Transcriber’s Note Italic text displayed as: _italic_ THREE YEARS IN FIELD HOSPITALS. THREE YEARS IN FIELD HOSPITALS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. BY MRS. H. PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 1867. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. INTRODUCTION. This simple story of hospital scenes, and the unpretending sketches of the few brave soldiers to which they allude, is arranged from the meager notes which were hurriedly written at the time they occurred, when there was not the most remote idea of ever preparing them for publication. The events of the war are “graven as with an iron pen” upon my memory. To preserve some slight memento of them for friends at home, was the primary object of these notes: to gratify the same persons are they now grouped together. MRS. H. UPPER MERION, Montgomery County, Penna., _October 1, 1866_. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Antietam—Hospitals—Frederick City—Virginia—Breaking up of the Hospitals—Moving North with the Army 9 CHAPTER II. Battle of Gettysburg—The Wounded—Incidents in Hospital—Sanitary Commission Work—The Flag on “Round Top” 38 CHAPTER III. The Campaign of 1864—Port Royal—White House—City Point 58 CHAPTER IV. First Visit to Annapolis—Stories of Starved Men—Burial at Andersonville—Neely’s Life in the Dungeon of Castle Thunder—Sergeant Kerker—Captains Wilson and Shelton in the “Iron Cage,” in Buncombe County, Tenn.—The Boy and the Flag—Gould’s returning Consciousness—Mr. Brown in Danville Prison 91 THREE YEARS IN FIELD HOSPITALS. CHAPTER I. Antietam.—Hospitals.—Frederick City.—Virginia.—Breaking up of the Hospitals.—Moving North with the Army. When the first sounds of war were heard, and there dimly dawned the startling fact that traitors were imperiling the life of the nation, we all remember how thousands rushed to arms at our country’s call, eager to proffer aid in this her hour of need. City, village, and country alike gave, as their first offering, their young men, the pride and strength of the land. The first that our quiet valley knew of the preparation for war, a company was being gathered from about our very doors,—with Col. Hartranft (now major-general—and nobly has he won the double stars, to which his bravery entitles him) as their chosen commander. We saw them as they stood beneath the shade of a spreading tree, with uplifted hand, vowing true allegiance to the best government the world has ever yet beheld; and as that roll now shows, many upon far-off battle-fields have sealed it with their blood.