The National tribune., 1907-02-07
FORT DONELScN.
A Sick Batteryman at Last Gets Home
and Well.

n SlcfN at b,siSt eetS hOn'
and Well.
Editor National Tribune: Having re
ceived several letters from comrade
who read my letter of November 1905
about Fort Donelson. 1 will continu,
my story. After going over the battle
field on Feb. II, and seeing sights tha
will be as fresh in my mind as long q:
life lasts a comrade and myself wen
to the little town of Dover to see wha
was going on there, but found nothing
to interest us much, so we passed or
to the boat landing, thinking to fine
some good place to rest during the
night. We found everything in tht
shape of shelter filled to overlooking, sc
there was nothing for us to do but take
the best of what was left We looked
around, and good fortune smiled on Il:
a little, for we found two cot mat
tresses not in use, and with these we
made our beds in an open place, with
nothing between us and the beautiful
twinkling stars. AS we had one WOO
and two gum blankets, we prepared to
have a good night, which we did, not
waking till the next morning, when we
were reused by the rain on our faces
and found ourselves lying in water, IS
the depression made by our weight on
the mattress was filled with water. This
was more than / could stand, so getting
up L 50" d III Z SoIHe tiSLdHCe Oil ana
made for it, to find there three bo. 5
drowned out like myself. We had a
hard time keeping up the fire, as wood
was scarce, the top rails all having
been burned by the Johnnies before US,
and it was particularly bad for me, AS
/ was just getting over an attack IF
measles and the exposure was telling
on me. During the day the Captain, I
think it was, took me to the boat lying
at the landing, the White Cloud, used
as hospital ship. The next day we
headed down the river, and / soon
found myself in the hospital at Mound
City, I'LL, where everything was sweet
and clean. There was a treat sure
enough for we had been on the march
or on the boiler deck of some old
steamer for quite while, and to ha ye
a good clean bed in clean room and
to get something to eat better than
hardtack and raw sowbelly was fine.
They put me on a cot next to young
man who had been wounded at Fort
Doneison He was shot thru the
mouth and his tongue cut off, and he
could not talk, eat, nor sleep. Poor
fellow, how he suffered, / will never
forget him. He only lived few days
after 1 got there
This good, clean business did not
last long, as they began to prepare for
those wounded at Pittsburg Landing,
and all that were able were moved into
an old shed they called the packing"
or pork house" What a place to put
a sick soldier in! / was in this house
several days, when 1t had to be thinned
out, and all who could walk to the
boat Were ordered to do so. I made
the effort of my life, and walked to
the boat, which was going to take us
to st. Louis. That was nearer home
and Gods country, and I wanted to go
all right. I have forgotten the name of
the boat, but We started down the Ohio.
made short stay at Cairo, then head
ed up the Mississippi. How long we
were making the trip I do not know,
but by this time was pretty well play-
ed out, and if the fare / had been get
ting for the past two or three weeks
had lasted a few days longer l should
never have seen st. Louis. When wei
landed I was loaded on an ambulance
and taken seven miles out of the city
to the new House of Refuge Hospital,
where / remained for over three
months. When I entered the ward and
once again struck a good, warm, clean
room / said, This is Heaven" / shall
never forget the good sisters who took
charge of me, God bless theml SEEM
ed to be one of the worst cases and
near death. / was soon dressed in
clean hospital clothes, put in a clean
Col. Win Boou Soit pllio" uHuer iIiy
head that beat my shoes, knapsack or
q rail all to hollow as a head piece. II
went to sleep. and when / woke up|
there was a sweet-faced sister sitting
watching me, who asked me if l wasl
hungry. laid I was not but she went
and got some rice and fed me. After
that she brought me something nice
four or five times a day; il seemed IS
ST they wanted me to eat all the time.
SOon she wanted to know where i WAS
from and whether my parents were