Late in the evening we reached Mankato; here they took Mr. Ireland, Mrs. Hurd, myself, and our children, to the hospital, where supper was soon prepared for us. I was assisted to bed, and the surgeon came and dressed my wounds. We here received excellent care and nursing. Dr. McMahan was the head surgeon, and was very kind to us; indeed, it would almost cure a sick person, to see his good-natured face. In his absence, Dr. Wickersham attended the sick and wounded, and he, too, treated us with kindness. On the next day, which was Saturday, I was told that some of my old neighbors were at the hospital, namely, Mr. Everett and Charles Hatch. They had made their escape, and reached Mankato in very sad plight. Charley had by this time nearly been healed of his wounds, but it was thought doubtful if Mr. Everett ever recovered. On the morning of this day, Mrs. Hurd left for St. Peter and La Crosse; this was the last I saw of her. The ladies of Mankato showed their generosity while I staid there, by giving me clothes for myself and children. I often overheard some one inquiring for the boy that carried his brother so far: soldiers and officers came there in large numbers, thinking it quite a sight to see my Merton, and generally gave him or myself, small sums of money, from a dime to a dollar. When several companies of the 25th Wisconsin Regiment came through the town, on their way to the scene of the Indian war, they remained in town over night. Next morning, they came to the hospital to see me and my children: they crowded my room and the halls, till at last the surgeon, seeing that there were a great many more coming than the house would hold, locked the door against them and refused to let them in. Not being able to see me, then the soldiers clamored for a sight of Johnny. Dr. Wickersham took the child down among them, where he was caressed and passed from hand to hand, causing great amazement at the strength and endurance of the boy that had lugged him fifty miles without food. When they left town, they took Merton along with them some distance, and sent him back with a present of fifteen dollars, all in silver, which was a scarce commodity at that time, and is still more rare now. I shall never cease to remember, with gratitude, the benevolent soldiers of the 25th Wisconsin. The money came very timely, for, until then, I had nothing with which to get clothing for Merton. I had remained at the hospital six or seven weeks, and he was much in need of clothes, for the weather was now growing colder. I was now very tired of staying here, and determined to leave, whether they gave me a discharge or not. My foot had healed so that I began to use it some, but was very lame: the rest of my wounds were all healed.