Year: 1866

y II


but after slipping a small portion he de-
sired to have it diluted, complaining that
il was too strong. About this time fe
looked imploringly into my face and
gasped Water waier ten dollars for
one canteen of such water as know you
have in this country" We assured him
that the water which he was drinking
from my canteen was as good as could
be obtained, and he seemed satisfied. AT
another time he exclaimed, with great
piin--" Beware You will have Long
street laundering in your rear in the
morning" Excepting this expression, |
don [ remember to have heard him sllude
/, the battle, which was then-as events
afterwards proved-but half over, No
ticing that his strength was failing
rapidly, sought to compose him and con-
tinued to administer water, dissolved
morphine and diluted liquor alternately,
until / saw that he was very near the
verge of the dark river. reminded him
that he had but few moments to live,
and chat he would soon stand in the
presence Of the final judge. | am not
certain that he made any direct reply 10
this observation, although incoherent ut
terances escaped him frequently until the
last. Before | relinquished my grasp
upon his hand felt it chilling in disso-
luton, and having satisfied myself that
| had done oil that human instrumental
ity could accomplish to soften his fall
into the arms of death, left him to per-
form similar Offices to others, hundreds
of whom, belonging to both armies, lay
strewn upon the ground about him.


Before leaving his now almost inani-
mate body, | was assured there was an
individual present who was authorized to
receive his private valuabes, and not
doubling the honesty of the claimants
intentions left with the understanding
that they we're to be delivered by this IN
dividual to some Colonel, designated by
proper authority to receive them. at
forwards ascertained, however, that this
statement was a ruse, concocted by the
despicable vutures who make robbing
the dead business, to secure the booty
after the departure of those who might
have deposited them where they could
have been recovered by those to whom
they properly belonged.


OF the Generals wounds | can but
give casual description. AS far as
could see, there were two-one in the
left breast, produced, should think, by
grspe-shot, as it was too large to have
been made by musket ball, and one
through the left leg, about midway be-
tween the ankle and knee, The first
was sufficient in itself to have produced
DEATH as the lung was cut, and at every
inhalation the blood was forced, copi-
ousy-with sputtering noise-from the
wound. This fact rendered respiration
difficult and exceedingly painful. The
wound through the leg seemed to have
produced fracture which caused con-
sinderable pain, and was evidently the
work of mimic ball.


just after daylight on Friday morning
| passed the Generals body. but as
battle was momentarly expected, had
but little time to examine into his con-
dition. He was lying, however, precisely
in the position in which | had left him,
but the trophy hunters had cut from his
fatigue-jacket the insignia of rank, and
all the buttons but one, which, with the
shoulder belt of his sword equipments i
now have in my possession, subje ct to
your order On passing the place on
nv way to the rear later in the day |
found that his body had been inferred,
hut few feet from where he diel, and
the grave marked.