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Letter to Editor
October 21, 1862
The Manchester Journal
Manchester, Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont
What is this article about?
Excerpt from a private letter by a sergeant in the Massachusetts 11th Regiment recounts the inadequate care for wounded soldiers after the Battle of Antietam, including delays in food, water, and medical attention in a barn hospital.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
Antietam—From private letter of a sergeant in the Massachusetts 11th, we take the following narrative of the suffering of some of our wounded in the great battle of Antietam, for lack of proper and prompt attention:-
"As soon as I was wounded I was carried to a large barn, about two miles from the battle-field, where there were about 500 of us wounded. I staid there the remainder of the day and that night and a part of the next day, without getting anything to eat or drink. Being very dry and hungry I managed to limp around a little, and went and found some water in a little brook about a half a mile from the barn. Finding I could limp around pretty smart, I cut two crutches, and if you had seen me you would have thought I had been a cripple all my days. I got back to the barn and met the doctor just as I was going in. He told me he would be in in a few minutes to dress our wounds, and that he had sent some men after some chickens and would have some soup for our suppers. I went in, and you should have seen the poor fellows rise up and ask me for water. I dealt out all I had in my canteen. Of course it would not go half way round. I told them what the doctor had said about the soup, and that if the doctor did not come in about half an hour I would go after some more water. I waited about an hour, and no signs of the doctor or any one else. So I started off, taking 12 canteens, so as to give them all a little. By the time I got back it was dark, and I had hard work to find the place. About midnight two men came in with a kettle of soup; they dealt out about five spoonfuls apiece. I thought to myself, Jim, if that is the way they live in this hotel you have no business here." So in the morning I started off to find my regiment, and after traveling all day I found them, and the boys are glad enough to see me. The captain helped me to the doctor, and I had my leg dressed for the first time. My wound is in the same leg I was wounded in at Ball's Bluff, and I think the rebels are determined to have that leg."
"As soon as I was wounded I was carried to a large barn, about two miles from the battle-field, where there were about 500 of us wounded. I staid there the remainder of the day and that night and a part of the next day, without getting anything to eat or drink. Being very dry and hungry I managed to limp around a little, and went and found some water in a little brook about a half a mile from the barn. Finding I could limp around pretty smart, I cut two crutches, and if you had seen me you would have thought I had been a cripple all my days. I got back to the barn and met the doctor just as I was going in. He told me he would be in in a few minutes to dress our wounds, and that he had sent some men after some chickens and would have some soup for our suppers. I went in, and you should have seen the poor fellows rise up and ask me for water. I dealt out all I had in my canteen. Of course it would not go half way round. I told them what the doctor had said about the soup, and that if the doctor did not come in about half an hour I would go after some more water. I waited about an hour, and no signs of the doctor or any one else. So I started off, taking 12 canteens, so as to give them all a little. By the time I got back it was dark, and I had hard work to find the place. About midnight two men came in with a kettle of soup; they dealt out about five spoonfuls apiece. I thought to myself, Jim, if that is the way they live in this hotel you have no business here." So in the morning I started off to find my regiment, and after traveling all day I found them, and the boys are glad enough to see me. The captain helped me to the doctor, and I had my leg dressed for the first time. My wound is in the same leg I was wounded in at Ball's Bluff, and I think the rebels are determined to have that leg."
What sub-type of article is it?
Historical
Informative
Emotional
What themes does it cover?
Military War
Health Medicine
What keywords are associated?
Antietam Battle
Wounded Soldiers
Medical Neglect
Massachusetts 11th
Civil War Wounds
What entities or persons were involved?
Sergeant In The Massachusetts 11th
The Printer
Letter to Editor Details
Author
Sergeant In The Massachusetts 11th
Recipient
The Printer
Main Argument
wounded soldiers at antietam suffered due to lack of prompt medical attention, food, and water in makeshift hospitals.
Notable Details
- wounded carried to barn two miles from battlefield
- sergeant fetches water using crutches
- minimal soup ration at midnight
- previous wound at ball's bluff