Year: 1861

WHAT CANADIAN SAW THERE AFTER THE BATTLE
OF MANASSAS


An exeditor Of the Montreal Witness, who


was in Richmond when the battle of Manas,


Sas was fought, writes TO that journal some of
the horrors that met his vision when tue killed
and wounded were brought in -a.re





No song of triumph was sung 10 Richmond
or in the surrounding villages Those who had
cherished hopes, raised by the reports thar
those who they loved were not dead but only
wounded, were, alas doomed to suffer q more
bitter anguish than that of their fellow citi-
Eens who wept over the bier of the slain. No
pen can adequately describe the horror of the
scenes witnessed by anxious crowds, as the
wounded were brought in and carried to the
houses of their friends or to the st. Charles
Hotel, which had been fitted up as an hospl.
tai question, indeed, whether many of the
battle fields of Europe have been the arena of
such horrible individual suffering. | have
read of no campaign, except that of Moscow,
where the French soldiers perished by the tens
of thousands, in every conceivable agoCy, that
can offer comparison in this respect. 1t may
seem absurd to speak of Moscow and Bull
Il
to the relative magnitude of the campaigns
nor compare the numbers engaged, the durs.
tion of the struggle, nor the loss of life. My
comparison refers only 10 the peculiar suffer-
ings of the wounded, as day after day they
were brought into the city in every conceVa-
BILE condition of mutilation, and writhing in
agony where modification had not already so.
perVened, or where the stupOr which generally
precedes death by violence, had not seized up
on the haplesS victim Of this fratrcidal strife.
In most battle fields Of modern times skiful
surgeons and attentive nur>es have been in
prompt attendance and the wounded have re.
ceved every possible attention compatible
with their unfortunate position but with the
wounded Of the Southern army, at least, this
was not the case. Possibly q sufficient nun
Der of surgeons could not be provided, and I
know that many who were present we're poor,
ly supplied with surgical instruments, or with
medicines of O nature to alleviate suffering,
aud that they did the best they could under
the circumstances but l saw men brought In
who had lain for four and twenty hours on the
field where they had fallen, unaded, and with.
out even drop of water to slake their burn
ing thirst. | saw men brought ia deliriOus
with fever, raving like madmen, ane failing to
recognize their nearest and dearest friends.
Some we're borne past, upon whose ligid fea-
lures death had already set his seal-the pitt.
full appealing glance of the fast glazing eye
being the only sign that life still fingered The
features of many were so distorted by pain
that they scarcely appeared to be human; and
most horrible OF all, | witnessed at least do
zen poor creatures brought in who had either
lost limb by a cannon bali or had suffered
the amputation of a leg or an arm. 1t is hard
to decide which of these two classes Of victims
had suffered the greater agony-those who
had bound handkerchief over the limb to
stop the effusion of blood, and thus preserve
the vital spark-or those who had endured
the pain of amputation, either too hurriedy.
or else unskillfully performed. Ia several Of
the latter cases the ligatures had slipped or
became loosened, the bandages had fallen of,
and the bones portruded beyond the mangled
flesh, while in both alike, the bones aud flesh
were black and fostering, aud swarming with
maggots. People shuddered and sickened as
they turned away from the horrd spectacle
women tainted in the streets-and yet there
were some brave women--mothers, wives and
dared to dress these frightful
when men, Hsed to witness blood and
suffering, shrank appalled, from the ghastly
scene. Striving to conceal their own acute
mental suffering these angels Of mercy Rnger-
ed to the last over the dying husband or bro.
ther-and in more than one case, to my knowl.
edge, over the bed of those who were stran-
gers and Notwithstanding to impart that
comfort to the departing souls which Heaven
help them, they sorely needed themselves It
was happy thing for these poor victims that
in most instances they mad ceased to feel pain,
while consciousness generally returned an hour
Or two before death but it is almost needless
10 add that recovery amongst those who had
suffered in the manner we have described, was
are indeed We know of but one instance OF
he recovery of man who bad suffered the
lmputation of limb on the battle field.