Decimus et Ultimus Barziza of Louisiana’s account of Gettysburg and his experience as a prisoner of war

1863

In passing to the rear I saw the reinforcements of the enemy coming up, and was indeed somewhat surprised at the nonchalance they exhibited in marching steadily towards the firing.

I was taken to the Field Hospital of the Twelfth Army Corps, which had been established some distance in the rear of the lines. It consisted of the barn and other out-houses of a farm, sheds, &c., besides a great quantity of hospital tents, which were afterwards pitched.

About mid-day on Friday the battle of the 3d day opened heavily; the artillery was terrific; as it progressed, great anxiety was discernable among the Federals; the surgeons ceased their operations and looked anxiously to the front; hospital flags were perched on the fences, trees and houses; soon came streams of ammunition wagons, ambulances and disabled artillery, driving frantically to the rear; thousands of soldiers rushed back, and were driven up again to the front by cavalry in their rear; the wounded Federals, who were able to walk, were sent off hastily, and the scene was that of a routed and panic-stricken army. We, Confederates, who were at the hospital, were buoyant, and strained our eyes to see the grey backs rushing across the open field. But, alas! the storm gradually grew less violent, wavered, became more distant, and we knew the day was a bitter one for us. A little more vigor on the part of the Confederates that day would have secured the victory. Whilst the fight was raging this day, I was so confident that I remarked to the surgeon of the 12th corps, "Gen. Lee would have his Head Quarters by to-night ten miles on the Baltimore Pike." "It must be confessed," he replied, "that this looks somewhat like it." During all this day hundreds of wounded, both Confederate and Federal, were brought in. Our wounded were generally well treated, and were put side by side with the enemy's. Every shelter in the neighborhood was crammed; even hay-lofts were filled with the bleeding, mangled bodies. The surgeons, with sleeves rolled up and bloody to the elbows, were continually employed in amputating limbs. The red, human blood ran in streams from under the operating tables, and huge piles of arms and legs, withered and horrible to behold, were mute evidences of the fierceness of the strife.

He who has never seen the rear of an army during and immediately after a battle, can form no idea of the scene, while the mere mention of a Field Hospital to a soldier, brings up recollections of blood and brains, mangled limbs, protruding entrails, groans, shrieks and death. And when night comes upon them, and their wounds begin to grow chill, and pains shoot piercingly through them, then the deep and agonizing groans, the shrill death-shriek, the cries for water, opium, any thing, even death, make up the most horrible scene that can be conceived of. See that poor, bleeding boy turn his face to the surgeon and ask, "Doctor, is my wound mortal." And oh! what shades of agony, despair and dread flit across his features, as he hears the reply, " I fear it is, sir!" There lies one mortally wounded, sleeping "unto death," under the influence of opium, which has been given in large quantities to let him die easy. Now, one goes off in a convulsive spasm, another with a shriek, which causes the hair even of a hardened soldier to stand on end. And then the dead are laid out in long rows, with their naked faces turned up to the sun, their clothes stiff with the dried blood, and their features retaining in death the agony and pain which they died with; and presently they are dragged forth and thrust into a shallow pit, with, perhaps, the coarse jest of a vulgar soldier for their requiem, and bloody blankets for their winding sheets. What a blessing is it that the gentle and tender-loved ones at home are spared the sight of the last moments of their torn and mangled soldiers!

I could here but notice the exquisite order and arrangement of the Medical Department in the Federal army. Their ambulance corps is very numerous, and the supply of medicines is plentiful. Their surgeons assume a great deal of authority, and are feared and respected by the soldiers. Indeed, as might be expected from the material of their army, there is much distance kept up between officers and men; even their non-commissioned officers are ever mindful of the difference between themselves and the men.

I had opportunities for frequent conversation with the officers and soldiers, who seemed always eager for an argument. I was astonished to find what indifference prevailed amongst their soldiers in regard to the appointment and removal of their commanding Generals. Many of them did not know, nor did they seem to care who was in command of their army at this time. They all spoke well of Gen. Lee, and acknowledged him to be the "greatest Captain of the age." Many of them enquired whether it was true that Stonewall Jackson was really dead, or was it a story hatched up by their newspapers. I heard several express the belief that had Jackson been present, we would have won the battle, "for," said they, "he would have gotten lost and turned up somewhere in our rear." On Saturday, the 4th, the wildest rumors were current. [Maj. Gen. George B.] McClellan was in Lee's rear with 150,000 militia, the Potomac had risen, Vicksburg had fallen, Charleston was ready to capitulate, and the Great Rebellion was crushed. Their loud cheering resounded along their lines, and great joy prevailed amongst them.

