Tillie Pierce pt. 3: The Surgeon's Work

July 3: The ferocity of the battle forces Tillie and the others to flee to a farm house further from the fighting. Late in the day, as the battle subsides, the family decides to return to the Weikert farm...

^ Union soldiers recovering after the battle

"Towards the close of the afternoon it was noticed that the roar of the battle was subsiding, and after all had become quiet we started back to the Weikert home. As we drove up in the cool of the evening, we noticed that everywhere confusion prevailed. Fences were thrown down near and far; knapsacks, blankets, and many other articles, lay scattered here and there. The whole country seemed to
be filled with desolation.
"Upon reaching the place I fairly shrank back agahst at what the awful sight presented. The approaches were filled with the wounded, dying, and dead. The air was filled with moanings, and groanings. As we passed on towards the house, we were compelled to pick our steps in order that we might not tread on the prostrate bodies.
"When we entered the house we found it also almost completely filled with the wounded. We hardly knew what to do or where to go. They, however, removed most of the wounded, and thus after a while made a room for the family.
"As soon as possible we endeavored to make ourselves useful by rendering assistance to this heartrending state of affairs. I remember Mrs. Weikert went through the house, and after searching a while, brought all the muslin and linen she could spare. This we tore into bandages and gave them to the surgeons, to bind up the poor soldiers' wounds.
"By this time, amputating benches had been placed about the house. I must have become inured to seeing the terrors of battle, else I could hardly have gazed upon the scenes now presented. I was looking out of the windows facing the front yard. Near the basement door, and directly under the window I was at, stood on one of these benches. I saw them lifting the poor men upon it, then the surgeons cutting and sawing off arms and legs, then again probing and picking out bullets from the flesh. Some of the soldiers fairly begged to be taken next, so great was their suffering, and so anxious were they to obtain releif.
"I saw the surgeons hastily put a cattle horn over the mouths of the wounded ones, after they were placed upon the bench. At first I did not understand the meaning of this, but upon inquiry, soon learned that this was their mode of administering chloroform, in order to produce unconciousness. But the effect in some instances were not produced; as I saw the wounded throwing themselves wildly about, and shreiking with pain while the operation was going on.
"To the south of the house, and just outside the yard, I noticed a pile of limbs higher than the fence. It was a ghastly sight! Gazing upon these, too often the trophies of the amputating bench, I could have no other feeling, than that the whole scene was one of cruel butchery."

To be continued...