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
sure foundation, and the one in whom he trusted would be the widow’s
God. In a moment the thought of the anguish that would soon pierce that
lone widowed mother’s heart, rushed upon my mind, and poor, weak human
nature was overcome, and I could only bow my head and weep. The poor
fellow seemed fully conscious of the fact that he must die; and while
he would have his mother know the worst, he wished the sad intelligence
to be gently broken. The language of his heart seemed to be, “Who will
care for mother, now?”
* * * * *
After giving out the rest of my supplies, I bade the “boys”
good-evening, with a promise to see them again soon, and left this
wretched hospital only to visit another nearly, if not quite, as bad.
This was formerly a large grocery-store, only a short distance from
our quarters. Mr. Green and Mrs. Johnson accompanied me to this abode
of misery. As we entered the building, oh, what a sight met our eyes!
A small piece of candle was burning upon the counter--it being about
nine in the evening--which but dimly lighted the large room, making the
bloody scene before us all the more horrifying. There lay the wounded,
stretched upon the floor side by side, in close proximity, weltering in
blood and filth.
They were faint and hungry, some having only a short time before
arrived from the battle-field, with wounds still undressed, their
blankets and clothing saturated with blood, and not unfrequently
covered with vermin. It was a sight well-calculated to appal the
stoutest heart; but, nerving ourselves for the task, we went to work
feeding those poor sufferers, bathing and dressing their wounds. While
busy, a call from behind the counter attracted my attention, and on
going to ascertain who was there I found two soldiers, who said they
were nearly starved, and wished to know if we hadn’t something for
them too. “Certainly,” I replied, and, taking a large cup, I filled it
with hot broth, and crept along on my hands and knees to where they
were lying, for I did not dare trust myself to walk, fearing I should
stumble over them, as it was so dark, the candle having been removed to
another part of the room, and the space between them and the counter so
narrow.
I learned that one of them belonged to the Eighth Michigan. When I told
him that I too was from Michigan, the poor boy burst into tears and
wept aloud. “Oh,” said he, “can’t you get me out of this filthy place?
for it seems as though I shall be eaten up alive.” But, as every spare
foot of space was occupied, we were obliged to leave them there for
the night, but requested the nurse to remove them in the morning, even
if they had to be taken out of doors. I came home late in the evening,
weary and foot-sore. Since then, have written several letters for
soldiers, and the midnight hour finds me still with pen in hand.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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