THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. 77 the new bridges, lifting and sweeping away the trees which formed the floor of Sumner’s bridge, and covering tlie valley with its unruly waters. Nothing could cross over. With the first light of day the battle began again fiercely on the left bank. The enemy came on in masses without order or method, and fell upon the federals, who feeling their inferiority in numbers, and having no hope of succor, attempted to do not'ning more than to hold their own. The fight raged on either side with savage energy. There was no shouting or noise. When either party was too hard pressed it took to the bayonet. The artillery from beyond the clearing sent its shells over the combatants. Ab ! I wish that all those who careless of the past and urged on by I know not what selfish calculations, have lavished their encouragements upon this fatal slaveholders’ rebellion, could have looked in person upon this fratricidal strife. I could have asked that as a just punishment they should be condemned to gaze upon that fearful battle-field where the dead and the dying were piled up by thousands. I could have wished them to see the thousand ambulances hastily assembled around those scattered houses. What varieties of misery and of anguish ! There was something particularly horrible in the ambulances. The houses were too few to contain even a small minority of the wounded, and they had necessarily been heaped up around the field ; but although they uttered no complaints and bore their fate with the most stoical courage, their exposure under the noonday sun of a burning June soon became intolerable ; and then they were to be seen, gathering up what little strength was left to them, crawling about in search of a little shade. I sliall never forget a rose-bush in full bloom, the perfumed flowers of which I was admiring while I talked with a friend, when he pointed out to me under the foliage one of these poor creatures who had just drawn his last breath. We looked at one another in silence, our hearts filled with the most painful
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