CHAPTER II.
Battle of Gettysburg.—The Wounded.—Incidents in Hospital.—Sanitary Commission Work.—The Flag on “Round Top.”
We remained at home only long enough for Mr. H. to recuperate sufficiently to bear the fatigues of travel. While he was still unfit for the journey, the great battle of Gettysburg, July 1st, 2d, and 3d, 1863, was fought; within one week after it, we were on our way thither; reaching the town late in the evening, spent the night upon the parlor floor of one of the hotels; with a satchel for pillow, slept soundly. In the morning went to the Field Hospital, where we were most warmly welcomed by our old friends of the second corps. The wounded, at that time, lay just where they had been placed when carried from the battle—friend and foe resting together.
“Beside a stricken field I stood;
On the torn turf, on grass and wood,
Hung heavily the dew of blood.
Still, in their fresh mounds lay the slain,
But all the air was quick with pain,
And gusty sighs, and tearful rain.”
We soon found where and how to resume work, which we had so lately left off: a tent was promptly prepared for our use; it was not many hours until the “diet kitchen” was in full operation; with the large and valuable supplies taken on with us, the “institution” moved on in a wonderfully smooth, efficient manner.