We are looking for a quote by a northerner that describes the terrible
toll the Civil War took on the north, in terms of dead and wounded.
Specifically, we'd like an eyewitness who talks about the crippled and
maimed soldiers coming home, or in the hospital. Please do not use
Walt Whitman or Abraham Lincoln. We're looking for a more commonplace
source.

Thanks,
Narrative

Hi narrative,

Probably the most descriptive account is found in Grappling with
Death: The Union Second Corps Hospital at Gettysburg by Roland R.
Maust
http://www.gdg.org/maust.html

(I've posted a select few from the page -  there are many more
accounts to be read on the page.)

"With all the crises and difficulties at the hospitals, there was at
least one bright spot on Wednesday, July 8 -- the primary operations,
mostly amputations, were finally coming to an end.  After the primary
surgeries were completed on the Union wounded, the Confederates were
then operated on and their wounds treated.  Although it seems terribly
harsh, it was a standard procedure in Civil War field hospitals, both
Northern and Southern alike, that surgeons treated their own wounded
first, then the wounded of the enemy."

[edit]

"It took nearly five days for some three hundred surgeons [in all
seven of the Union Corps hospitals] to perform the amputations that
occurred here [at Gettysburg], during which time the rebels lay in a
dying condition without their wounds being dressed or scarce any food.
 If the rebels did not get severely punished for this battle, then I
am no judge," added Cornelia Hancock sententiously."

[edit]

"Men with wounds considered mortal were largely left alone to die,
freeing up time to devote to those who had at least some hope of
survival.  Mary Cadwell Fisher, volunteer nurse from York, Pa., was
one of the very few who paused to visit with these fatalities.  Among
the most harrowing in those days of horrible sights were those of
sufferers who had been left to their inevitable death.  There was no
time or means on the first day or two after the battle to spend on the
mortally wounded.  Our strength and resources were taxed to the
uttermost limit to even insufficiently help the men who had a chance
of life, but those whose days were numbered and were pronounced beyond
surgical aid had to depend upon their fellow-sufferers? care.  Many a
poor fellow died on the hard ground, with no shelter, and happy he who
found a pitying comrade to close his eyes and fold his hands across
his wounded breast.  I could never pass the unfortunates without
stopping a moment to say some word of sympathy or give the cup of cold
water for which they thirsted."

[edit]

"As a Second Corps nurse, Jane Boswell Moore's time was consumed with
the care of the wounded entrusted to her oversight.  Still, she
searched for a way to be of help to this distraught mother.  "I had
not a minute to spare, save early in the morning; but I made diligent
inquiry, and found a comrade of her son, who described his grave. 
Then we went together to the man who removed and prepared bodies for
transportation."

The average price of embalming in the Gettysburg was $20.00, with
another $15.00 being needed to cover the cost of the coffin and case. 
Transportation costs from the battlefield to the family cemetery or
private plot back home were currently about $30.00.  Payment of
gravediggers on both ends of the trip, any food and lodging along the
way, and other miscellaneous expenditures, could add still further to
the overall expense.   It was painfully obvious to Miss Moore that the
widow's fifteen dollars would barely begin to cover the costs of
taking here son back to Philadelphia.  "It was clear her money would
amount to little.  I said so while I was thinking what to do, and she
fearfully caught at the words, assuring me she would sew at government
tents and bags, any length of time after her return, to make it up. 
'Such an idea never entered my mind,' I replied; 'I was only thinking
of what was best to do.  We will arrange it some way.'"

After reassuring the grieving mother, the first necessity was to find
her a place to stay while she waited for her son's body.  "So I told
her story to the grave-digger, whose wife at once gave her board in
their humble house, while her husband reduced his charges.  Then we
walked to [the] Adams express office, passing a great pile of rusty
muskets lately gathered from the battle-field.  I could hardly get her
away from these.  'I wonder if my boy's is there,' she said sadly; and
then, as she entered the express office, where her feeling overcame
her, 'It was through it,' she said, 'my boy used to send me his little
bit of money!'  Only the beginning, I thought, of sad memories to
haunt her after-life."

