Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-17
HENRI DUNANT.
How He Was Instrumental in Starting
the Red Cross Society.

There were many battles fought in Italy
during the struggle for independene
But there was one battle that had pc
culiar interest for all soldiers. and al
people who cared for soldiers because
something happened then that brough,
Yet 1t seemed little thing at the time.
1t was this that one man was struck
with great idea and he did not let ii
die out of his mind
and blazing Italian sun is pouring down
it's beams on grim battlefield of blood
and death. The battle of Solferino is be-
ing fought between the Italians with their
allies the French. Napoleon III at their
head, and the Austrians under their EN-.
peror, Francis Joseph Three hundred
thousand men are facing each other and
the line of battle extends for fifteen miles
All day long the fighting goes on. Each
position OF advantage is stubbornly con-
tested. Thg dead are piled in heaps and
the wounded lie Mnheeded. to be trampled
on by the cavalry or driven over by heavy
artillery One who was present that day
describes it as one Of the bloodiest bat
ties of the nineteenth century.
AS the dreadful scene rises before us
the question comes to our minds Was
there any care taken for the wounded
Yes, during the battle flying ambulances
were stationed at various points, which
the men-if the medical staff had any
time left for them. But-and this is the
important thing to notice-the ambulance
nag was respected only by it's own side
The Italian ambulances were exposed
to the Austrian shot and shell and the
Austrian ambulances to the Italian, just
as much as any other part of the field
That seems very cowardly and unfair to
about a change.
The Italians with their good allies. the
French, won the day, and the Austrians
were forced to retreat. 1t was evening
when ThoIy frioI
to carry away as many of the wounded
as possible, but thousands were left be-
hind to die for want of a helping hand
They lay there parched and dying, with
no one even to give them a drop of water
True there were men prowling about in
The dark, but they were cruel wretches
who had come to steal valuables and
even clothing from the bodies of the dead
ana wounded soldiers.
But there was just one man that night
who saw all this suffering and cruelty
whose heart was wrung with pity for the
poor. neglected. wounded soldiers. His
nome was Henri Dunant, and he was no.
soldier but civilian gentleman. And
| then and there he thought of plan for
helping the wounded soldiers and resolv-
ed not to rest until he had got people to
adopt it.
His first care. however. was to see what
| could be done for the poor sufferers at
that time. Many of them were removed
the next day into the neighboring town
of CastigliOne, where they were given
shelter in the churches and public build
ings There was abundance of food and
water. yet they were dying for want OF
nurses to minister to their needs.
So Henri Dunant organized volunteer
| band of nurses. They were peasant
women, but they did their best and were
kind to the poor soldiers. Dunant at his
own cost procured load of sponges,
oranges, citron and sugar. He was al
ways In and out among the soldiers. and
they got to love him dearly for all the
help and relief he had brought them.
They used to call him lie monsieur en-
blanc" 1.-THE gentleman in white" for he
always wore white clothes Another
name they had for him was 1.-The Good
Samaritan of Solferino" 1t was a good
name for him. 1t was no more his bust
ness than that of anyone else to concern
himself with the wounded OF the Aus
trian and allied armies. But as with the
good Samaritan Of the parable, his broth