GDG- Barlow's letter on being wounded

[Bob Huddleston]

This was posted in 2004 on the GDG by Esteemed Member Chris Samito.
Take care,

Bob

Judy and Bob Huddleston
10643 Sperry Street
Northglenn, CO  80234-3612
303.451.6376  Huddleston.r at comcast.net

"The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane."
---Mark Twain, 1907



Thought some of you might like to see this, considering what day it is -
it's Barlow's letter to his mother concerning July 1, his wounding, etc -
the original is in the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society
and reprinted in my book of Barlow letters.

Chris Samito

 

At a small house near Gettysburg Penn. 3 miles out on the Turnpike toward 

Baltimore Tuesday July 7th /63 1 P.M.

My Dear Mother I will give you some account of my late experiences. On last
Wednesday morn of July 1st we left Emmitsburg to march to Gettysburg, a
distance of 10 miles. The cavalry was in the advance, then the 1st Corps,
and then the 11th. When we got about half way we were told by persons we met
that the Cavalry were having a hard fight with the Enemies Cavalry + had
been driven back somewhat. On getting near the town we learned that the 1st
Corps had engaged the enemies infantry + that Gen Reynolds was killed. Gen
Howard was in command of both Corps + Gen Schurz in command of the 11th
Corps. On arriving in the town Gen Schurz ordered me to go through the town,
form on the right of the 3rd Division (which was just preceding us) + engage
the enemy. I went through + formed as directed, a battery of the 4th U.S.
Artillery being sent to me. The enemy soon opened on us with his artillery.
His number of guns was superior to mine + though another battery was
promised me I never got it. The Capt. of my battery had one leg carried away
one gun disabled + several horses killed, but still kept in position. The
country was an open one for a long distance around + could be [swept] by our
artillery. We could see their infantry make various attacks upon the other
parts of the lines, or rather, feel the lines. Finally, the 1st Corps, 3rd
Division of the 11th Corps, + my Division were attacked simultaneously by
the enemies infantry. A force came up against our front in line of battle
with supports in the rear. We ought to have held the place easily, for I had
my entire force at the very point where the attack was made. But the enemies
skirmishers had hardly attacked us before my men began to run. No fight at
all was made. Finding that they were going I started to get ahead of them to
try to rally them + [letter ripped but most likely "form"] another line in
the rear. Before I could turn my horse I was shot in the left side about
halfway between the arm pit + the head of the thigh bone. I dismounted +
tried to walk off the field. Every body was then running to the rear + the
enemy were approaching rapidly. One man took hold of one shoulder + another
on the other side to help me. One of them was soon shot + fell. I then got a
spent ball in my back which has made quite a bruise. Soon, I got too faint
to go any further + lay down. I lay in the midst of the fire some five
minutes as the enemy were firing at our running men. I did not expect to get
out alive. A ball went through my hat as I lay on the ground + another just
grazed the fore finger of my right hand. Finally the enemy came up + were
very kind. Major [A. L.] Pitzer, a staff officer of Gen. Early had me
carried by some men into the woods + placed on a bed of leaves. [Pitzer was
actually a lieutenant] They put some water by me + then went on to the front
again. During this time the whole of our line had been driven back; both the
1st Corps + the 11th, the 3rd Division of this Corps (Schurz's) went at the
same time and in the same way that we did. The 2nd Div. (Steinwehr's) was in
reserve + I don't know what became of that except that it also was routed. I
lay in the woods sometime until the shells began to come in + then one of my
own men who were prisoners carried me in a blanket to a house further off.
[the Josiah Benner house] I was in considerable pain + bleeding a good deal.
My trousers + vest + both shirts were saturated with blood. They put me on a
bed + about dark 3 Confederate surgeons came. They gave me chloroform +
probed my wound. When I woke up they told me that a Minie ball had passed
downward from where it entered, + through the peritoneum + lodged in the
cavity of the pelvis + that there was very little chance for my life. They
gave me some morphine + left me. Several Confederate officers passed the
night at the house + were very kind + attentive. A brother of Alex. R.
Boteler of Va. bathed my wound several times. We had been attacked (my
Division) by Gordon's Brigade of Early's Division, of [Lieutenant Richard
S.] Ewell's (late Jackson's) Corps. In the morning one of our own captured
Surgeons + the same Confederate Drs. came to see me + pronounced the same
opinion as before. You will see that the danger to be expected was the same
as from my former wound, this is peritonitis + that the bowels had been cut.
But it is now evident that neither the peritoneum nor the bowels have been
touched. The ball is probably imbedded in some of the muscles near my old
would. It cannot be got out unless it works out itself, for the region is
too dangerous for cutting. On Thursday morning, I moved up into another
house just inside of the town where an elderly lady + her daughter were very
kind to me. [the John S. Crawford house] I found some books there + passed
Thursday + Friday very comfortably under morphine. I read + talked a good
deal. I eat only some coffee + toast + cherries in these days. The ladies +
some of our wounded in the house did what nursing I required. I saw some of
our Surgeons + some of the enemies who said there was nothing to be done but
to bathe the wound in cold water + wait. Some of the staff officers of Ewell
+ Early came to see me + I talked very freely with them. They were pleasant
fellows. They despised our army + meant to fight to the last. [I] saw a good
many of their men also + was much pleased with them. They are more heroic,
more modest + more in earnest than we are. Their whole tone is much finer
than ours. Except among those on our side who are fighting this war upon
antislavery grounds, there is not much earnestness nor are there many noble
feelings + sentiments involved. I heard the battles of Thursday + Friday
close to me. The enemy had no doubt of capturing or utterly destroying our
Army + I feared it would be so. Ewell + Early sent word that at the first
flag of truce, they would [remainder of letter missing]