1862. Until October 26. CHAPTER VIII. We were in camp near Sharpsburg, where opportunity was afforded us of renewing an acquaintance with the people of that town, whom we met in August, 1861. Visits were made to the battlefield and to the Dunkards' church, in the vicinity of which had occurred such terrible fighting. The ludicrous instincts of the army were excited by the suggestiveness of the name, and it was christened by some wag "Drunkards' church ;" and it became so fastened upon the Society, which was very little known to the world, that it was deemed necessary to correct the error by an article published in one of the magazines some years after the war, protesting against a continuance of the outrage. The denomination of Dunkers, or Dunkards as it was originally called, is of German origin. They came to this country in 1719, and settled in Pennsylvania. In the beginning they were a simple peasant people, exclusive in thought and habits of life, interpreting the Bible literally, endeavoring to find in it directions for every act. Though the rule of their church was an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and a horse for a horse, the Society of the Dunkards was noted for the honesty and integrity of its members. All the fashions and follies of the world were deliberately shut out from their lives, while they erected every possible barrier against its influences and the advancing spirit of the age. In spite of all their efforts to the contrary, they began almost insensibly to relax their discipline by the modification of some of their practices. They found that innovations had come among them in the form of day-schools, Sunday-schools, the use of musical instruments, and a gradual departure from the severe plainness of dress which they formerly considered essential, and in the mode of wearing the hair and beard. This tendency naturally met with opposition by the older members, resulting some years ago in a division of the Society. 1862. Dr. Letterman, Medical Director of the Army of the Potomac, in his report to General McClellan, makes the following interesting statement: The surgery of these battlefields has been pronounced butchery. Gross misrepresentations of the conduct of medical officers have been made and scattered broadcast over the country, causing deep and heart-rending anxiety to those who had friends or relatives in the army, who might at any moment require the service of a surgeon. It is not to be supposed that there were no incompetent surgeons in the army. It is certainly true that there were; but these sweeping denunciations against a class of men who will favorably compare with the military surgeons of any country, because of the incompetency of and shortcomings of a few, are wrong, and do injustice to a body of men who have labored faithfully and well. It is easy to magnify an existing evil until it is beyond the bounds of truth. It is equally easy to pass by the good that has been done on the other side. Some medical officers lost their lives in their devotion to duty in the battle of Antietam, and others sickened from excessive labor which they conscientiously and skilfully performed. If any objection could be urged against the surgery of those fields, it would be the efforts on the part of surgeons to practise conservative surgery to too great extent. I had better opportunities, perhaps, than any one else to form an opinion, and from my observations I am convinced that if any fault was committed it was that the knife was not used enough. So much has been said on this matter, that, familiar as I am with the conduct of the medical officers on those battlefields, I cannot, as the medical director of this army, see them misrepresented and be silent. We are glad to give this publication, because we believe it is true, and the more willingly, for the opportunity offered of expressing our high appreciation of our own surgeons, whose services in our behalf deserve recognition. They were not only men of skill in their profession, but were courageous in battle, and kind and attentive to men needing their services. In this respect we were fortunate. We cannot forbear mentioning the generosity shown by the people of the surrounding towns, who came on to the field the day following the battle, with food and supplies from their homes, not only for the wounded, but for the men who had escaped that misfortune. The people from Middletown, Sharpsburg, Hagerstown, and even Hancock, forty miles away, were inquiring for the Thirteenth Massachusetts Regiment. Hancock sent a four-horse team loaded with food and delicacies for the wounded. The greatest pleasure of all was to 1862. see the faces of our friends of the previous winter, and to feel that our service among them had left no unpleasant impression. Guard-mounting, inspection, drilling, and reviews took up most of our time. When not so occupied, we were sleeping, cooking, or swapping stories round the camp-fire. As every man did his own cooking, he could devote as much of his spare hours as he wished in the preparation of choice dishes for the gratification of his palate. Some of the boys showed great skill, and in concocting a dish of "braxy-hash" could make Delmonico turn green with envy. The morning report of the Army of the Potomac on September 30 showed present and absent, including Banks' command in Washington, 303,959. Of this number, 100,000 were reported absent, 28,000 on special duty, and 73,000 present for duty under Banks; leaving about 100,000 present for duty in McClellan's immediate command. The discrepancy that occurred between the number of Saturday, troops sent to reënforce the Army of the Potomac, and October 25. the number reported to have arrived, so annoyed the President, that he one day remarked, according to his biographers, that "sending men to that army was like shovelling fleas across a barnyard: not more than half of them got there." At last the patience of Mr. Lincoln was exhausted at the interminable excuses given in explanation of McClellan's delay, and he sent the following despatch, dated at Washington, October 25, 4.50 P.M. : TO MAJOR-GENERAL MCCLELLAN : I have just received your despatch about sore-tongued and fatigued horses. Will you pardon me for asking what the horses of your army have done since the battle of Antietam that fatigues anything? After which the army moved. A. LINCOLN. All day yesterday and to-day it rained as though the Sunday, spigot had been pulled out of the clouds; a shelter tent October 26. was about as much protection as a sieve. Notwithstanding the rain, at 4 P.M. we broke camp and marched through Sharpsburg across the bridge toward Keedysville, and then |
