Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-06-30
For the Journal and siate.uau.

columns, to deny the authorship attributed
TO me, of certain article which appeared
IN the Republican Of last week, in reference
to Tilton Hospital. l wonder so many have
given me the credit of it, as it was altogether
too vague and cowardly to have enanated
from my pen. My style is little more to
the point, and as have been drawn out,
~ speak as / know, and not as | have heard.
While grant, Mr.. Editor, that ladies occa-
slonally do become nuisances In some of the
Hospitals, l also assert they have been q
necessity in our own; and were it not for the
few who have visited it this past Winter,
and rendered their invaluable services to
its inmates our Cemetery would number
few more fathers, sons and brothers in its
keeping. While l would ask the gentle
manly Surgeon in Charge, how much it has
cost the Government to furnish lis sick and
dying men with Corn Starch, Farine, and
other nourishing food, together with other
delicacies, such as Oranges, which the
typhoid fever patients subsisted almost
wholly upon, l will state, that not TO my
kloRledge has there been one OF these
articles furnished by the Hospital. They
have all been regularly made and sent there
by the ladies of Wilmington, through four
who visited it, each having her own day.
did tear there had been Corn Starch made
there once, but the lady who saw it, had to
ask the cooks what il was / have also
seen two hard boiled eggs placed by the
bsd-sides of dying men, for their wholesome
suppeis, with greasy, dirty pint cup full Of
tea, (so called,) and the usual ration OF
bread, which only thing was good. One
man one night refused to touch it, and
quietly came home and made him dish Of
toast and tea, which he ate with relish.
admit that he was hard case, but he had
been in the service of my country, and that
was enough for me. He was so hardened
by his treatment there, as to tell me when
asked il he knew he was going to die, "Yes,
and dolt care whether l 60 to Heaven or
He'll" He had every meal taken to him by
lady residing near after that, until he
died, which was in about a fortnight. He
became so softened by this kindness and
attention, together with the miniltrations Of
the Chaplain, Dr. Mcleod, (who is indeed
the soldiers true frieud,) that he died q
Christian.
Again, have seen men recovering from
fever, waken up in the morning, turn around,
look at their breakfast of dry bread and
milk, and turn over in sadness to try aud
sleep again, and forget there wac a breakfast
hour. have myself brought over the bread
and milk of eleven men in one morning TO
make milk toast for them, and take back
with it q pot Of good tea. When / would
take it back again, they would eat it with
such relish, and express so much gratitude,
l often turned from them to keep my heart
and eyes from overHowing. Another instance
was the case Of a man, whose condition was
considered hopeless. / went up 10 him and
asked him one morning if should wash his
face for him. Scarcely audible was his
short auswer, "Yes." When had finished,
be looked up at me, and with the same feeble
voice said, ~ feel a whole week better, it Is
the first time my face has been washed since
/ came into this Hospital, two weeks ago"
A week later, this same man told me be
passed such restless nights. / asked him il
his nurse ever rubbed his limbs or washed
been washed since | went into the battle
feld.' He is now able to do these things
himself will here say, in the other wards
the nurses were more particular, in some
cases washing their patients twice day
Nor do l mention this to bring censure
upon the Physician in charge OF this ward
as he was the most skillfHl and successful
one in the Hospital. He had every con-
fdence in his nurses discharging their duties;
but / mention these things to prove how
Indispensable q capable matron is in every
like institution, and If the Surgeon ia charge
thinks proper to economise and dispense
with her services, he should also sec tina
these small but important matters, are at
tended to, by those upon whom he impose
her duties, and then the ladies would no
trouble him.
And now, Mr. Editor, as to the caus,
of my sudden dismissal from the Hospital
l can only give you the answer of tn,
] s.a,afla Ia -
Tatnall, when he demanded Of him an expla
nation of his treatment towards his wife
II was this, "keep your d-d wife out O
, the Hospital, she has melted the men I,
insurrection." Now l wish to inform hi
,, lordship, have no consciousness of belnl
damned, and never expect to be, though
may be taken by surprise as others eoubtlss
will be- who are not expecting it. In regar
= to the charge Of melting the men to insul
rection, can only refer you to the manu-
, script sent me this afternoon, which sha'
( ever cherish as one of the most Hatterin
tributes OF gratitude and respect, from thos,
who, sincerely hope, may soon be release
. from Tilton Hospital and Heaven forbi
c that any more poor fellows should have III
t misfortune to be sent here. Where are q
d the friends of our soldiers Let them Sc
8 no more are sent here, and furthermor
e ascertain if some ghostly appartlons {
g Texas are not contributing to the keepin
! up of this institution. Well may the Surgeo
!, in Charge boast Of "the most economics
Hospital" think TIE Government woul
= hang its head, if it could only look in upo
: : us, and see how our largest Hospital fun
e in the country" is raiseG. Can no one inforl
4 them How wish wae man.
CAROLINE G. rATNALL
June 27, 1865