The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-11-08

AUGUST RAASCH
more rounds to shoot" one said. But
the other said that there were still
plenty of "Yanks." Finding the young
northerner unable to walk they passed
on.
Two more "Johnies" came, found the
northerner wounded and walked on.
Then a lone man came close by and
saw the wounded soldier on the field.
This man advised Raasch If he was
able to walk to go to certain place
where they were taking prisoners.
Six o'clock that afternoon Raasch
gathered up his halversack, Oil blan-
ket and canteen. Starting in the di-
rection that had been pointed out the
wounded man ran across a whole bril-
gade of confederates lying on the
ground in a little slough. They rolled
out of his way as he passed through
but did not say word. A little way
on Raasch encountered a confederate
soldier who was about to relieve him
of all he had when the southerner
caught sight of his own regiment and
straightway forgot all else but to join
his fellow soldiers
On across the field Raasch walked
until he was out of danger and was
able to join the squad of wounded men
who needed attention. He was pris.
oner in rebel hands and about him the
"Johnies" were talking Of spending the
next day in Baltimore. What little
there was to eat was divided among
the wounded.
Early the next morning two rebel
soldiers carried him to an ambulance
and today Mr.. Raasch says that his
best friends couldn't have used him
more tenderly. These men like others
asked for his money but he would not
tell of the So he had with him and his
little treasury remained with him.
In a temporary hospital in a big
church Raasch's wound was taken
care of, all the while with the battle
again on and bullets passing through
the church but hurting no one.
Another day of hard fighting and
General Lee retreated with his forces.
Then came the union army and while
the stars and stripes f1oated over the
field Mr.. Raasch ceased to be a pris-
oner. The men who could walk march
ed about six miles to where a railroad
took them to Baltimore and Philadel-
phia But to the more seriously
wounded and Raasch was one of
these-there was nothing to do but to
spend ten or more days in an impro-
vised field hospital
! Finally taken to Baltimore Mr..
Raasch was given the first clean
clothes he had had since the battle.
On his first morning in the hospital
orders were given that all who could
walk should go to the government
table for breakfast. Raasch went with
the rest-but he came back on his cot.
He did not say anything. For seven
meals all he had to eat was a pie
quarter-the first money spent from
that IS bill saved from the battlefield.
Here was close range picture Of real
war.
For three days in the hospital at
Baltimore Mr.. Raasch missed his
meals. On the other side Of the room
lay wounded captain, shot in the
throat. The captain could not talk
but on sheet of paper he wrote to
the nurse that the young soldier had
not eaten anything for three days.
The nurse reported 1t to the doctor
and Mr.. Raasch got extra diet. He
was then so weak that he slept day
and night and had to be aroused for
his meals.
After months in the Baltimore hos
pital Mr.. Raasch and his companions
were taken on April "a, 1864, to the
hospital at David's Island, N. Y. Not
liking the new quarters Mr.. Raasch
made application for and was granted
a transfer to the Harvey general hos
pital at Madison, Wis. In this hos
pital Mr.. Raasch remained from June,
1864, to March rs, 1865.
1t was on March %, 1865, that Mr..
Raasch received his discharge that
brought to a formal close the years OF
services and sacrifice that he had
made to the cause of the union. From