comparatively fortunate, for their sufferings were soon ended. It was sickening, however, to think of the many poor fellows who, after fighting bravely, and falling helpless from their wounds, had their lives crushed out, and their forms mangled beyond recognition, by the furiously driven artillery.
All the houses in the town of Dover were filled with the wounded, and the air was fairly alive with the groans. Dr. Moore, and other surgeons, did their best to alleviate the sufferings of the victims of cruel war; but the best they could do was but little. Some of the men, with their limbs fearfully mangled, pleaded most piteously not to have them amputated, many of them stating that they preferred death to this new torture. Others could do no more than groan, or utter such cries as "God help me;" while not a few besought the surgeons to kill them, and end their misery. It was no wonder Dr. Moore said that it was no place for women, and that it was as much as the strong nerves of a man could do to bear up under such an accumulation of horrors.
More accustomed to such scenes than most women, and better able to face the terrible sights by which I was surrounded, I endeavored, notwithstanding I was worn out, bodily and mentally, and was overwhelmed in spirit by the fearful disaster which had overtaken the Confederate arms, to aid, as much as lay in my power, to make the wounded men as comfortable as possible, until I saw that, if I intended to escape, I must do so at once.
Although the horrors of a great battle like this affected me greatly at the time of their occurrence, still the excitement enabled me to bear up. and it was not until after a battle was over, and I was compelled to reflect, that I fully realized what a fearful thing this human slaughtering was. Immediately after the defeat at Fort Donelson, especially, I was greatly depressed in spirit, and it was long before I could shake off the disposition to shudder, and the feeling of intense melancholy, that overcame me to such an extent, that I almost resolved to give up the whole business, and to never allow myself to be put in the way of witnessing anything of the kind again.
In course of time, however, this feeling wore off, and as, with restored health,—for I was quite sick from the exposures, fatigues, and horrors of the battle,—my spirits regained their elasticity, my restless disposition would not let me remain inactive while so many exciting scenes were being
