Three days and three nights were occupied in burying the dead on the field of slaughter. Some few bodies, hidden in the thickets, were left unburied, not having been discovered until a fearful stench polluted the air. Terrible as it may seem it is highly probable that in this haste some of the living were interred in the same common grave with the dead.
Monsieur Dunant takes us over this dreadful scene. Here is a youth, the idol of his parents, carefully brought up and well educated, whose mother all his life had watched his slightest illness; there lies a gallant officer, beloved of his family, who has left a wife and little children at home; over yonder is a young soldier, who so short a time ago said farewell to all his dear ones. Behold them, stretched out stark and stiff in the mud and dirt, and drenched with blood. Knocked on the head, the face of one is absolutely unrecognizable; he has expired after cruel sufferings and his body, black, swollen, hideous, is cast into a hastily dug trench, and barely covered with a little earth. Hands and feet protrude and on these the birds of prey presently descend. The bodies of the Austrians in their capots besmeared with mud and their white tunics dyed with crimson stains, were strewn by thousands on the hills and valleys, and hovering above them were clouds of crows ready to feast upon these victims of man’s insensate enmity. Poor mothers in Austria, Hungary and Bohemia, how terrible your grief when first you learned of the death of your dear sons in the enemy’s country without care or aid, without a caressing hand or any words of consolation.
REPORT OF CHAIRMAN OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
Fortunately, most of the emergencies arising during the year were not of a magnitude very much greater than were easily met and suffering relieved locally. In several cases, however, national relief was asked, and was freely and very promptly rendered.
A brief summary of the principal events respecting catastrophies occurring during the year resulting in losses of life, personal injuries, destitution and destruction of property may be thus stated:
December 2nd.
A mine explosion at Monongah, West Virginia, killed 359 men, who left about 700 dependents. For many weeks the Red Cross had an agent there assisting the local committee and studying and planning for the future of the widows and children, this help being gratefully acknowledged by the local committee.
April 12th.
The Chelsea fire occurred, when the homes of 18,000 of its population were destroyed. Miss Loring, the Secretary of the Massachusetts Branch, took charge of the department of supplies and distributed about 120,000 articles. The local relief committee asked, and secured, the services of Mr. Bicknell, our National Director, to advise on the completion of the relief operation.