" We Came Into The Midst Of These Wounded And Dying And Dead..." Second Corp Hospital, Gettysburg

JPK Huson 1863

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Location
Central Pennsylvania
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" There were a few tents, some little shelter coverings, some gum cloths spread on two- rails, with any cloth or covering they could get..." Christian Commission's narrative, part of a description of the Second Corp Hospital at Gettysburg.

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Apologies to The Gettysburg Forum, swiping this for " Photos and Examinations " because the article illustrates some of the old treasures so beautifully.

Ran into a July 21st, 1863 advertisement from Philly, photographer advertising his series he brought back from the battlefield. You'll sure recognize where he's been. He'd have gotten there later, two or so weeks post battle.
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" We inquired for the 2d corps hospital, but no one could tell. One said, in this barn, another in that, but none knew. Seeing at a distance a train of about 30 to 40 ambulances coming from the battle-field, we made our way to them, and learned that they were going to the 2d corps. Beckoning to our driver, we followed them, and in short time reached the hospital of the 3d division of this corps. These troops were the extreme left, and the 2d corps was near the centre, which accounts for their not knowing about it, they all being strangers in the neighborhood, and having been hard at work from the time they came up. — This hospital was about 2 to 3 miles from the lines on our right, in a woods and along Rock Creek. The ground for this division was very unfavorable, being flat, muddy and wet.
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Some little idea of the condition of this hospital and the destruction of the battle may be inferred from the fact that there were over 3,200 wounded in all, living, besides many dead lying around it, 2,308 Union and 952 Rebels ; 245 of the Union men died, and 192 Rebels ; in all 437, being about one-ninth of our men and one-fifth of the Rebels. These men were more severely wounded, and more enfeebled and exhausted.

We came into the midst of these wounded and dying and dead, as they were lying on the ground, and being lifted from ambulances, and laid beside others who were on the ground, without anything under or over them. Many had lost nearly all their clothes in the fight ; others when wounded had to have their clothes torn off to stop the blood and attend to their wounds We proposed to go to the battle-field to help gather up the wounded, dying and dead, but were informed that it would not be allowed, as the Rebel sharpshooters were still hidden about, and would fire upon any person that would come beyond a cer tain line, or unless connected with the ambulances ; that the day before a Confederate officer had offered $500 to an ambulance driver if he would get him off the field. The Rebel commander kept these sharp shooters to annoy our ambulance drivers, and keep our army from the knowledge of his defeat and retreat. Some men in places had thus to lay on the ground a day and a half longer than there was any necessity.'

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" The rain not only made the ground at this division hospital muddy, but at times so overflowed, that some of the wounded were drowned. for want of help to move them from the low and flat places ; at times it was with difficulty we could walk through the hospital. There were a few tents, some little shelter coverings, some gum cloths spread on two- rails, with any cloth or covering they could get, but the great mass had no cover or shelter. Some with a pair of pants and no shirt, some a pair of drawers ; the scarcity of everything was exceedingly great, no army provisions of any kind having yet come, and the men having been without food in many cases for three days."


We're more familiar with Letterman's neat rows- forgetting sometimes even these rough stretcher beds and hastily erected tents were improvements. This is just one hospital, other corp hospitals were in proximity. According to Arabella Wilson's book on the 126th NY, this had been hit by a shell during the battle killing two surgeons.

" When the wagon came up the surgeons and men received us with the greatest gladness. Each would ask, — Have you any bandages, lint, sheets, blankets, &c? we are in want of everything. So of wines, bread, &c. We said to them, we have some of all these, and they are at your service at once. But what were they among such a multitude ?

This would have been later, too, a snip taken as supplies came in- hence the display of bread and I'll always believe that's lint held by various men posing in the image. Badly needed for packing wounds, I'll also always believe that's old Burns posing with them, belowthis one.
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There's such an obvious display of supplies- bread, jugs, boxes and a barrel, then fluffy handfuls held by men posed at the Second Corp Hospital. Lint was requested by various relief organizations, badly, hugely needed, in chronic short supply and scraped by women all over the country in aid of wounded. We just have no memory of it in 2020.

To make everything go as far as possible, we resolved to let nothing out but through one of our agents, and then only to extreme cases, as where a man had a leg or arm amputated, or was exhausted by his wounds and exposure. Painful as it was, the necessity was upon us, and we must do the best we could. Borrowing the horse of Dr. Scott, of the 7th Virginia, and putting one of our Commission in charge of our goods, and procuring him a guard, we hastened to the 3d and 5th corps hospitals. On inquiry of the Surgeons, the question was immediate, — Have you any lint, bandages, sponges, stimulants, &c? We directed each of them to send over, and we would do for them what we could. Coming back, the necessity for economy beeame so terrible that when a poor fellow, who had periled bis life for his country, and had a wounded arm or leg, begged for bread, we were often compelled to break a soda cracker in two, give him half, and the remainder to an other wounded in his foot or leg.

