wounded Union soldiers, boil
white and black. Sisters of Mercy wer,
unceasing in loving ministry to the poo
men, and Bishop Lynch was much of tn,
time present, directing and aiding in thei
work. Yet at the best the lot of Unior
soldier there, wounded and a prisoner
J with the blood yet unwashed from hi
wounds two days after he fell In an I'M
successful assault, henrtsick and home
sick. suffering from fierce wound-tll'rst il
the July heat. with not friend to wills
per word Of sympathy. or to prefer re
lief. facing death, or a prolonged impris
onment that seemed even worse thai
death. VAS pitiable lot for any man
I As, with the approval of the Surgeons.
wAt from man to man, ''to pour waite
on HIM that was thirsty" and to speal
words OF hope and cheer to the despnnd
snt. announcing that I too was a Uniol
prisoner. while also an Army Chaplain
] was sure of glad welcome: and as
took dying messages from those prisoner
to their home loved ones. or knelt by then
IN prayer and In counsel, I knew that
3 was . means of comfort to the needy. an
! thanked God for the privilege.
More than 90 amputations were mad
D on those Surgeons tables that irst day
= and as many more were planned for tn
day following. Men were sinking iron
: the shock of the operation, or from thei
J. original wounds. and closing their eyes I
: earth. as the hours passed by In my Chap
8 lain'a ministry there. There were sa
3 death scenes, and soul-harrowing inter
;. views with the dying. 1t was hard 70
0 me to take time for even q brief mar
r when. far into the night. with over
: strained nerves and exhausted strength
0 lay down on Q bench to try to gain, 4
sleep. strength enough for further worh
j And the early morning waking was wors
r than The troubled slespinR.