It happened that it rained the day before, and I, with many others, was put in a hay loft, and, there being no other means of reaching the ground save a ladder, I could'nt come down for several days, a situation I am sure I had not much relish for. When, however, I was able to come down, I chanced to stop before a tent a moment, when some wounded Massachusetts officers who occupied it invited me in, and we became quite social; more especially so as they were provided with some good liquor and cigars. I called to see them daily, but will not say which more attracted me, their conversation or their cheer. I was surprised at their assertion that our army was much better disciplined than theirs, and that was all the balance they would confess in our favor. Like all New Englanders, they were bigoted and full of vanity; they pretended to think the Massachusetts men made better soldiers than any others, and indulged in unbecoming sneers against Pennsylvanians, because they had not turned out en masse for the defense of their State. They were full of argument, and would listen to nothing but the Union. True types of their agitating and vain-glorious fathers of Plymouth Rock memory. I would usually answer their arguments by assuring them that, as they had inaugurated War, we accepted the issue, and artillery and musketry must decide the quarrel.

Some of these Yankees are really patriotic, and honestly or at least fanatically so. I was standing near an old man when word was brought him that his son had fallen a few hours before; he received the news with some apparent grief, and replied with much earnestness, "I wish I had fifty to fall for the same cause." Oh, Liberty! how many crimes are committed in thy name!

It is but justice to say that the chief Surgeon of the 12th Corps, Dr. McNulty, (I believe,) was very kind and attentive to our unfortunate people. This Field Hospital soon became very filthy, and the wounded were moved as fast as possible to Gettysburg. There was a college building in the town, which had been used by the Confederates whilst they occupied the place. To this building most of the Confederates were carried. The rooms and passages were densely crowded, and wounds of every shape and description afforded subjects for the attention of the humanitarians. There was a handsome yard adjoining the building, interspersed with shade trees. Thousands of citizens from all parts of the North flocked to Gettysburg to see a battle field and get a view of the terrible rebels. New England preachers, indellibly and unmistakably stamped with the hypocritical sanctity of Puritanism, stalked back and forth, with long faces and sanctimonious pretensions; they would occasionally come into a room and after sighing, and wheezing, and sucking their breath, would condescendingly give a poor rebel a tract and a cracker. Men and women, fresh from the very cess-pools of fanaticism and falsehood, would stand at the doors, and by their curious peering and simple questionings, gave much annoyance to our wounded. We always, however, had an infallible means at hand which would quickly cause their exodus, viz: we would ask them to give us money, clothing, or something to eat; we found this appeal to their charity would invariably rid us of their presence. But it is also just to state that many ladies showed much kindness to the "Rebels," but green Yankees never.

Whilst in Gettysburg, I could not but remark the difference between the conduct of our army and that of the enemy in invading our country. Here stood the town, after three days' hard fighting around and in it, almost entirely untouched. No wanton destruction of property of any description could be seen; no women and children complained that they were houseless and beggars. Then I called to mind the scenes around the city of Fredericsburg the winter previous; private houses sacked and burned, books, furniture, and every thing perishable utterly destroyed; women flying from burning houses with children in their arms, and insult and outrage at full license. I thought as I made the contrast in my own mind, of the utter uncongeniality of the two peoples, and thanked God that we were forever divided.

