The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-02


and later on the site Of Gen. Grants
headquarters.
The Point" as it was generally called
in the army offered to an observer stand
ing on an elevated position most varie
gated and unique spectacle, in which the
numberiess tents of all sizes and Shapes
p-edominated, although blockhouses, board
''shanties," warehouses constructed Oh
humber and some brick buildings were
also scattered here and there. >,
szs5E + do not believe that anywhere IN the
world up to our civil war such efforts
had been put forth by any nation toward
affording their troops such gratuRous
supplies in the shape of free gifts, as the
population of these United States assem-
bled in that vast center of distribution Ill
the shape of books, clothing, delicacles,
tobacco, pipes and what not.
The James River, which divided the
camp in two parts, was continually alive
with shipping of every description; steam
ers carrying the wounded to the Northern
hospitals and bringing in return the
ccnyalescent- ones and recruits to I'LL up
the ranks sadly thinned by the Wilderness
campaign and the frequent bloody recon
noisances and attacks in front of Peters
burg and along the Weldon Railroad;
coasting vessels laden with AMMUNITION,
o. lumber and ordnance stores, as well as
hospital supplies, were unloading daily at
the many small wharves constructed for
that purpose, while innumerable tug and
dispatch boats shot hither and thither,
seeking a path through the labyrinth OF
shipping.
Leaving aside the military aspect of the
place, which was. of course, quite con-
sPicuous, and taking into consideration
only the general appearance of the place
and its ceaseless activity, City Point and
its surroundings bore a strong resemblance
to the outskirts of the Russian City Mimi
Noygorod on the river Volga during the
time of its annual fair.
All the wounded of the Armies of the
Potomac and the James were taken,
after preliminary hasty treatment in case
of urgent necessity at the division hos
pitfalls near the front, to the immense hos
pital at City Point. which consisted almost
entirely of so-called hospital tents, in each
of which were u beds
To one of these tents l was taken on
April 3, 1865, having been wounded by
musket ball in the right shoulder at the
storming of the SOuthside Railroad on the
previous day.
All the occupants of our tent were
wounded men: we were treated by very
gentlemanly Surgeon and attended by an
experienced and faithful civilian nurse.
Ny wound was not very serious, and al
lowed me to move about freely, with my
right arm in a sling, between the visits of
the surgeon. In the middle of the tent
lay member of q Pennsylvania cavalry
regiment who, l was told, had been
brought in shortly after the battle of Five
Forks. He was shot through the right
lung, and had also received a severe saber
cut diagonally across the left side of his
skull descending as far as the eyebrow.
At the time of my arrival he was already
very low, and it was evident even to
casual observer that death had selected
him for victim. This man attracted
fho nd nh will
and sympathy of every one in the tent;
partly on account of the spiritual beauty
of his features, which resembled in high
degree those we generally see on pictures
representing the face of the NaZarene,
while undergoing torture and agony, and
the large soft, blue-gray eyes, which
seemed to bespeak in suffering silence the
goodwill of the beholder; partly also by
reason of his great patience and cOura-
geous bearing of severe physical pain and
in expectation of the approaching disso-
luton, of which his mind was undoubtedly
aware. He spoke but little; still, the few
words he uttered and his whole manner
gave proof of a gentle and refined nature
and training.
Our tent was frequently visited by
drummer boy. This youthful warrior was
barely ID years of age, and had (Of course,
without compulsion) gone into the firing
line, where spent ball striking his leg
had disabled him from duty. He lived in
the adjoining ward or tent, and limped
about without restraint from tent to tent,
visiting his much older comrades.
Drummer boys are not, as rule, desir-
able company for grOwn-up people, much
less if the latter are wounded, suffering
ard dying men; but this drummer boy.
whom everybody called :. Little Jack" was
as different from the general run of his
class as a humming-bird is from the mis-
chievous sparrow. In the first place he
was very pretty, he had lovely soft, brown
eyes abundant, curly chestnut hair and
a sweet little mouth any girl might coyet.
Then. he was well hammered, polite in
speech. obliging in his actions Che would
fetch and carry with great good will not
withstanding his hprt), and could sing like
very bird. He was never intrusive, but
always would politely ask first if we would
like to hear him sing. He sang so sweet
ly and softly that his music was restful
even to a patient suffering from severe
pain. His repertoire was quite extensive,
but embraced for the most part the war
songs of those days, like John Browns
knapsack." Now Hear the Bugle
Sounding" etc
The song he said he liked best. and
which he sang with youthful enthusiasm
: fairly sparkling in his beautiful eyes. was
I'VE Are Coming, Father Abr'am, Three
Hundred Thousand Strong. Although he
was fairly bursting with patriotism, he
Noulu SUN 90 MS Dest 10 SuDnue t:S voice
to suit his peculiar surroundings, and he
was always asked to sing that song by the
dying Pennsylvania, who would make
him sit by his bedside and listen to the lit
tie darlinG's voice with moistcned eyes
Then came the visit of President Lin
coin to the front after the surrender of
Richmond. He visited few of the hospi-
tai tents at City Point, ours among the
number. He shook hands with us, babe
us rejoice, and said: RE of good cheer
boys; we are at the beginning of the end
at last" When the President took the
hand of the Pennsylvania ! could see the
latter's features assume an expression of
heavenly beatitude and heavy tears of I'M
utterabe happiness flow down over his
checks into his curly blonde beard
The morning Of April - was foggy
along the banks of the james. A light
driZzling rain was falling when / stepped
out Of our tent TO take little stroll be-
fore breakfast. A mysterious. oppressive
silence was noticeable everywhere, which
caused an indefnable, unaccountable sensa-
ton Of unrest or impending calamity, felt
but not 10 be described. When | ap-
preached tie large tent of the Sanitary
Commission, / heard weeping inside. weep
ing Of that nature which tells The listener
of heartrcnding, CONFUSING grief too heavy