1863 Letter Journal Battle of Gettysburg Soldier Caring for Rebels at Hospital M

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

1863 Letter Journal Battle of Gettysburg Soldier Caring for Rebels at Hospital M:
$630.46

1863 Letter Journal Battle of Gettysburg Soldier Caring for Rebels at Hospital

Maine Officer Took Care Confederate Soldier During Battle

This is a wonderful 8 page sketch written by J.L. Brown of the 19th Regiment Maine Volunteers. It was written a couple of weeks after his involvement at the Battle of Gettysburg working in the hospital that was set up there. It is very detailed and descriptive. We also have the letter that references this sketch written from Morrisville, Virginia in another sale. The sketch says in part:

At the hospital my time was occupied in assisting the wounded some would want their wonder limbs moved imaging that there was some other position more comfortable, others would want a shelter erected over them or be removed to the shad of some tree and all wished for water, water was their continual cry. How I pitied the poor fellows helpless wounded in every conceivable shape groaning, moaning there upon the ground their wounds yet undressed and the life tide of many flowing rapidly away…

Such heart rending appeals such earnest pleadings for pit for mercy I hope it may never be my lot to hear again…

Federal and Confederate were here lying promiscuously together no one knew the one from the other here, as far as our labors for their comfort were concerned all feeling of animosity between the contending parties having long since dried out and it is only in battle that we feel that we are here to take each others lives…

It was during my walks among the wounded that my attention and attracted by the appearance of a youth in rebel uniforms, wounded in the knee seriously. He seemed but a child and looked so delicate that I could not help pausing to get a closer view of him. He noticed me and asked if I would move him a little his leg pained him so badly as he lay. I complied with his request and examining his wound I found that a minnie ball had entered the knee joint and to all appearance it was still there…

He asked me if I thought his leg would have to be amputated and he seemed much relieved when I told him I thought it might be saved, but that the joint would probably always be stiff…Said I, you seem quite young to be in the army he smiled and said yes, I am seventeen, why did you enter the army? I asked, did you wish to? O no, he replied I didn’t want to go at all but they told me that when I was eighteen I would be obliged to go, so I volunteered…he must take his chance with the thousands of others who were lying thick around…contented him with the assurance that all would be done for him that could be done for his comfort…

On the third day of the battle the order came to remove the wounded farther to the rear as it was expected the enemy would open a battery from which the shells would be likely to come near to the hospital. There were a great many of the wounded and as the distance which they had to be removed was considerable the fight commenced long before the work of removal was done, many of the shells bursting around and over the barn used as a hospital the fragments of iron rattling through the branches of the trees in the orchard where hundreds of the wounded were yet lying just as they were brought from the field…

No pen can describe the terror of those wounded helpless men when the shelling commenced. Wounded men have a fear of shells perfectly unaccountable. Soon after the action commenced I heard my little feb speak to me as I passed him, asking if we were not going to take him away from there. I told him we were doing all we could and I hoped his turn would come soon, O do take me away, he said I am afraid of the shells, I don’t want to be wounded again nor killed here…

I covered him with a ? left by some solder who had died from his wounds and been carried away. Then I told the poor fellow I must leave him as other required my attention…The next morning I passed him still there where I left him and he greeted me kindly the same calm expression rest ion upon his countenance…

That night our division moved and I must offer goodbye do Gettysburg and my little protege, perhaps some would say that if I had my special attentions to lavish they should have been conferred upon our own men, but I could only look upon a wonder many as an unfortunate fellow being demanding our sympathy and aid. But I took a special liking to this youth and the fact of his being an orphan a mere child as it were wounded helpless in the open air with no one to pity or comfort him and he was so patient…I heard no more from him after the army moved and as many died from a slighter wound than his the chances are that he now fills an unknown grave…

Check out myother items!

Be sure to add me to yourfavorites list!

We do combine shipping.

I do work a \"regular job\" so invoices are usually sent out on Friday evening.

I prefer to ship priority but it is your call.

We will be glad to ship media or first class if the items can be shipped that way. Please remember these methods are slower than priority.

Ask questions before you offer!!!

We are selling most items on consignment. Sometimes it is difficult to answer your questions. Please be patient as we contact the owner for answers.

If you feel there is a problem with anything I sell,

PLEASE contact me first through my email and let\'s work it out!!!!

International buyers:

Because of problems we have experience with international shipping, we ship through global shipping through .