The boys in white : $b The experience of a hospital agent in and around WashingtonWheelock, Julia S. (Julia Susan)
History
The boys in white : $b The experience of a hospital agent in and around Washington
Wheelock, Julia S. (Julia Susan)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Hospitals
Our daily duties were so similar, that an account of one day’s work
would be a fair specimen of every day’s. We knew no rest until the
wounded were all removed. Night ever found us weary and foot-sore.
There was a large number of faithful laborers at Fredericksburg. The
different commissions and State associations were there, each with a
noble corps of earnest workers. Among these untiring ones was Mrs.
General Barlow, whose husband commanded the First Division, Second
Corps. Many of the improvements made in our hospitals--especially of
the Second Corps--were the result of her personal efforts. She worked
on through sunshine and storm, until her overtaxed system yielded
to the ravages of disease, and she fell a martyr to the cause she
had so faithfully served. But the laurels she won “are unfading,
and will be verdant in heaven.” Among the many faithful workers in
Fredericksburg, I knew of none who accomplished more than Mrs. Samson,
of Maine, and Miss Hancock, of Pennsylvania. They were not only
earnest and faithful, but efficient--going where many would not think
of venturing, overcoming obstacles to others insurmountable, yielding
to discouragements never. Heat or cold, storm or sunshine, distance
or danger, were never allowed to interfere with duty. There were many
others whose noble deeds are recorded on high.
We were aided in our work by a number of volunteer laborers, who, one
after another, remained a few days or weeks, as they had opportunity.
Among these were Colonel Barnes, Messrs. Bayley and Wallace, of
Detroit; also, Messrs. Thompson, Moses, Pierce, Horton, Willcox, and
Green. Each day’s work was full of incident, sad yet interesting. One
morning, accompanied by Mr. Horton, I went with supplies to one of the
hospitals, which I found in a most destitute and neglected condition.
It was filled with wounded, brought in the night before. As yet
they had eaten nothing, neither had they been visited by a surgeon,
consequently their wounds remained undressed. The hospital was filthy
beyond all comparison. After dishing out our soup and crackers to
those poor half-starved men, Mr. H. began the work of dressing wounds,
while I started in search of a surgeon, or some one, to assist him. At
the Cavalry Corps Hospital--more than a mile distant--I secured the
services of Steward Smith; and, as we were hurrying back to that abode
of wretchedness, we were overtaken by Steward Dennis, of the Sixth
Cavalry, who volunteered to assist us; and very soon both were at work
in good earnest, while I hastened “home” to replenish our supply of
rags, bandages, shirts, drawers, pillows, and handkerchiefs; and then,
assisted by the nurse, began the work of cleaning the hospital. Before
leaving, all had been fed, wounds dressed, clean clothing provided, the
worst of the filth and dirt removed, and a large quantity of lemonade
made for the “boys.” One poor fellow died during the day, and three
more before morning. In a few days, those who survived were removed,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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