===============================================================================


Google search:
 
northerner accounts civil war dead wounded crippled maimed


Best regards,
tlspiegel

---

Clarification of Answer by tlspiegel-ga on 25 Nov 2003 01:03 PST

Hi narrative,

I went outside to talk to a neighbor after I posted my answer.  When I
came inside I did some more research on your question.  Here are more
results for you to peruse.


Research And Writing By GDG Members  (Gettysburg Discussion Group)
Many links on this page: http://www.gdg.org/memdocs.html


For ex., HISTORY OF THE NINTH MASSACHUSETTS BATTERY by Levi W. Baker
Republished by VanBerg Publishing
http://www.gdg.org/baker.html

"The situation was not one an artillery officer would have chosen, as
the ground on our front and right was much higher, and we could not
see more than fifty or sixty yards in those directions; neither was
there room enough to work six guns at usual intervals; and the ground
was broken by bowlders, with heavy stone walls in our rear and left,
with a gateway about in the rear of the second piece from the right.

As soon as the enemy appeared over the ridge, they were received with
a vigorous fire, some of which was with double canister; but they were
too near the prize to be stopped, and pressed on and received our fire
not six feet from the muzzles of our guns. Then our cannoneers were
driven at the point of the bayonet, and were shot down from the
limbers.

Soon after they appeared, Capt. Bigelow was shot and fell from his
horse; Lieut. Erickson was already wounded, and was hit again and fell
dead near the right gun, and his horse went into the enemy's lines.
Lieut. Whitaker at this time was shot through the knee, but kept his
seat and rode off the field; Sergt. Dodge also fell here mortally
-wounded; Sergts. Murray, Fenton, Hirst and Baker were all wounded and
were helpless for duty.

Capt. Bigelow was raised up, and saw..."

===============================================================================

"OPERATIONS OF OUR CAVALRY. THE MICHIGAN CAVALRY BRIGADE." By E. A. Paul
The New York Times, August 6, 1863 HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC Sunday, Aug. 2
http://www.gdg.org/nytimesaug81863.htm

"The division to which this regiment is attached moved early on the
morning of the 4th ultimo to Emmitsburgh. From thence it proceeded
toward Monterey. Before reaching that place the enemy was discovered
in force upon the hills to the right of Fountaindale, a small village,
some miles this side of Monterey this regiment being in advance of the
column was sent upon a road leading from the right of the town and to
Fairfield Gap. Upon reaching the gap, the enemy were found occupying
it. A charge was made by Lieut.-Col. Stagg with one squadron which,
with the aid of the other portion of the regiment, deployed as
skirmishers, was successful in driving the enemy from the gap. The
regiment held the position until the entire column and train had
passed, though the enemy made a strong effort, with superior numbers,
to drive it out. My command sustained a heavy loss here. Lieut.-Col.
Stagg, leading the charge, had his horse killed under him, and
falling, was seriously injured. Capt. Wm. R. Elliott, while bravely
leading his company, was mortally wounded and died the next morning.
Lieut. James S. McIlhenny, at that time, commanding Company G, was
killed instantly at Capt. Elliott?s sidel 17 men also were..."

===============================================================================

The Civil War Letters of Fannie Austin  (click on side links for letters)
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~snugaza/austin/index.html 

"Fannie Austin was a 19th Century English immigrant to America who was
thrust into the heart of the War Between the States. She was a wife,
sister, niece, and friend of Civil War soldiers and their families.
During the course of the Civil War she received letters from these
loved ones and she kept them ALL. Though she lived on 60 more years
following the end of the War, her gravestone epitath simply reads
"SOLDIER'S WIDOW". Her letters, meanwhile, were left behind and lost
for 50 more years.

