Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1864-09-15
Communications.
Correspondence Of the Charles City lntelligencer
The Christian Commission.
HOSPITAL No. ], NASHVILLE, Tenn,
August 25, 1864.

August 25, 1864. {
Mr. EDITOR Knowing that your
readers are all deeply interested in
all that pertains to the welfare of our
dear soldiers, and many of them in
those things which concern Christ's
Kingdom, and thinking they might
be pleased to know something Of this
branch of the work, | will employ
few minutes this pleasant morning in
writing of these things. 1er.
l arrived at this place, whittier !
came at call from Mrs. Annie Whit
tenmyer Of our State, on the 18th Of
July, and was at once assigned to du-
ty. The day following, Miss Shelton,
of Burlington, Iowa, and myself es-
tablished Especial diet kitchen at
Branch lst, of the U. S. General Hos
pital No. /, in this place. These kitch-
ems are carried on at the expense of
the Christian Commission. They are
under the charge of ladies whose duty
it is to see that the food is properly
prepared and Of a suitable quality for
the sick languishing ones. We have
plenty of help--willing, able men--
detailed for that purpose. Our sup
plies, as far as possible, are drawn
from the commissary otherwise, are
furnished by the Commission and
thus many delicacy reaches the
"boys" which could not in any other
way. =...... ... a..
We prepare everything which appe-
titc could crave or fancy suggest.
And | think that, in reality, the pa
tients receive better care and better
food than they would at home, or ma
ny of them at least. All that the at
tention Of skillful surgeons and faith
full nurses can do for their comfort
and recovery, is cheerfully rendered.
All things are neat and orderly.
Branch lst occupies former female
college building, and Branch I'd q
large brick structure once used as a
rebel gun-factory. The rooms are
large, high, cool and we'll ventilated.
and the long rows of snowy cots are
very comfortable.
Many have said and still say, that
q hospital is no fit place for a lady. l
am more and more convinced each
day | remain here, that it IS Just the
place for refined, earnest, good, chris
tian women, whose desire is to do good.
All /! tits grateful work. ! am more
interested and pleased with it each
day, and this is the experience with
all concerned in it. Our time is near
ly all occupied in the kitchens, but
we usually visit the Wards and en-
deavor by kind words and cheerful
smiles TO render more endurable the
monotony of hospital life. We dis
tribute papers, tracts and books
read them to the patients. aud write
for those who are unable to use pei
and surely our reward is grea
when we listen to the faint but fer
vent, God bless you, Christian Com
mission ladies. 1t does me SO much
good to have you talk with me-" and
when We note the eager. soft atten
tion with which they listen. as we tell
them of Jesus and of Eternal life
through Him. Nothing could tempt
me to give up my work, unless felt
sure duty called in some other direc
tion more strongly than it points IL
this.
Mrs. Whittenmyer, formerly Santa
ry Agent for Iowa, has charge of this
branch, and most admirably is shs
adapted to the work. Quiet. gen
tic and digniied, an earnest christian
and di!igent worker. she is just the
person for the place she now fills
Many soldiers say "When is Mrs
lW. coming back 1? She is the bes