The Federals who came to visit us delighted to discuss the origin, cause and probable result of the Rebellion. There [sic] chief arguments were of the most puerile character. For instance, they dwelt with much satisfaction upon the fact that we fired the first gun at Sumpter, whose reverberations echoed and re-echoed through the whole extent of the North, and aroused a people to arms. I have often had occasion since to remark that this origin of the war is in the mouth of every man, woman and child who holds that their cause is just. The politicians have made this a potent physic, and the rabble eagerly swallowed it, as it was plain and undeniable, and could be understood and discussed by all without any further study or investigation. Oh! that horrible gun which has brought about so much mischief! They contended that States bore relation to the Federal Government, analagous to that which Counties bore to the state Government; the absurdity of which is so plain to any man who does not wish to be wrong. They also contended with much spirit that the new States formed since the establishment of the Government were the property of the United States, as they had been bought and paid for by Federal money. Such, then, were the main pretexts among the masses of the people of that country, for persisting in this most unrighteous crusade against the lives and liberties of independent States. But when all else failed, when every specious pretense was met, they relied defiantly upon that most miserable and destructive delusion, "The Union must be preserved." They pretended to believe that the Southern people were led blindfolded by their leaders, and were held down by the iron rule of force. They admitted that our soldiers were brave and fought with reckless daring, that our Generals were of the first order; but they always referred with confidence to their superiority of numbers, consoling themselves with the everlasting reflection that three men can, in time, conquer one. They declared they would never cease to war until we acknowledged the supremacy of the "best Government the world ever saw." They insisted that if we still continued to resist them, that our only fate must, in the nature of things, be extermination, and on us be the sin of it.

Verily, this is a peculiar people. They believe the United States Government holds a magic wand with which it can sway the nations of the earth at pleasure. They are extremely bigoted, and actually bloated with self-love. They think everything of their's [sic] is better than anybody else's; their religion purer; their men braver, and women fairer; their country better; their manners and customs more enlightened, and their intelligence and culture immeasurably superior. Brim-full of hypocritical cant and puritan ideas, they preach, pray and whine. The most parsimonious of wretches, they extol charity; the most inveterate blasphemers, they are the readiest exhorters; the worst of dastards, they are the most shameless boasters; the most selfish of men, they are the most blatant philanthropists; the blackest-hearted hypocrites, they are religious fanatics. They are agitators and schemers, braggarts and deceivers, swindlers and extortioners, and yet pretend to godliness, truth, purity, and humanity. The shibboleth of their faith is, "the Union must and shall be preserved," and they hold on to this with all the obstinacy peculiar to their nature. They say we are a benighted people, and are trying to pull down that which God himself built up.

Many of these bigots expressed great astonishment at finding that the majority of our men could read and write; they have actually been educated to regard the Southern people as grossly illiterate, and as little better than savages. The whole nation lives, breathes and prospers in delusion; and their chiefs control the springs of the social and political machine with masterly hands.

I could but conclude that the Northern people were bent upon the destruction of the South. All appeared to deprecate the war, but were unwilling to listen to a separation of the old Union. They justified the acts of usurpation on the part of their Government, and seemed submissive to the tyranny of its acts on the plea of military necessity; they say the Union is better than the Constitution, and bow their necks to the yoke in the hope of success against us. A great many, I believe, act from honest and conscientious principle; many from fear and favor; but the large majority entertain a deep-seated hatred, envy and jealousy towards the Southern people and their institutions.

They know (yet they pretend not to believe it) that Southern men and women are their superiors in everything relating to bravery, honesty, virtue and refinement; and they have become more convinced of this since the present war; consequently, their worst passions have become aroused, and they give way to frenzy and fanaticism.

We must not deceive ourselves; they are bent upon our destruction, and differ mainly in the means of accomplishing this end.

However much as sections and parties they hate each other, yet, as a whole, they hate us more.

They are so entirely incongruous to our people, that they and their descendants will ever be our natural enemies.

But this digression, concerning the Yankee people, has carried me too far from the main subject of this work.

Some days elapsed before supplies sufficient for the wounded could be collected at Gettysburg. The whole hospital building and grounds soon became impregnated with the peculiar and sickening odor of blood and wounds.

We amused ourselves by rummaging over some books and papers that lay scattered about the rooms.

Soon, however, many ladies from Baltimore came to visit us, and spoke words of good cheer and encouragement.

I shall ever remember a gentleman from Baltimore, who came into the room where I was, and left me a bottle of fine brandy; it was a glorious treat, and right heartily was it enjoyed.

The wounded were removed as fast as possible from Gettysburg to Baltimore. Accordingly, some two hundred were put in box cars, on straw, and started.

Whilst at the depot we, of course, had many words with the citizens.

Whilst passing through the street, a Federal soldier ran up to our column and said, "Boys, if those fellows (meaning the guards) treat you badly, you must not think any thing of it, as they never smelt gun-powder."

