River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-01-18


supper. and then we must 90 to General
Hurlburts headquarters right away
| I'll see whether these darkies are going
into confraband camp or not. I'll have
| to teach the Doctor lesson or two
The poor blacks stood about with
| doleful faces, and their hands III their
pockets, saying:
COS we gwine to go way from dis
hospital?"
"Notuntil ellyouso was the prompt
reply Of a woman whom they all loved
and worked for faithfully.
Through the dashing rain, over all the
obstacles in the conquered but rebellious
city Of Memphis, darkness everywhere
halted at every half dozen steps by the
closely set guards, Mother Bicker-
dyke made her way to the
| headquarters of the post-com-
mander. He was in bed. Her import
innate request prevailed and she was
conducted to his presence. She told her
story in her own quaint way, ana asked
! for written authority to keep her de-
| tailed cOntrabands until he, the general,
should revoke the order. 1t was grant
ed. Back through the rain plashde
Mother Buckerdyke triumphant.
TIs next morning the doctor made his
appearance early at the Gayoso hospital.
The negroes were at work as usual in
the kitchen, laundry, in the ward. and
wherever the little woman had appoint
ed them TO 90. She was making soup in
the kitchen, seasoning it, and tasting and
stirring, so busy that she had hardly
time to look up.
"Say, did You receive the order I left
for YOU last night?" he asked stormily.
''Yes, sir, did," she replied, slipping
and blowing and tasting the soup mean
while, intent on having it made just
right.
IAN order it W have these niggers
sent to their camp, l mean,' he said
Exactly so, sir" she said, adding a
little more pepper to the soup. u
81 expected the order wo Id be
obeyed," he shouted, angry with herim-
perturable GOODNESS.
Il suppose so, sir" she replied, put
ting bit of light kindlings under the
kettle to hurry up the delicious mess.
"Why has it not been done ," he
Numbered. reddeniug with anger.
"Well, cause General Hurlburt has
given me an order TO keep em here as
long as | used them" And here the
little woman paused to add a generous
slice of butter to the kettle of soup, stir
ring and stopping to taste it before she
finished the sentence. And, Mister,
the General happens to outrank you
hee. hee, hee! / must obey him before
do YOU and-sav, YOU Jefferson, you
Andy bring the dipper and the plates,
and we'll get some of them poor, hun
cry souls at this soup before you could
say Jack Robinson. Please get out of
the way of the black boys, mister, or
you might get your coat-t tails splashed
with the soup-he, hew
That was a real woman's way of put
ting the matter in as ludicrouS a light as
possible The doctor raved; he swore;
he vowed he'd have her out of Memphis
in no time.
81 shan't go, mister" was the cool re-
joinder. "Pm like the boys. I've listed
for the war. You need me here. You
can't get along without me-Or that's the
wav mean it. No use for YOU to try
to tie me up with yer red taper. There's
lots of hard work to be done down here,
and my hearts in it, and I'll stick to it
as long as Grant and Sherman do.
Don't get mad. Doctor; lay down your
pill-bags and stay to dinner, and eat
long with my poor boys. No sense in
gittin' mad Just cause | won't play sec
ond fiddle. Mind, whenever anybody
gets into fuss with me one of us has to
90 to the wall-an', mister, that one amt
never me-"
In the end the doctor and the brave
little woman became the best Of friends.
At one time it was difficult to supply the
hospital with milk and eggs. Milk was
fifty cents quart, and very poor at that.
Mother Bickerdyke objected and after
good deal of parleylng, In which they
hOOted at her plans and knew the whole
north would laugh at her nonsense, they
granted her thirty days furlough and
transportation to carry out her proposed
object. They had faith in the little wo-
man. She went up to Chicago; the COM
mission issued circulars stating her err
rand and asking assistance from the
farmers; the press took up the Call-and
soon came generous responses. In less
than thirty days here came old Mother
Bickerdyke, forming a part of a process
sion of nearly one hundred COWS and one
thousand hens, strung all al ng the road
from Chicago to Memphis. She entered
the city in triumph amid immense bawl
ing and cackling, and Growing
and lowing. She informed the
Memphis people that these were not
Secesh COWS, whose milk was half water,
nor were the hens the kind that gave
stale eggs. The soldiers clapped their
hands and tossed their caps, the ladies
darkies grinned joyfully over the funny
sight of the little woman at the head of
such drol brigade.
General Washburn gave to the noisy
newcomers Presidents Island, lying OPP
posIte Memphis, stretch of land so ell
evated that it was above the highest
stage of water Then, under her direc-
ions, cOntrabands took charge of the
cows and chickens, and Shere was an
abundance of cream and milk and good,
fresh eggs as long as there was hospi-
tai in Memphis.
The last day of the year 63 was one
of memorable GOODNESS, as was the first
day of 81 1t was very severe weather
where mother Bickerdyke was located
for the bitter winds swept down Look
ont Mountain and howled through the
valleys of Mission Ridge, and made a flu
rious hurricane that overturned the hos
pital tents in which lay the most badly
wounded men. 1t hurled them out into
the pouring rain that became glaring ice
as it touched the earth. Night set in
with the most intense GOODNESS, for which
they were wholly unprepared. There
were fifteen hundred in hospital tents
all wounded men-all bad cases. Par
tally recovered. men were thrown out
by the storm, breaking their limbs anew.
The rain poured down so necessarily
that the torrents from the mountains
made flood around them and actually
swept out into the swoolen creeks sew
eral of the feeblest patients, who were
in single tents and the poor fellows were
drowned. OH the dreadful night that
set in amid the roar of the winds and
the rush of the mad waters. The feeble
cries went out on the lashing gale from
suffering men who were drenched to the
skin and become frozen to death.
The surgeon in charge paralyzed with
the great problem which was beyond
his comprehension, in an agony of mind
crept off into his quarters and wrapped
himself in his blankets. Not so the
guardian angel-the little old woman
with the brown wooden shawl pinned
closely about her shoulders-she who
had no social position" There was no
waiting for red tape proceeding that
night Ali through that memorable
night she worked like one posse .sed
with superhuman power. Great fires
were made close to the tents until they
were surrounded with immense piles of
hblazing, and cracking logs. At mid
night the fuel gave out. Could they