AMERICAN CIVIL WAR: Selections from Walt Whitman's "Memoranda during the War:" June 18* - "In one of the Hospitals I find Thomas Haley, Co. M, Fourth New York Cavalry - a regular Irish boy, a fine specimen of youthful physical manliness - shot through the lungs - inevitably dying - came over to this country from Ireland to enlist - has not a single friend or acquaintance here - is sleeping soundly at this moment, (but it is the sleep of death) - has a bullet-hole straight through the lung...I saw Tom when first brought here, three days since, and didn't suppose he could live twelve hours - (yet he looks well enough in the face to a casual observer.) He lies there with his frame exposed above the waist, all naked, for coolness, a fine built man, the tan not yet bleach'd from his cheeks and neck. It is useless to talk to him, as with his sad hurt, and the stimulants they give him, and the utter strangeness of every object, face, furniture, &c., the poor fellow, even when awake, is like a frighten'd, shy animal. Much of the time he sleeps, or half sleeps. (Sometimes I thought he knew more than he show'd.) I often come and sit by him in perfect silence; he will breathe for ten minutes as softly and evenly as a young babe asleep. Poor youth, so handsome, athletic, with profuse beautiful shining hair. One time as I sat looking at him while he lay asleep, he suddenly, without the least start, awaken'd, open'd his eyes, gave me a long, long steady look, turning his face very slightly to gaze easier - one long, clear silent look - a slight sigh - then turn'd back and went into his doze again. Little he knew, poor death-stricken boy, the heart of the stranger that hover'd near." "Bad Wounds, the Young - The soldiers are nearly all young men, and far more American than is generally supposed - I should say nine-tenths are native-born. Among the arrivals from Chancellorsville I find a large proportion of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois men. As usual, there are all sorts of wounds. Some of the men fearfully burnt from the explosion of artillery caissons. One Ward has a long row of officers, some with ugly hurts. Yesterday was perhaps worse than usual. Amputations are going on - the attendants are dressing wounds. As you pass by, you must be on your guard where you look. I saw the other day a gentleman, a visitor apparently from curiosity, in of the Wards, stop and turn a moment to look at an awful wound they were probing, &c. He turn'd pale, and in a moment more he had fainted away and fallen on the floor." *apparently 1863