Colonel Southmayd had heard of these neglected people, and he succeeded while en route to Jacksonville in dropping off ten nurses so much needed at MacClenny. How he did this, I have told in a little brochure entitled "The MacClenny Nurses," that was issued at the close of the year 1888 as a holiday greeting, and intended as a public acknowledgment of the appreciation in which the Red Cross held those noble men and women who braved everything that they might serve their stricken brethren. Following is the story: "THE MACCLENNY NURSES." A HOLIDAY TRIBUTE TO RED CROSS WORKERS, IN _Warm appreciation and grateful acknowledgment of the faithful hands that toiled, and the generous hearts that gave._ BY CLARA BARTON, _President of the American Association of the Red Cross._ "THE MACCLENNY NURSES." During the fourth week in November a dispatch to National Headquarters announced that the last band of Red Cross nurses, known as the MacClenny nurses, had finished their work at Enterprise, and would come into Camp Perry to wait their ten days' quarantine and go home to New Orleans for Thanksgiving. Seventy-nine days ago that would mean that their little company of eighteen, mainly women, steaming on to Jacksonville, under guidance of their old-time trusted leader, Southmayd, of New Orleans, listened to his announcement that the town of MacClenny, thirty-eight miles from Jacksonville, Florida, and through which they would soon pass, was in a fearful state of distress; a comparatively new town, of a few thousand, largely Northern and Western people, suddenly stricken down in scores; poor, helpless, physicians all ill, and no nurses; quarantined on all sides, no food, medicine, nor comforts for sick or well. "Nurses, shall I leave a part of you there; the train cannot stop in, nor near the town, but if I can manage to get it slowed up somewhere, will you jump?" "We will do anything you say, Colonel; we are here in God's name and service to help His people; for Him, for you, and for the Red Cross, we will do our best and our all." "Conductor, you had a hot box a few miles back; don't you think it should be looked to after passing MacClenny?" "I will slow up and have it seen to, Colonel, although it may cost me my official head." And it did.