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of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteers； lying ill with what looked like typhoid fever。 While there； who should come in but the almost ubiquitous Lieutenant Wilkins； of the same Twentieth； whom I had met repeatedly before on errands of kindness or duty； and who was just from the battle…ground。 He was going to Boston in charge of the body of the lamented Dr。 Revere； the Assistant Surgeon of the regiment； killed on the field。 From his lips I learned something of the mishaps of the regiment。 My Captain's wound he spoke of as less grave than at first thought； but he mentioned incidentally having heard a story recently that he was killed；a fiction； doubtless；a mistake；a palpable absurdity；not to be remembered or made any account of。 Oh no！ but what dull ache is this in that obscurely sensitive region； somewhere below the heart； where the nervous centre called the semilunar ganglion lies unconscious of itself until a great grief or a mastering anxiety reaches it through all the non… conductors which isolate it from ordinary impressions？ I talked awhile with Lieutenant Abbott； who lay prostrate； feeble； but soldier…like and uncomplaining； carefully waited upon by a most excellent lady； a captain's wife； New England born； loyal as the Liberty on a golden ten…dollar piece； and of lofty bearing enough to have sat for that goddess's portrait。 She had stayed in Frederick through the Rebel inroad； and kept the star…spangled banner where it would be safe； to unroll it as the last Rebel hoofs clattered off from the pavement of the town。
Near by Lieutenant Abbott was an unhappy gentleman； occupying a small chamber； and filling it with his troubles。 When he gets well and plump； I know he will forgive me if I confess that I could not help smiling in the midst of my sympathy for him。 He had been a well… favored man； he said； sweeping his hand in a semicircle； which implied that his acute…angled countenance had once filled the goodly curve he described。 He was now a perfect Don Quixote to look upon。 Weakness had made him querulous； as it does all of us； and he piped his grievances to me in a thin voice； with that finish of detail which chronic invalidism alone can command。 He was starving；he could not get what he wanted to eat。 He was in need of stimulants； and he held up a pitiful two…ounce phial containing three thimblefulsof brandy；his whole stock of that encouraging article。 Him I consoled to the best of my ability； and afterwards； in some slight measure； supplied his wants。 Feed this poor gentleman up； as these good people soon will； and I should not know him； nor he himself。 We are all egotists in sickness and debility。 An animal has been defined as 〃a stomach ministered to by organs；〃 and the greatest man comes very near this simple formula after a month or two of fever and starvation。
James Grayden and his team pleased me well enough； and so I made a bargain with him to take us； the lady and myself； on our further journey as far as Middletown。 As we were about starting from the front of the United States Hotel； two gentlemen presented themselves and expressed a wish to be allowed to share our conveyance。 I looked at them and convinced myself that they were neither Rebels in disguise； nor deserters； nor camp…followers； nor miscreants； but plain； honest men on a proper errand。 The first of them I will pass over briefly。 He was a young man of mild and modest demeanor； chaplain to a Pennsylvania regiment； which he was going to rejoin。 He belonged to the Moravian Church； of which I had the misfortune to know little more than what I had learned from Southey's 〃Life of Wesley。〃 and from the exquisite hymns we have borrowed from its rhapsodists。 The other stranger was a New Englander of respectable appearance； with a grave； hard； honest； hay…bearded face； who had come to serve the sick and wounded on the battle…field and in its immediate neighborhood。 There is no reason why I should not mention his name； but I shall content myself with calling him the Philanthropist。
So we set forth； the sturdy wagon； the serviceable bays； with James Grayden their driver； the gentle lady； whose serene patience bore up through all delays and discomforts； the Chaplain； the Philanthropist； and myself； the teller of this story。
And now； as we emerged from Frederick； we struck at once upon the trail from the great battle…field。 The road was filled with straggling and wounded soldiers。 All who could travel on foot； multitudes with slight wounds of the upper limbs； the head； or face； were told to take up their beds；alight burden or none at all； and walk。 Just as the battle…field sucks everything into its red vortex for the conflict； so does it drive everything off in long； diverging rays after the fierce centripetal forces have met and neutralized each other。 For more than a week there had been sharp fighting all along this road。 Through the streets of Frederick； through Crampton's Gap； over South Mountain； sweeping at last the hills and the woods that skirt the windings of the Antietam； the long battle had travelled； like one of those tornadoes which tear their path through our fields and villages。 The slain of higher condition； 〃embalmed〃 and iron…cased； were sliding off on the railways to their far homes； the dead of the rank and file were being gathered up and committed hastily to the earth； the gravely wounded were cared for hard by the scene of conflict； or pushed a little way along to the neighboring villages； while those who could walk were meeting us； as I have said； at every step in the road。 It was a pitiable sight； truly pitiable； yet so vast； so far beyond the possibility of relief； that many single sorrows of small dimensions have wrought upon my feelings more than the sight of this great caravan of maimed pilgrims。 The companionship of so many seemed to make a joint…stock of their suffering； it was next to impossible to individualize it； and so bring it home； as one can do with a single broken limb or aching wound。 Then they were all of the male sex； and in the freshness or the prime of their strength。 Though they tramped so wearily along； yet there was rest and kind nursing in store for them。 These wounds they bore would be the medals they would show their children and grandchildren by and by。 Who would not rather wear his decorations beneath his uniform than on it？
Yet among them were figures which arrested our attention and sympathy。 Delicate boys； with more spirit than strength； flushed with fever or pale with exhaustion or haggard with suffering； dragged their weary limbs along as if each step would exhaust their slender store o￡ strength。 At the roadside sat or lay others； quite spent with their journey。 Here and there was a house at which the wayfarers would stop； in the hope； I fear often vain； of getting refreshment； and in one place was a clear； cool spring； where the little bands of the long procession halted for a few moments； as the trains that traverse the desert rest by its fountains。 My companions had brought a few peaches along with them； which the Philanthropist bestowed upon the tired and thirsty soldiers with a satisfaction which we all shared。 I had with me a small flask of strong wa