Year: 1862

fine body of men, evidently all of the better
order of Southern society, we'll mounted, vel
armed, handsome, resolute looking fellows
their gray dress in better condition than thai
of the infantry, but very much varied Some
were in citizens clothes. Beside these, the
road was filled with their stragglers, among
whom the North and South Carolinians were
decidedly the worst looking The signs o.
battle were here painfully evident, dead sol
dlers lay stark in the road and alongside The
bank dead horses filling the air with carrior
smell added to the horror of the place. Al
the stone house used at the first as we'll a,
this battle as hospital, was large pile oI
muskets. In the neighboring fields, strewed
with dead horses, were also stray caissons
limbers and cannon, here Parrot gun, there
howitzer, while away to the right battery
of five Napoleon twelves was pointed out as
having been taken in the last fight.


Soon the battle field could be seen thickly
dotted with carcaseS of horses and bodies of
men. Not less than $500 killed and wound
cd were lost here. Iu the rear of these fields
III little orchard where the enemy took the
Napoleon battery, the flag of truce halted


After little delay the citizens, to the num-
Der of thirty, formed Il line bv themselves, and
the soldiers who bad been detailed to accom-
pany the expedition to bury the dead, made
up another. The latter went off in details to
perform their duty, aud the civilians in squads
of eight accompanied the ambulances, carry
ing stretcherS, upon which they placed the
wounded, as fast as they found them, and car
rieG them to the ambuances Attracted by
the red bags OF Duryee's ZouaveS, we pro
ceeded TO the field where they Iay-uearly q
hundred of thCm-shattered torn, and bloody.
n every conceivable stage of misery Elk
haustlon had been the cause Of death with
some whose wounds were not otherwise NOR.
tai. One man still Clutched the earth, as in
the lust struggle for breath. Another, tail,
>quare.Jrowed, R0mGn-faced hero, prone on
his back-had his face turned to the sky in
marble repose BY his side mere boy laid
as if III death h. had sought the protection of
the staiwart arm which had befriended his
weaker nature in life


Al this was very sad but some Of the hor-
rorS of that place are almost name less The
blackened, shattered cOrpseS it is horrible even
to think OF, AS for the wounied, their case
was Infinitely worse. Away from help, on the
bloody ground where they fell dying by inch





the s'raggerS Of the Rebel army had taken
shoes and clothing from the dead, aud even
from the living, none had been illtreated. on
the contrary, all spoke with gratitude of the
manner in which they had been supplied with
water, and even with a little corr bread when
their yictors, half starved, themselves, could
spare it. They had even had number col
iected at different spots TO facilitate their at.
tendance and removal, and when called upon
to help, never refused, but voluntarily came
forward and expressed desire to DO all they
could for US. The ambulanceS were soon filed
and started for the orchard rendezvous, not
however, before a violation of tie flag Of truce
by some Southern men who took four or i've
colored drivers off their seats


An English gentleman, present as a volun-
teer, made a strong renOnStrauce in the case
of free colored man of Washington, whom
scOundrel in citizens clothing, with a majors
star on the collar OF bis greasy coat, had claim
ed. This man, dismOGutiug from his horse,
after remarking that be did not care whether
the negro was a slave or no, took him by the
collar, and with the words III make slave
of you, aud a slave you are from this moment,
dealt him a fiat handed blow on the cheek,





the trembling wretch.


The rest of the Rebels looked on approving
ly, and the fellow turued to the Englishman
and asked him what he had to say to that p
The reply that the flag Of truce recognized as
sacred all beueath its folds, and that he had
grossly violated it, made not the least impress
sion. Other officers of the Confederate armv,
to whom remonstrance was made, utterly dis
claimed such proceedings, and said that Gen.
Lee, to whom they would report the outrage,
would doubtless return the negroes, If he could
fnd Meua Several OF the civilians were rob.
bed and Others made prisoners, but this last
was their own fault, as they struggled away
on their individual responsibility in search of
trophies


On our return to the headquarters, in the
orchard, We found the doctors hard at work,
operating on the wounded. 1t was noticed
that some of the surgeons, not being appoint
ed on the amputating detail looked with con-
tempt ON minor wounds, and walked about
doing nothing One of them sported black
eye, gained in aquarrel over the wounded ,and
one, at least, was tipSy. The best manage
ment did not prevail but it is considered a
standing rule in the army for correspondents
to Wlnk at all shortcomings, as otherwise 1T
might tend to throw odium on those who de.
serve it and are responsible for failure. The
afternoon passed, and no arrangements were
made for carrying the wounded within the
lines, but blankets were not wanting to cover
them. Large fires were made, around which
the party, now tired out, was soon grouped,
wondering how they should pass the night
without blankets or shelter Ir soon began
to rain heavily the wounded were crowded
inside some barns and farmhouse near by till
no more could be got in, and the rest had to
pass the night on the ground, rolled in blank
cts TIL late hour the doctors continued
their work. The body of dead man, shot in
Fridays fight which laid on the porch, and
smelt offensive, was buried by three citizens by
the light of candles under some trees along
l. IL. 4 Il. Il. !