While we were distributing from man to man, the men came from the 3d and 5th corps, when we had to divide our goods into three parts, giving one to each of them. Think of two boxes of soda crackers in a hospital of over 3,000 wounded men, who had not anything to eat for three days ! But what when divided among hospitals of three corps ? It was all that we had, and no appearance of supply from any other quarter. As we cut up a loaf of bread, which we had gotten at Mr. Scarborough's, to give it to those who had been wounded about the mouth and face, who could not chew a cracker, a man standing by begged us to sell him a slice of it. He would pay any price. How like Job's account : "All that a man hath will he give for his life." — 2, 4. But to him we could only say, " we can't sell it to you at any price. We would gladly give it to you, but look at those men around you ; say whether we ought to let you have it?" " It's all right; give it to- them." These men felt their gnawing hunger and wounds, but when they saw the condition of their companions they readily yielded. "

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This would have been later, The Christian Commission's section at Gettysburg although I'm not sure where.


"The first two men we supplied were of 125th and 111th New York, the next two of 21st North Carolina, then 11th U. S. Infantry, an ambulance officer, then a Chaplain of 14th Connecticut, and Kev. Messrs. Adams, Chapin, &c, of Christian Commission, for distribution. In a fence corner just above us, among our men, lay Colonel Hugh K. Miller, of Pontotoc, Mississippi, of the 42d Mississippi Regiment, an eminent lawyer and judge of that State, shot through the left breast and hand andright knee. We gave him a little wine and a cracker, which he took w.th great modesty, saying he was not dangerously wounded, but was thankful for our offer to write to his wife, Mrs. Susan G. Miller, at Sunny- side, Cumberland Co., Virginia. The Surgeon told us his case was dangerous. Calling again after a short time to see if he would have anything, he modestly said: " I am very much obliged to you, but give it to to those around, who are worse, and need it more." On the 20th we met his son in the office of Colonel Alleman, stating that his father was dead, and requesting liberty to accompany his body home.

A full description of the condition of the wounded would require the attention of one who was not so much occupied in getting the things needed by them and those of other corps.

We can say, however, that in every direction lay men of all classes, the rich man and the poor man, the commander and the private. At one place, near a fence, lay privates, corporals, lieutenants, majors and colonels, from New York, North Carolina, Indiana, Mississippi, Connecticut, Georgia, New Hampshire, Alabama, Maine and Delaware, side by side, on the bare ground, or on a little wet straw ; no distinction. Men were gathered around trees, with their heads toward the body of the tree; occasionally, when able, one sat up and leaned against it. They were in every condition, from the slightest wound to the man dying in agony, from the terrible mangling of a piece of shell.
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To say in such a field that surgeons were busy, is needless. What else could they do but work, unless appalled at the mass of ragged, naked, torn and mangled mortality ! There was not more than one for ten that were needed. Every man that could tie a bandage, or give a drink of water, or pour it upon a wound, was at work. As we passed through them, in every direction we turned, men would call us. "Doctor, , doctor, won't you attend to my case ? Won't you fix my arm, or my leg, or my shoulder, or head ?" As we stopped at their earnest cries, we could only say, we are not physicians or surgeons, but acting for the Christian Commission, and will do for you what we can. Until the Dr. can attend to your case, we will furnish you with some wine, biscuit, crackers, bandages, lint, shirts, &o.

They would then beg us to send the Dr.; but to whom could we go? On the amputation table one case succeeded another as fast as they could be operated on and removed. We little thought we could become so familiar with the sight of feet, legs, arms, just taken from our fellow- men, and look upon the operations without a thought except the inclination to take hold of the man and try and help him. "


This account continues but deviates from Second Corp Hospital to more the greater struggle for supplies and saving men through days spent in Gettysburg. Still. You just cannot beat eye-witness accounts all these years later, as we suffer through the same heat and a different struggle. Seems helpful thinking we've been in a community struggle before- and reemerged on the other side.
 
JPK, once again you have another outstanding post!!! I bow low to you and dare not make eye contact for only a very few would be so worthy, and I am not amongst those.

Simply outstanding. This Forum benefits greatly from your dedication, and so I thank you on behalf of the many others that undoubtedly feel the same way.
 
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