Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-09-19


(where Mcclellan was forcing the pass
es in order to get at the main body of
Lees army, or Harper's Ferry, we had
no means of discovering. remember
how the day wore on, how we staid at
the window until we could not endure
ffle suspense; how we walked about and
came back to them: and how, finally,
when night fell, it seemed cruel and pre-
posterous to go to bed still ignorant OF the
result.
Monday afternoon about 2 or 30 o'clock,
when we were sitting about in disconso-
late fashion, distracted by the contradic-
tory rumors, our negro cook rushed into
the room. her face orking with excite
ment. She had been down in "de ten
acre LOT to pick few years Oh cawn,"
and she had seen long train OF wagons
coming up from the ford, Sand dey is
full oh wounded men, and de blood run
min outen dem dat Deep" measuring on
her outstretched arm to the shoulder.
This horrible picture sent US flying to
town, where we found the streets already
crowded, the people all astir, and the
foremost wagons of what seemed an end
less line, discharging their piteous bur
dens. The scene speedily became ghaSt-
ly, but fortunately we could not stay to
look at it. There were no preparations,
noaccommodations-the men could not be
left in the street-what was to be done ?
A Federal soldier once said to me, 81
was always sorry for your wounded
they never seemed to get any care"
The remark was extreme, but there was
much justice in it. There was little miti-
cation of hardship to Our unfortunate
armies. We were fond of calling them
Spartans, and they were but too truly
called upon to endure Spartan system
OF neglect and priyation. They were
generally ill-fed and ill-cared for. II
would have been possible at this time,
one would think, to send courier back
and inform the t.wn and bespeak what
comforts it could provide for the ap-
preaching wounded but here they were,
unannounced. on the brick pavements,
and the first thing was to find roofs to
cover them.
Men ran for keys and opened the shops,
long empty, and the unused rooms.
Other people got brooms and stirred up
the dust of ages. Then swarms of chill
dren began to appear with bundles ofhay
and straw, taken from anYbody's stable.
These were hastily disposed in heaps,
and covered with blankets-the soldiers
own, or blankets begged or borrowed.
On these improvised beds the sufferers
were placed, and the next question was
how properly to dress their wounds. No
surgeons were to be seen. A few men,
detailed as nurses, had come, but they
were incompetent, of course.
Our women set bravely to work and
washed away the blood or stanched it
as we'll as they could, where the iolting
of the long rough ride had disananged
the hasty binding done upon the battle
field. But what did they know of wounds
beyond cut finger or boil ? Yet they
bandaged and bathed with a devotion
that went far to make up for their mex
perience. Then there was the hunt for
bandages. Every housekeeper ransacked
her stores and brought forth things new
and old. saw one girl, in despair for
strip of cloth, look about helplessly, and
then rip off the hem of her white petit
coat. The doctors came up, by and by,
or suppose they did, for some amputat-
ing was done-rough surgery, you may
be sure. The women helped, holding
the instruments and the basins and trying
to soothe or strengthen. They stood to
their work nobly the emergency brought
out all their strength to meet it.
One girl who had been working very
hard helping the men on the sidewalks,
and dressing wounds afterward in a
close, hot room, told me that at one time
the sights and smells these last were
fearfuD so overcame her that she could
only stagger to the staircase, where she
hung, half conscious, over the banisters,
saying to herself, "Oh, ! hope if faint
some one will kick me into corner and
let me lie thereW She did not faint, but
went back to her work in few moments,
and through the whole of what followed
was one of the most indefatigable and
useful. She was one of the many; even
children did their part.
II became grave question how to feed
so many unexpected guests. The news
spread rapidly, and the people from the
country neighborhoods came pouring in
to help, expecting to stay with friends
who had already given up every spare
bed and every inch OF room Wnere DeoS
could be put up. Virginia houses are very
elastic, but ouls were strained to their ut
most. Fortunately, some of the farmers
wives had been thoughtful enough to
bring supplies Of linen and some bread
and fruit, and when our wants became
better known other contributions flowed
in; but when all was done it was not
enough.
We worked far into the night that Mon
day, went to bed late, and rose early next
morning. Tuesday brought fresh wagon
loads of wounded and would have brought
despair, except that they were accompa-
MED by an apology for commissariat-
Soon more reliable sources OF supply
were organized among our country
friends.
Some doctors also arrived, who-with
a few honorable exceptions might as