As we entered each ward, every soldier who was able to bear his weight sprang to his feet, and stood by his cot during our stay in the ward. I saw at once that it was in pursuance of an order. I had made it a point to shake hands with every soldier that was awake and conscious, but the surgeon hurried through without giving an opportunity to speak to a half-dozen in the whole hospital. One poor skeleton of a man sat bolstered on his cot, eating his dinner, and had on his plate a spoonful of cooked onion. "Where did you get that onion?" cried the surgeon. "I paid my own money for it, doctor." "Who said you might have it?"' "Dr. Spears." "Very well, then;" and passed on. Here my disgust filled up to the brim. I cared but little for his attempt to browbeat me; but when he treated a helpless soldier like this I could hardly keep my indignation from boiling over. The first words spoken to me after entering the hospital were: "Do you want to go into the kitchen?" "I would like to pass through your kitchen," was my reply. "Very unfavorable time, madam--very unfavorable; about dinner-time." Very favorable, thought I, and went in. I could see at a glance that the large caldron of potatoes was boiled half an hour too long. Their bread looked well, and I suppose it was good. As we passed out, taking memoranda and pencil, I said: "You have a very large hospital. How many will it accommodate?" "Fifteen hundred, madam. Very few, very few at present, only four hundred and eighty-four." "How many nurses have you?" "Twenty-three." "No female nurses?" "No, madam. As I told you, a woman has no business to step inside of a hospital." "As I told you, we evidently differ in that respect. Where I have found judicious female nurses it seems more home-like, and our soldiers feel more contented." "Very few, very few judicious female nurses." "They exist, notwithstanding. How many surgeons have you?" "Only four at present." "You are the surgeon in charge; please give me your name." "My name is Surgeon Powers, of the Seventh Missouri Regiment." His name and figures were too plainly recorded to be effaced. Here he turned a perfect somersault, if words could perform the feat. With an affected politeness, bowing himself almost double: "Madam, I hope you will call again some time; call in the middle of the forenoon or afternoon--very unfavorable about meal-time." "If I remain a week or ten days longer in the city," I replied, "I shall do so." "I would be very happy to have you call again, madam; very happy to see you again." I left with a heavy heart, and called at the sanitary rooms to ascertain the location of five unvisited hospitals. I found the room filled with officers and a few generals of high rank. I introduced myself, as usual, by handing Dr. Warrener, sanitary agent, my papers. "Then you are visiting the hospitals, with supplies, etc., are you? I am glad to see you, as we have had no visitor from so far North. How do you find them?"