The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-04-10
uINISTERING ANGELS.
The Touching "reminiscences of a
Devoted Army Nurse.


by 5frs Harriet Dada Ensens, IT. d. Syracuse, NJ "
X.
On May g. 1865 Miss Hall and I received our
beautiful corps badge. 1t consisted OF gold
cross surmounted with a crown, studded with
pearls, and pendent from the cross was star
of gold, on one side of which was inscribed:
"Inasmuch as We have done it unto one of the
least of these, my brethren, We have done 1t
unto me-" On the other side: Presented to
Hattie A. Dada by the medical officers OF the
18th army corps"
On the 10th we visited the famous battlefield
of Lookout Mountain, where General Hooker
and his brave army fought above the clouds.
We saw Picket Rock and the large spring un-
derneath, where our troops obtained water the
night after the battle, and also the rocky
ledge, from which triumphantly hoated the
stars and stripes the next morning. As fast as
the boys were able they LETT the hospital for
their regiments, as the war was over, and many
were being mustered out of the service.
About this time there were some quite sud-
den deaths in section of the hospital, the
result of medicine given by young doctor.
Some, who refused to take his medicine got
well
Miss Hall and / commenced packing our
trunks, so as to be ready to go home at the
first opportunity. On the morning of the 9th
of May we concluded We would take the tram
that afternoon / visited al my wards and
found few very sick Miss Hall was not able
to visit her wards. The four years of constant
work and anxiety in caring for the sick and
wounded had told on her health, and she has
never fully recovered from it. 1t was mental
strain and nervous tax which but few could
endure. gave out dinner that day as usual.
Bidding them good-by, we took the train for
Nashville, but owing to delays'did not get there
till the next day in the afternoon. 1t was our
expectation, on leaving Chattanooga, to spend
few days with friends in Shelbyville, ILL.,,
and, after attending the great fair of the Sani-
tary Commission, which was to be held in
Chicago in june, to go to our homes in New
York State. But ON our return from Chicago
to Shelbyville we found letters saying that all
the ladies but one had left the hospital at Chat
tanooga, and there was no one to visit the
wards whcreupon j sent word to telegraph Inc
if they wished me to return, and receiving tel
egram June 23d, started that evening for the
hospital Miss Hall did not accompany me,
but went on East, and placed herself under
medical care. She had been absent from home
four years.
WELCOME BACK.
On my return | was most cordially received,
and never regretted that went back, for not
day passed but some one would say: How
good it is to have a lady here" During my
absence large number of the patients that
knew had left the hospital and some had died.
Others, however, were still very sick, and so l
was kept busy.
Charles Emerson, of the 9th Ohio, died on
the 18th of July. / well remember, the first
day he was brought to the hospital, how glad
be was to see me- On the same day died
| Robert Redmond, of the 23d Michigan. He
had been there a long time and was patient
sufferer. The 18th, 2lst, oath and 2oth of July
there were five deaths each day in my wards
July 22d Mr.. Messenger died. His greatest
/ - =.
had written TO her to come on while still had
| hopes of his recovery. He was Christian and
died happily in the Lord At my request the
| body was not sent TO the cemetery that day,
and at night his wife arrived. An acquaint-
| ance persuaded her to remain at the hotel
while he went up to the hospital. There he
| learned the sad news but kept it from her
until the following morning. She was crushed
| by the news, and weHt with her TO the dead
house, where her husbands remains were lying.
| He was greatly enaciated and she could hardly
recognize him. That afternoon | took an am
buiance and accompanied her to the burial.
/ There was no chaplain in attendance-no one
| present, indeed, except the wardrnaster, the
| mother of q sick boy, Mrs Mehan, and the
! steward from Lookout Mountain. The remains
| of two other patients we're inferred at the same
| time, and a company of colored troops fired
/ three volieys over the graves. Poor, Borrowing
woman, / wondered how she could endure it
SO strange funeral it must have seemed to
| her.
That evening quite a number of soldiers
were mustered ont of service whose names
| had TAKEN and in the morning put up lunch
| cons for them and they started for home.
The last of July and first of August quite a
large number of new patients were brought in,
but as soon as they were able to leave they
were mustered out.
| On the forenoon of August 9th George Hall
| of Minnesota, think, died. About an hour
| before he aroused from his deathlike slumber
and sang with the chaplain, in clear voice
| "TheTe'll be no more sorrow there" He then
| said: /" i wish to sing verse that mother used
to have me sing and that uncle sang before he
died" He asked the chaplain TO sing it with
him. 1t was the well-known hymn: "a light
in the window for thee, brother" He next
asked the chaplain-Mr. Stivers-to pray with
him, and repeating after him few words soon
sank into sleep from which there was to BIZ
no awakening in this world. Early in ths
morning of the day he died he sent for me and
said his father who had been with him fol
several days, had told him that he was dying
He wanted to thank me for all my kindnes:
and bid me good-by.
On the evening Of August 10th eighty-siz
patients left on hospital train, and thirty-eigh
new ones came. The hospital could not yet b,
closed. The weather was very warm, and tn,
water poor and scarce. If there had been M
more rain the year before, our sick and wounded
| soldiers would have suffered much more thar
they did.
| Fielding Gait died on TIE 4th of September
He had been sick most of the time after m,
return, and before his wife came on five or si1
days before he died) he would say TO me, g
want you TO speak to me every time you COM
into the ward" He was buried the next day
/ notified Chaplain Van Horn, and he was a
the grave and made few remarks and prayed
For several weeks in August and Septembe
one building was filed with colored soldiers
whom / visited daily. One colored man sal,
TO me day or two before he died. 81 shall ge
home first" and he surely did.
SAD CASE.
From tho middle of August till the LIST O
September there were no deaths in the hospital
On the 14th of September, Richard Swift, of tia
44th Indiana, died. The best of care could no
save him. / recall one very sad case Amon
those who died in my ward was young Ger
man by the name of Gustavus Knoblaueh
He had been accidentally wounded just befor
| his regiment left for home. / learned that hi
folks lived in st. Louis, No. So | wrote hi
mother, informing her of his death, and stain
that l had cut a lock of his hair, which | woul
| send her In case she SO desired. Some tim
afterwards received two letters from his sis
ter, from which make the following quota
| tons:
How express the gratitude which we a
| feel towards you. who, though perfect stranger
| showed so much kindness 10 dying soldier? Alas
1 the fler for, wi Ont fhnfp loci