THE HORRORS OF WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 625, 21 November 1863, Page 6

THE HORRORS OF WAR.

In our last impression we called attention to the sufferings which the Confederates in the Federal bos- , pitals were enduring, owing to the absence of the necessaries and comforts so much required by the sick and wounded soldier. The following extracts from letters received in Liverpool give a fearful account of the condition of these brave men. No Southerner or Southern sympatliiser should refrain from contributing to the relief fund which has been inaugurated by : Mr Ashbridge, of the Southern Club. Since our last appeal this gentleman has been able to remit £300 to the Federal States for the relief of the sufferere. " July 9th, Kerehaw's Infirmary. The fortune ofwar has thrown me, with a large number of wounded, ' into the Federal lines. There are about 1,500 wounded Confederates in this vicinity (Gettysburgh.) We are in urgent need of everything requisite, for the sick and wounded, more especially shirts, drawers, , socks, &c, medicines of all kinds, lint, bandages. If we are not supplied with these articles soon, God only , knows what will become of us." Tliis is from tlie ,' surgeon of the brigade. A lady from tlie vicinity ,of Gettysburgh writes:— "July 18th. We have* been visiting the battlefield, and have done all we can for the wounded there. Since then we have sent another party, who came upon a camp of wounded Confederates in a wood between the hills j through' this wood quite ' a largo creek runs. This camp contained between 200 and 300 wounded men, in every stage of suffering, two well men among them as nurses. Most of them had frightful wounds. A few evenings ago the rain, sudden and violent, swelled the creek, ana thirty-five ■ of the unfortunates were swept away : thirty-five died ' of starvation. No one had been .to visit them since i they were carried off the r battlefield; they had no food ■ of any kindj they were crying all the time -,^ b^ead*. , bread ! water, water !' . One boy without any beard was stretched out dead, quite naked, a piece "of'blanket thrown over his emaciated form, a rag over his v face, and his small thin hands over his breast. Of th© ! dead, none knew their names, and it breaks my heart to thiuk of the mothers waiting and watching for the sons laid in the lonely grave on that fearful battlefield. All of those men in the wood were nearly , naked, and , when ladies approached they tried to cover themselves , with the filthy rags they had .cast aside. The wounds themselves/ unwashed and untouched, were full of worms. . God only knows what they suffered. Not one word of complaint passed their lips, not a raw- , inurj their only words were, ' bread, bread ! water, water!' except when they saw some of our ladies much affected, they said, ' Oh, ladies, don't cryj we are used to this.' We are doing all we can: 1 , we ■ served all day yesterday, though it wns Sunday."" Thi3 lady adds:— "There were two brothers— one a colonel, the other a captain— lying side by side; and \ both wounded. They had a Bible between them." , Another letter from Philadelphia saysj — '* There aw over eight thousand on the island (Fort Delaware,)* the hospitals crowded, and between 300 and 400 men on ' the bare floors of the barracks, not evenastraw matresa _ under them. The surgeon says the hundred pillows and other things sent from here were ( a Godsend. - Everything except grey Clothing will be thankfully received, and can be fully disposed of. It is very difficult to get money here. ,, I write to you in the hope • that you may be able to send some comforfa for these suffering men. Some tw» or three thousand have , been sent to an Island in the East River, most ot . them South Carolinians, and all in great destitution. Your hearts would ache 83 mine does, if you knew all ' I heap and know is true of the sufferings of our poor peeple."

ExPERIStENTS WITH SEWAGE AT Leamington.—Some experiments with sewage in the cultivation of turnips and other vegetables, are being eon- • ducted at the " works near the railway viaduct at • Leamington ; and the local Courier says that theyn merit the attention of agriculturists in no ordinary degree; the vegetables having an exceedingly healthy , and luxuriant appearance, and promising amosjtnbun-' dantcrop. ■ w [Advertisement.] — Wanted. — A travelling com- ' panion, to be in perpetual good spirits, and warranted to defray all expenses of the longest journey. „The : advertiser proposes adopting the plan.of Tours sue— ? gested by the How, When, and Where Guide.- >TJie J companion must be amiable, only five teet fourimf height, and physicallyjweakin case of a quarrel. !/TBe<t advertiser is fbnd,of change, and the companion must 1 therefore have plenty ofit in his pockets;; h x v< A livery stable keeper, named Spurr} Would never v let a horse gd out without requesting the ladY not tjo r * drive fast. One day amnn called for a hors&fo attend i> a funeral. ' Certainly/ said Spurr j ' but,' he added,!- « tbrgettinjr the solemn purpose for which the^yqung,, man wanted the horse, « don't drive fast.'— ' Why, je3t! look a-here, old feller,' said' the somewhat ,excited '■. young man, ' I wjmt you to understand that I shall : keep up with the procession if irkills the horse.!'*. Old,, Spurr instantly retired to' a stalll and' swooned among * - ' " * * "t m !,*-:.% * v ~ ■> :r X <JL' Very Easy One to" Guess.— Why iar&^he-Ger-^ ■mans like quinino and gentian? ; ißecauso- theyjartf 1J two-tonics. i _ _ , ,