Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-12-27

Christm as.

| was kept moist by drizzltng rain, the festivl-
| ties usual to the day were celebrated with due
| effectiveness, and none seemed to enter into It
" it'll more zest than did the patients at the
| hospitals in and around the city In nearly
| every hospital extensive preparations were
made for feast, musical entertainments, fire.
works, theatrical exhibitions, and, in most of
the hospitals, interesting devotional exercises
were had, thus afording something for the d.
vertisement Of ALL Of whatever turn of mind.
CAMPBELL HOSPITAL.
AT o'clock the inmates of this hospital
| (about 700 in number) were seated at a table
laden down with turkeys, vegetables, sauces,
preserves, jellies and a multitude OF other eat
ablea, to which they did ample justice. Speeches
| were delivered by A. f. Sheldon, surgeon in
| charge, Chaplain Gaylord and others. The
| patients are much indebted for their snmptu-
Gus feast to the kind Iiberality OF Mrs. John T.
! Heard of Boston, for contribution of $50;
| the guests of the National Hotel; from Mrs.
| Dun can, of Phia delphia, 295 pounds o. choice
poultry; Besides very valuable aid from Rep
resentatives Hooper and Kelly. The different
wards were gaily decorated, and especia lily the
| library and reading-room hall, where was
had, in the evening, social ball, In which pa
tients, officers and visitors mingled, and all
| enjoyed themselves to the fullest extent; the
excellent band Of the hospital adding largely 20
| the pleas ures OF the occasion. With this hos
pital is also connected an excellent dramatic
| company, which performs every Friday eve-
ming In the large hall fitted up for that pur-
pose.
FINLEY q. &. HOSPITAL,
At this hospital the patients were by no means
forgotten, for on Saturday evening they were
entertained with fine display Of fireworks,
after which the Dramatic Association and
Ethiopian imtators, composed OF the con va les
cents. each gave performance in their halls
the former giving Credtable 1mpersonations in
BOX ana Cox" aud the "Blundering Ser
want" and the latter giving " "MesmeTism," and
"The Black Mall" in spirited style, with
ballads, stump speeches, &c, that were in
tpresting and calculated to pass time away
pleasantly. On Sunday morning, the wards
were found in apple pie order, the Surgeon in
charge having offered premium for the three
wards found in the neatest and cleanest con-
dition Each ward was handsomely decorated
and beautiful and appropriate designs sus-
pended in the different wards one Of which
I'm ward g. was For General Thomas" and
was formed by entwiniDg together the branches
OF cedar, pine, &c, and presented q very
pretty appearance. On Sunday, at - O'Clock,
the patients (about 5O) sat down to tables bend.
ing beneath heavy weight Of turkeys, and
numerous other eatables and delicacies OF the
the season, which were disposed OF with
relish by ALL who were in the best Of spirits,
because of the varied entertainments gotten up
for the occasion.
MOUNT PLEASANT HOSPITAL.
On Sunday morning this hospital was
trimmed off in fine style, (through the exertions
of the patients and few volunteer atds-lady
friends OF the hospitaI) for the pleasant oc.
casion Of q Christmas dinner.
The dinner was well gotten mp. the tables
being literally covered with turkeys, vege-
ldDlcEs nluce pies, CThuDbTTY sauce ana many
other palatable dishes, besides an abundance
of apples and cider-the number seated being
about 500 patients.
Grace was said hy he Chaplain Of the hos.
pital, after which the patients event in" and
did their best, but could not consume all that
had been prepared for them.
They are under many obligations to Mrs.
Morse, who kindly furnished for the feast
whole barrel of cranberry sauce and other
delicacies, and has been much devoted to the
patients for long time, waiting on them with
a mothers care and furnishing them with many
little dainties not always at command in hos
pital.
STANTON HOSPITAL.
The arrangements here to feast the sick and
wounded were very extensive, the executive
steward (Mr. q. W. Jaaues) having been in
dustriousIy engaged for a week past in getting
up dinner which all the inmates of the hos
pltal could partake OF His efforts were emi-
neEtly successful, as the appreciation of the
men, expressed in various ways while at the
dinner table, clearly demonstrated. The dim
ner. consisting OF roast turkey, roast pcef,
siewed chicken, boiled ham, sweet potatoes,
Irish potatoes, turnips, kaIe, sIaW, celery, Gu
cumber pickles, cranberry sauce. bread, but
ter, coffee, tea apples, cakes, stswed fruit,
mince pies, apple pies &c, and "mug OF ale"
for each man to swash the substantiaIs down."
all provided from the hospital fund-was
spread IN the dining room of the hospital, upon
three tables extending the entire length Of the
hall The room was beautifully decorated with
eveTgreenE, American flags and shields being
displayed from prominent positions. In the
center Of the room, and midway of the center
table. stood q large christmas tree, tastefuiIy
trimmed, hiCh attracted the attention of all
present, and which many of the patients de-
clared reminded them OF Christmas times at
home. At O'Clock the bugle sounded, when
about H2D or 23O men filed in the side doors of
the dining Iocm, and ranged themsely yes around
the tables, and all Were ahundantly supplied.
Capt. ShiliingiaW, the military assistant and
commanding officer of the guard at Stanton,
determined that bis rnen should not be out.
done. had sumptDous dinner prepared under
the direction of his estimable wife, and served
TO the men by his faIr uanehters--Jel e. ME and
M az 2ie--ln one OF the rooms attached to his
quarters. This dinner was good AS any that
could be Obtained at any OF our city hotels, and
alter grace had been said by Orderly Sergeant
Cornell. the thirty eight men OF Capt.S 3 COM
paDy began an earnest attack on the good things
before them, with determination to enjoy the
opportunity afol ded. Capt. ShiliinglaW being
a SColchman, he had a pIentifui supply of the
fayoIlte "hot punch, W hich was freely served
to the men. i can be said to the credit OF Capt.
that although some ten or twelve OF his per-
sonal friends were attendance, none Of
them were invited To dine until his men had
eaten TO then hearts content, and lett the table.
This fact was noticed by the brave boys, and
upon leaving the table they drank a .'bunlper''
10 the captain, his wife, and daughters. AT the
present time there are only about $50 patients
In Stanton Hospital, although there are excel
lent 1, accommcn %, at,ons Tor 500 men. Dr. Benz
Wilson is the surgeon in charge, and he is
ably assisted by Acting Assistant Surgeons J.
B. Garland, ID: w. Prentiss, w. IL. Miller and
VIM. Bryan. The stewards are G.. w. Jaques
j. g. Boss. There is not a hospital in Wash
ington that can boast OF a better corps of Off.
GERS than Stanton.
DOUGLASS HOSPITAL.
This hospital, which Is located on the corner
OF j and 2d streets, in a row of large four story
brick buildings, Immediately opposite Stanton,
was by no means behind its neighbor with its
Christmas dinner, which was served at 2 o'cPk
in the Chapel" some two hundred and fifty
men setting down TO the tables, which fairly
groaned with such good things as poultry, po.
tatoes, onions, turnips, bread, butter, coffee,
pies, cakes, apples, ale, DC. The dinner was
purchased from money of the hospital fund,
and was prepared under the direction or the
Sisters OF Charity. There were some thirty
patients VINO were unable to attend the
table, but they were well provided for, and
served with sumptuous repast In their vari-
Gus wards.
The mess rooms OF this hospital, in which
the guards and attendants partoOk of their din
ner the sarne as that furnished TO the patients
in the Chapel was hung with the differeat
army corps badges, made Of evergreens and ar.
tificial 1oWers, the haDdiwOrk of Private A