The Battlefield After the Fight
Front
Account of
the Battle of Pleasant Hill
The Battlefield After the Fight
On Sunday morning at daybreak I took occasion to visit the scene of Saturday's bloody conflict and a more ghastly spectacle I have not witnessed. Over the field and upon the Shreveport Road were scattered dead horses, broken muskets and cartridge boxes stained with blood while all around as far as the eye could reach were mingling inanimate forms of patriot and trait side by side. Here were a great rebels badly wounded, unable to move, dying for the want of water and a drop within two miles and no one to get it for them. Their groans and piteous appeals for "water, water, water" were heartrending and sent a shudder to the most stony heart. Such horrid expressions as dwelt upon each deathlike countenance can neither be described or imagined. Here was a brave loyal sergeant, his trusty rifle grasped in his hand, while each eyeball glared from its glazed socket with fierce excitement. The dead were everywhere and in every possible position which could render the scene the more appalling.
I saw one sweet face that of a young patriot and upon his icy features there lingered a heavenly smile speaking of calmness and resignation. The youth was probably not more than 19, with a full blue
eye beaming even in death with meakness. The morning wind lifted his auburn locks from off his marble face, exposing to view a noble forehead which was bathed with the heavy dew of Saturday night. I dismounted for a moment hoping to be able to find some trace of the hero's name, but the cavalry had stripped his body of every article of value. The fatal ball had pierced his heart.
Not twenty feet from this dreary picture lay prostrate the mutilated body of an old man, apparently forth-five years of age. His cap lay by the side of his head in a pool of blood, while his long flowing gray beard was dyed with his blood. A shell had fearfully lacerated his right leg while his belt was pierced in two places. Both balls entering the abdominal region. In front of the long belt of woods which skirted the open field and from which the rebels emerged so boldly was a deep ditch and at that point and at that point the slaughter among the rebels terrific. In many places the enemy's dead were piled up in groups, intermixed with other dead. I saw two or three of our men whose bodies had been brutally violated by the exasperated foe too horrible to mention. Our loss will probably not exceed 3,500 killed, wounded, and missing. Quite a number of our wounded were left in houses in Pleasant Hill in charge of two of our surgeons.
J.E.H.
From New York Tribune,
April 27, 1864
Rear
New York Tribune
Vol. XXIV, No 7189, New York, Wed. April 20, 1864, Price three cents
(Reproductions of New York Tribune newspaper headlines)
New York Tribune
Vol. XXIV, No 7193, New York, Mon. April 25, 1864. Price three cents
(Reproductions of New York Tribune newspaper headlines)
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