Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-05-03

WING IL was written WIN no
intention Of being made public,
yet his life has been filed with
such varied experiences, dating
from his birth in England, boy
hood, soldier, clergyman, legis-
lator etc., that we find much
which we believe will be read =
= with interest by the public, and :
we will therefore from time to :
time as space permits publish
= sections Of this autobiography, :
should It prove of sufficient In
terest to continue.) :
Continued from last week.
It has always seemed to me that
there was q great deal more suff-
ering and . greater loss of life in
that battle than was necessary. No
arrangements seem to have been
.greed on for the removal Of the
wounded who were unable of them
selves to leave the battlefield. To
my certain knowledge some of the
wounded who happened to fall be-
tween the lines were left on the
tield ali night In the frost and snow;
cruelty which would not have been
ermitted few months later. Ed
ard Banks. private of Company !
fas seriously wounded by cannon
Ill which had torn across his abdo-
en-. exposing his bowels. So fright
il wound would probably have
zen mortal even with the best OF
ere. nevertheless there might have
cen q chance to save him, II he
.ad been properly cared for. As it
was he was left on the field all night
lying within the lines of the enemy.
Ii brother Henry and ! visited him
.hree times during that long might.
laking him as comfortable as pos
IDLE. On our third visit the rebel
;uard. who seemed to be a kind
earted fellow said to us: Nov
oys. this is the third time you have
cen inside our lines tonight, and
must be the last. You will have
do the best you can for your
omrade and then leave him till
Forming; it Is too bad but / can't
.elp it, these are my orders" So
,e did all we could for the poor boy
nd then left him. In the morning
was dead. Perhaps his wound
'as too grievious to admit of his
smoval and perhaps the surgeons
ere all too busy with other cases
give him attention. know not.
Following is specimen of let
II written just after the battle, with
le response that followed four days
tier:
Hospital, Feb. 18th. 1862.
write with q great deal Of pain
dear girl.
We not been able before since the
fight.
nd my brain Is still SO much in q
whirl,
hat can tell you but little to
night.
m wounded start. tits not
very bad.
r at least it might be worse, so
said,
Then thought OF you. I'm sure
she'll be glad,
ohnow that I'm only wounded. moi
dead.
Sweet Home, Feb. %, 1852.
read your name in the terrible list
ut the tears froze back that spranl
to my eyes,
nd a fearful pain that ! could mo-
resist
vushed my heart till ! only longet
to die;
ie blessed tears bye and bye came
again.
ad felt as you in your lettel
said,
feeling of gladness mid all m!
pain,
hat Robert was only wounded. no
dead.
That night. an important Confed
uGe council was held inside tn
,rks, at which 1t was agreed t
trronder the fort. Floyd. who wa
command said, that under the cir
instances he would turn over tn
s.mmand to General Pillow, VIII
i'd that there were NO two men II
Confederacy the Yanks woul
cher capture than himself AM
neral Floyd. so they turned
y to Buckner. who was a rea
iier and a gentleman. Pillov
a. afraid of his neck and SO wa
,yd, who at the outbreak OF tn
Dsllion was Buchanan's Secretar
war. ana he had 20 scattere
little army q the United state
\. il 81. < ]. 4 y N