In 1974, during a remodeling project to a home located in the village
of Clinton,Oneida County, New York, some wallboards were removed. It
was at that moment that the Civil War Letters of Fannie Austin were
miraculously recovered. They had apparently been stored in the attic
and had accidentally fallen from their shelf behind the wallboards to
the ground level."

Letters, Diaries, Reminiscences, and Manuscripts of New York Soldiers and Nurses
http://library.morrisville.edu/local_history/sites/letters/

The Reminiscences of Anna P. Erving, a Union Nurse "On the Field at Antietam"
http://library.morrisville.edu/local_history/sites/letters/annie.html

More links:
http://www.ioweb.com/civilwar/html/war.htm

http://www.ioweb.com/civilwar/html/campdouglas.htm

===============================================================================

The memoirs, diary, and life of Private Jefferson Moses, Company G,
93rd Illinois Volunteers.
http://www.ioweb.com/civilwar/index.html

(Links to Memoirs on left side of page)

Going off to war,1862 
Mustered in at Camp Douglas, October, 1862 
Moving into Rebel Territory, November, 1862 
Foraging in Mississippi, Winter, 1862-1863 
Yazoo Pass Expedition, March/April, 1863 
Vicksburg, May/June, 1863 
Desperate Illness, July, 1863 

===============================================================================


EUGENE GOODWIN CIVIL WAR DIARY
http://www.ioweb.com/civilwar/goodwin_diary/index.html

Diary Entries

Teaching school at Pond Run, Ohio 1/1/61 
President Lincoln's Inaugural 3/1/61 
Teaching in New Jersey & Enlistment 4/1/61 
Arrival at Fort Monroe, Virginia 5/28/61 
Balloon ascension to spy on enemy 8/1/61 
Duty in Virginia 9/1/61 
Battle of Monitor and Merrimac 3/8/62 
General McClellan's Army arrives 3/19/62 
Occupy Norfolk, Virginia 5/1/62 
Expedition to the Dismal Swamp 11/1/62 
More duty in Virginia 1/1/63 
Battle of Suffolk 4/10/63 
Expeditions deep into Virginia 6/1/63 
To Yorktown & widespread sickness 8/1/63 
To New Bern, North Carolina 10/23/63 
Hope for the New Year 1/1/64 
Expedition to blow up an Ironclad 5/24/64 
Mustered out & Home to Maine 6/14/64 
Return to New Jersey 8/1/64 

Best regards,
tlspiegel
























http://www.gdg.org/stand.html
The Charge of the 20th Maine
 Here is the complete story of the 20th Maine Infantry from June 21
through July 10, 1863. Using more than 70 first hand accounts, the
story is told from both sides revealing also the actions and feelings
of the men from Alabama. Stand Firm also traces the development of a
legend as veterans of the fight tried to remember, understand and
memorialize their part in the largest battle ever fought on the
continent.

[edit]

Virtually everyone on the summit of Little Round Top who might have
filed a report testifying to the desperation there either died or left
their command in the area. Most notably, the commanders of two
brigades, Weed and Vincent, fell mortally wounded, as did the battery
commander, Hazlett.

Following the regiments from right to left around the hill, the
absence of surviving witnesses reveals much. Colonel O'Rourke, who led
his 140th New York into the breech at the height of the crisis, also
fell dead. Colonel Vincent's bugler, returning from an errand, found
the commander of the 16th Michigan with half his regiment in a road
some three hundred yards in rear of the hill just as the fight closed.
3Colonel Rice of the 44th New York took Vincent's place and was
undoubtedly distracted

Thanks so much for your wonderful sources. They proved invaluable.

narrative

Aaaackkkk.... sorry about the formatting on my clarification.  I
should be asleep by now (2am) but instead I'm wide awake and
fascinated with Civil War History!

tlspiegel

Hi narrative,

Thank you so much for the nice rating and generous tip!  :)  I must
say the research was very interesting and educational too.

Best regards,
tlspiegel