The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1904-04-21
The Terrors o. War.

War Is war: sometimes for the most
trivial causes. but always bloody. bru-
tai. savage. They may tell about this
and that officer being -outgeneraled.
and what might have happened. but
when they have done. what 90 you
know about the men. how they sui
fered. the families disrupted md IN
sorrow. the dlscomforts and the priya-
tons ia the home and in the field.
camp, march and prison2 Most OF
this Is left out, as well as are the
cause 81 the war and what men think
about Il now.
/ think that no country was ever
in so -oor a condition TO undertake
such a great war a was ours In 1851
! have been surprised al the ignor-
ance Of New Hampshire men as 10
what they had 20 meet. Politicians.
pseudo-warriors and selfclaimed
heroes went about trying 10 make
men believe that il was the easiest
thing in the world to go down and
clean those Southern fellows out On
the other side the same condition eK-
listed. Yancey and other wtndiam-
mers were going round proelaiming
that the people OF the North we're
nothing but mud-siils. who would
be swept away by the first dash Of
the mounted gentlemen Of the black
horse cavalry.
At the arss call New Hampshire
sent one regiment That call was for
$4,000 aen. showing. singularD
enough. from the present standpoint.
how even the leaders Of the North
looked then upon the issue which
grew 20 such fearful proportions In
the second call, for 100000, New
Hampshire sent the second regiment
] knew some Of the boys and some
officers. and they were iamenting
that they didn't get into the FIRST SO
as 20 get 20 Washington and see that
city before the var was over. When
We think Of those days and what FOL
lowed. We ought 10 profit by them
and not initiate those who 10 around
as II they bad chips on their shout
dors. ready 10 set into trouble with
somebody.
There were many who. after they
had seen what hghting vas, we're Dot
anxious 20 Eo back. They had been
surprised az what they had run up
against" I hook hack 20 the time
when the sd. Cth. 18th. and particu.
larry the 18th. went away, and when
you think Of the boys in them whom
you went to school With oC who were
your companions or neighbour. Il all
seems like a dream.
I remember one Of my playmsies
who went He O no halo. no glory.
no fame. but sickness took him. aud
his father went 90 the front 60 get him
and brought him home dead. Another
was hit by a bullet which eonrsed
along his skull and he lived In suf.
fering until eight years ago. Ny seat.
mate At school was shot between the
eyes ~ frcderickHhurg and instantly
killed. an but bis head. and he lived
Tor days tn agony. perfectly conscious
that he must die. when I hear men
declaring that Ne ought 20 hEht about
this. that and tho other. the vision
comes OF boyhood friends with arms
OF, legs on. bnllets 10 their bodies.
ruined health aud worn out. ckelnF
out an existence.
They went on In excitement True
But not all ! remember hearing a
ncighbor in prosperous business ialA
ing with my father and considering
whether. when his country vas Ia
peril. a was his duty to leave wife
and children and an TO SO. ! heard
his dccision 20 join the army. and he
hardly reached the front when be was
shot dead.
let ms sec Just what We did face
By looking al the Union side alone.
There were 400. 900 onlistmonts. and
allowing for roeniistments. Il Is osti.
mated that 2.o00.0 600 different men
were engaged. There Is o a man Ia
this audience who can conceive what
this means, There were 400.0 600 losses
by death Can YOU imagine how long
Il would take for an army Of 400. 900
TO march past this doorg Did any
body In my town. lee. think OF such
vast numbers when the wal started
Besides these. 7o.0o0 died In prison
These figures may astound you. but
ever q would the experience with
IN the prisons A woman IN Peters
burg asked a New Hampshire onieer.
"My brother was Ia the sth Massa.
chusetts and he died Ia Anderson,
vile; can you ten me anything about
his lifo there's NO. madalu. eau
not Tho experiences there we're such
that ! can never describe them to
wife. sister or mother There were
1900 general ensagements-a battle
a day for feur years. and 500 over.
In IL engagements pa loss vas 500