Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-08-30
MORNING LEADER.
TrrrnAY MORNTNG, AUGUST 80.
Visit 80 ihe ArmOry Square HOsPi-
tai. WashinstOu-

The most agreeable pastime wc had, |
while in Washington few days ago, was |
4 visis We made to the Hospital in ArmOry !
SQUARE. under charge of DR.. D. w Bliss
formerly this city. 1t may sound strange
tofhany that a visit to a hospital filed as
Il is with hundreds of wounded and
manglsd soldiers, should be an agreeable
pastime. But It was so. It was agreeable
because we were so happily disappointed
in the appearance Of the place, and in the
treatment and condition of the patients
Heretofore, when visiting Washington, we
always avoided going to the hospitals, SIM
ply because we could not be ofany service,
and because we had a dread of witnessing
so much suffering and misery, which we
have been led to believe existed in them.
This time we determined to visit the hos
pitals and see for ourselves the condition OF
our gallant wounded soldiers.
We started down Seventh street, which
runs from Pennsylvania avenue towards
the now historic Potomac, through the
spacious grounds of the Smithsonian Insti-
tute and the Government Armory, and,
sitter proceeding about one-third of a mile,
d we reached a small village Of neatly white
washed buildings, standing in row.
Each building Is about 100 ieet long ana
40 feet wide, and constitutes what Is called
ward. These wards are about 20 feet
distant from each other, and are connected
together by corridors, which make the
whole one building, as 1t we're.
We entered the Surgeons office, and saw
before US the genial countenanceOf DR.. Bliss,
metamorphosed by hard study and wide
practice from the harum-scarum student OF
the late Professor Ackleys into the success
fal and scientific Surgeon Although thir-
q teen years have elapsed since we saw him
last, yet we readily recognized his flashing
black eyes and bronzed countenance
though gently altered by time. After
enjoying pleasant chat with him for a
few minutes, he cordially invited US to take
asurvey of the premises with him.
The central building of the row is the
Headquarters of the hospital In this, is
the main office, the Surgeons private
Office, the Chief Clerks Office, Postofice, a
drug-shop, equal in extent to a majority
of drug-shops on our street corners, a
+ laundry-room, linen-room, dc. Tie two
-zruail detached buildings at the north end
Of the row are the lodgings of the Chap
lain, Rev. Mr.. jackson, and Of the lady
nurses. In the rear Of the Chaplain
house is a neat Chapel, built entirely by
the convalescents, without expense TO the
Government, DR.. Bliss acting as architect
South of these buildings follow the ten
wards, lettered from A to R-the central
building lying between L and G. The
yard ia enclosed by high paling, and is
laid out with flower beds, shrubbery and
graveIled walks-the whole designed by
DR.. Bliss, and the labor performed by the
eonvalescents. In front of the main build
ing is a fountain, throwing up stream Of
Potomac water. The work Of making the
garden and beautifying the yard was a
most agreeable pastime to the convalescents
and was an efficient auxiliary in aiding to
restore them to health.
s2 When we entered the wards, we could
hardly believe that we were inside hos
pital-the appearance of the room not
corresponding with our idea of such a
place. Here we saw a row of twenty-five
clean beds, extending on each side-inaking
fifty beds for tn, ward-all covered with
neat white eOunterpanes, and each bed en-
closed in a musquito net. In one bed was
a brave fellow who had lost leg at the
battle of the Wilderness, amusing himself
by reading book which he held in one
hand, while tanning himself with the 9TH
er. In another was boy who had lost an
arm at the same battle, eating an orange
and appearing to be very cheerful. A pa
tient, who was too weak TO fan himself,
was having that operation performed for
him by young grinning contraband. On
the side of another bed were seated two
soldier-bOys playing checkers, one ofwhOm
had lost an arm and the other leg. At
the other end Of the ward was lying poor
fellow whose sands of life had nearly run
out, and who was not expected to live more
than forty-eight hours. By the side of
him was his faithful wife watching him as
only wife or mother can watch. In the
center of the room Is a piano, on which one
Of the accomplished lady nurses would fire.
ouently discourse music Tor the ears of the
gratifed patients. These nurses are from
among our most educated and refined ladies
who have volunteered their services and
given their time to the care ofthe wounded,
receiving no compensation but the graf
itude of the patients, the consciousness
that they have performed their duty to our
sick and wounded soldiers, and the gratif-
cation of the highest feelings Of their pure
and womanly natures. These noble women,
some of whom are almost girls, move about,
performing their duties in quiet, unosten-
tatious manner, never expecting that their
good deeds would be known beyond their
own immediate family circle. We dare
say they will not forgive US for SO doing,
but we took the liberty Of taking down
their names for the purpose of letting it
be known who our Florence Nightingales
are;
Mrs. Hawley. Of Hartford, Conn, wife Of
Colonel Hawley, now in the service.
Mrs. Weloh, of Saratoga, NY.
Ar. Parnell, wife of Lieut.-Colonel Par
nell, 4th n. 7. Cavalry.
Mrs. Hastings, Michigan.