The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-04-17


nant, at first, at their work being taten
out of their hands. "What are the 90.
thetics Of q hospital, we would lila n
kuow," they cried but they soon discov.
cred how much they might do to softan
aud cheer the soldiers Journey and ,hon
became quite pacilied when thew found
tnat they were to be g! lowed to'accompa.
ny the older ladies in their daily visits to
the Wayside. ''''' W
The plan of operations was very sim.
pie. Ine same clergyman who had frat
observed the need of resting place
Wouio meet the train as it came in from
Virginia, and direct the soldiers TO the
mayside, Home, transportation being
furnished at first by private means and
afterwards, as the demand became great.
er, by the central committee for the
soldiers relief. ~
| HEARTRENDING SCENES.
| Sometimes the scenes on Blandi,,,
street, through which the wagons passed
10 convey the passengers to the Wayside
would be heartrending. Alter battle
one would see forest of crutchcs Dro.
truding from one wagon ana party of
pandaged men in another; then the am :.
Dulances woul' pass, bearing those too
Ill to endure the drive in the wagon and
more mournful still, the carts carving
the rough boxes which contain.
ed the bodies Of the slain. The writer
can never forget once meeting the clergy.
man who had been receiving the incom.
ing guests of the Wayside, and saying to
him: IL have just seen a narrowing
spectacle-two boxes in a cart, one unon
the other; nor the look in his face as he
replied: IL have just left the father of
the two young men whose bodies ere in
those boxes. The body of bis third boy
could not be found at all. He is taking
these home TO their mother
At the Waysde the soldiers would be
met by committee of ladies with proper
assistants, and after they had been re.
freshed by a bath, and often had a
change OF clothing and their wounds
dressed, they would be furnished with
comfortable supper, a nights lodging
and breakfast the next morning. Here
the work of the girls came in. They
were allowed TO lay the table, prepare
the coffee and serve the soldiers at their
meals: Sometimes they would be per-
mitted to 60 with one of the older ladies
and carry meal to the cot of an i'll
man. The outgoing trains from Column
bia then left at very early hour in the
morning, but never through the whole
existence of the Wayside Hospital did
these women and girls fail to be at their
post; through winters cold and rain, or
summers heat and dust, there were they
fnu:id, ready to welcome the wayworn
soldier and cheer him on his way. There
was scarcely one Of these women who
was not actively engaged during the
other hours CT the day in some other
hospital of the town or in some work for
the aid of the army. In order to give
the actual facts of the work of the Way.
side Hospital, we present All account
furnished by one OF the officers Of the
executive committee.
RECORD OF THE WORK.
The Wayside Hospital at Columbia, S.
c.. was established March 10th, 1862,
and continued until February 10th, 1865.
The executive committee consisted of
five ladies. Visiting committees were
appointed each day. These were assisted
by gentlemen, and when necessary by
physicians. This House was begun in q
single room, but additions were speedily
made and before the close of the second
side. piazzas and bathing room, water as
building. Over one hundred soldiers
were often accommodated with cots aud
three hundred with their meals per day,
chiefly supper and break fast, as they
were usually furloughe2 sick and wound.
ed soldiers passing to their homes. The
second year it was thought expedient TO
4, E,,r nd
hospital steward, which request was
gran,edaa matron being engaged by the
ladies. The Home was entirely suppor..
parts of the State, but the ladies were
allowed to purchase stores from the COM
missaries ut Government rates. Soldiers
detained by sickness and want of connec,
ton in the trains had religious services
denominations. The number of soldiers
entertained in this Home during its . ex.
istence of nearly three years ~as about
seventy-6ve thousand. after tho 18th
OF February, 1865, when the Homo could
no longer be used large numbers of SOL
aisfs received food aud accommodations
when they were passing through Colum.
bia, from the Wayside Home committee.
Funds belonging to the Wayside Home
were sent to the upper districts as long
as they were available during the Spring
of 1865, benefiting in that way many
soldiers returning to their homes"
PATHETIC AND HUMOROUS INCIDENTS.
Like al! other hospitals she Wsysiie
had its varied Incidents, pathetic and
humorous. Ono morning as the pen
al ns,k krn
yells, shrieks and howls were heard.
Everybody rushed to see what caused the
disturbance. "Oh |" said one Of the sol
diers, sits jist Jim Bumgarner, and he's
jest been q cuttin' up that way ever since
we left Virginia." and there, on
"stretcher," was man being put into
"no wonder he yells at being put through
the car door, cut to pieces as he is."
But in moment there was bright,
though pale, thin face OF the car window,
and merry voice crying out: "Hurrah
for the Columbia ladies Hurrah for JEFF
Davis! Goodbye, lsdies!" and off went
Jim Bumgarncr TO his homo In North
Carolina.
One morning there was q man SO i'll
that it was thought it would be risk for
hin to attempt to t-avel, and the surgeon
told the ladies they had better persuade
him to stay day or two longer. So in
went the ladies to his cot to advise him
to remain, but it was of no use. The
moor fellow had been shot in the mouth,
40 his replies were of the must laconic.
Dear, motherly Mrs. B. would persua.
sively say: "Ob. you are much too weak
to travel; stay, and let us nurse you
day or two" "I'm gwinel" responded