At the depot a citizen was declaiming severely against the wicked rebellion, and predicting grand results from Federal arms, when one of our ragged soldiers placed his hand on his shoulder, and the following colloquy ensued:

Rebel. "Mister, do you belong to the army?"

Yank. "No sir, I do not - my cousin does."

Reb. "Mister, did you ever belong to the army?"

Yank. "No sir, why?"
Reb. "Because, Mister, when a man in my country talks as big as you do, he generally has on soldier's clothes, and a cartridge box belted around him. I would advise you to put on harness and trot to Gen. [Maj. Gen. George G.] Meade [Army of the Potomac].

Yank. "Oh! you needn't give yourself any concern about Meade - he isn't sick; when it becomes necessary for me to go in the army, I am ready to go."

Reb. "Yes, I see you going, I'll bet a treat for the crowd you have just paid the three hundred dollar commutation. Your style don't like bullets; and a cock shouldn't crow if he is afraid to fight."

Yank. "You are very assuming, sir, for a man who is now dependent on us and our people for your very existence, and who is well taken care of by those you come to destroy. You have no rights, sir, save what the clemency of your enemies, for humanity sake, grants you."

Reb. (Somewhat piqued.) "I will let you know, sir, that I feel myself under no obligations to your Government for my good treatment. Whatever humanity may be shown us is forced from your Government. I am a soldier of the Confederate States, and my Government is able to demand proper treatment for its soldiers. We have plenty of Yankees down South, and it is this, and not humanity, which makes your Government clement, and deters you from putting in practice your declared outlawry against rebels."

The Yankee was about to reply, but was stopped by the guard. He went off shaking his head, and muttering something about the "confounded rebels."

After traveling all night, we arrived in Baltimore at day-break.

Ladies and children in numbers come crowding around the cars with refreshments, but were roughly and insultingly driven off by the guard.

For some reason we were compelled to lie in the cars all day until late in the evening.

Being provoked by the continued attempts of the ladies and boys to give us food and water, the officer of the guard had the hatches of the cars closed. Here, then, in a small box lay thirty helpless, bleeding men - their wounds very offensive and painful - almost suffocated, without a ray of light, and scarcely enough air to breathe. This piece of cruelty was continued for over half an hour, and when the hatches were again opened, we begged the ladies to go off, as they would kill us by this untold and wanton barbarity.

Crowds of men, women and children followed us towards the hospital.

We were in a sorry plight; our wounds had not been dressed for forty-eight hours; our clothes had never been changed since the battle - thus, bloody, dirty, ragged, bare-footed, bare-headed, and crippled, we marched through the streets of the monumental city, a spectacle of fiendish delight to some, but one of pity and sympathy to thousands of true subjugated Southerners, who inhabit this city.

Everything in the city of Baltimore gave evidence of the presence of oppression and tyranny. A Federal flag streamed from almost every window, and little miniature ones stuck upon the breasts of hundreds, as if they were worn as a talisman against insult and outrage. If a little girl dared wave her handkerchief at the Confederates, she was arrested or maltreated by the armed minions of despotism. Ladies, with baskets of provisions, followed tremblingly on the side-walks, and would be shaken roughly by the arm and insulted, if they approached us. Sympathy and pity shone upon the features of hundreds; and the sly look and troubled countenance showed plainly how they had been taught to fear the arms of their own Government. Baltimore is literally crushed and broken by high handed tyranny; the petty, ill-bred plebeians, with shoulder-straps on, actually lord it over these unfortunate people, with all the mean oppression which characterizes men of low estate who have been suddenly elevated to power. I saw at the West Building Hospital a lady arrested by a lubberly, bloated, and uncouth Hospital Steward, because she gave a white handkerchief to a wounded Confederate. Similar instances of mean and pitiful exhibitions of power are of daily occurrence. What a commentary upon the boasted freedom of the United States! May the proud Southern race disappear from the earth before they call these people masters!

Hundreds of our wounded were here collected and distributed to other places; some to David's Island, New York; others to Chester, Pennsylvania, and others to the various forts and prisons.

The Federals at this time were exceedingly jubilant. And, it must be confessed, that gloom was with the Confederates. Yet they were ever manly, impudent and independent.

From Baltimore I, with many others, was started on the cars for the hospital at Chester, Pennsylvania.