The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-15
THE CH.aRLESToN oRPHAN ASYLUM.
from the Washington chronicle.l

We noticed some days ago the appeal OF the
Sisters Of Mercy, Of Charleston, South Caroli-
ma. for an appropriation wherewith to rebuild
their orphan asylum. destroyed by our guns in
the bombardment of tna5 city during tie war.
Their petition. as we then stateo, was sLonely
backed up By such men as Generals Sickles and
Gilmore, Admiral Dahlgren, and various other
officers. some of whom, as sick or wounded
prisoners. shared the unsolicited benehcence
of these sisters, who We're to them IN their
distress ver1table "mnistering angels" So
high ara the testimonials to their good deeds
deeds performed without respect to creed,
country, or relation to the unhappy st1lfe then
in procress-that their petition seems to us to
have q peculiar claim to favorable hearing.
Tn addition to the testimonials heretofore re-
ferred to. we present the following affidavit,
which tells it's own story:
SIate of Conn ne-t,cut, Couaty of Nelc RaUen, IS.
I hereby certify that I, F. R. Jackson, for
merIy O. sergeant in Company +, Seventh Con-
pecticut volunteer Infantry, lost my left arm
in battle on James Island, South Carolina,
June 16, 1862, and vas then and there taken
from the battlefield to Charleston, S. c., June
10 1852 and was there placed in building
known 40 Mart Hospital" on King or Queen
street. lam uncertain which,, in which were
confaed all OF The prisoners takeE IIue 16,
who were seriously wounded. Soon afrer our
arrival in Charleston, we were vlsited by Sister
Al. Xavier, accompanied by another Sister OF
Mercy. each bearing comforts for US, the
wounded Union prisonerSA Sister Aavle came
to the hospital prison daily, acco onpauied each
time by another sister, and each day went
to to- ali of cur number and gave fruit,
corn bread, cake. meat: Cruel, arrow
root, and sometimes chickens and chick
en- broth. She brought me daily either
o bottle Of wine or OF brandy-senerally bot
tie of old Malaga wine. There were eight
wounded men confined IN our coll, only one OF
whom, Captain Lawler, was Roman Catho-
lie. al received the same attentions at the
hands of Sister NJ. Xavier and companion.
The majority OF our number we're OF the Fro
testant faith; but there Was no distinction
made between us on account Of religion or
naiaonatsty. Tho sisters were, day and night,
unremitting in their attentions TO US. They
provided for all of our wants, and mado our
prison life in Charleston perfect heaven on
earth, compared 10 what VIC experienced after
leaving that place. Sister Xavier often brought
interesting books OF oil kinds. Lint, ,medi-
cines and money: we're furnished py her TO
tho 20 in need, and nearly oil, il not al, were
daily supplied with wine, cordial, brandy or
some stimulating liquor. This kind treatment
continued without intcrmisSlon during the
two months we we're prisoners IN Charleston.
l have not the command OF language where
with 10 sufficiently attest tho great beneyo-
lence and kindness of the Sisters OF Mercy
who we're in Charleston, South Carolina, in
1862, mlnis.ering to tie every want OF our
wounded Union prisoners, nearly allof whom,
myself included, were Protestants.
F. r. JACKSON,
formerly Sergeant Co. F, tn Conn. Vols.
State Of Connecticut. County Of NeO Haven, IS:
On this sixth day of February, 1869, person
ally appeared F. R. Jackson, and signed and
made oath to the foregoing statement before
me. CHARLES Z. BUSH,
Notary Public.