The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-27
uINISTERING ANGELS.
The Touching "reminiscences of a
Devoted Army Nurse.
by Mrs. Harriet Dada E,ssns. NJ D.. Syracuse. N II
VIII.

by Mrs. Harriet Dada Ensns n. D., Syracuse, N. II
VIII.
During the summer of 1864, while at Chat
tanooga, Tenn, soldier by the name of Redd,
from Vinton county, Ohio, severely wounded
below the knee, was brought to our hospital
from the front. From the first feared that he,
too, would soon he numbered with those who had
sealed their patriotism with their blood; but the
surgeons thought otherwise, and the wounded
man himself was hopeful. Day after day passed,
but there was Improvement. One morning,
as | entered the ward, saw that his hours were
numbered, and that soon thesilver cord would
be loosed." had often talked with him about his
wife and children, and had learned, too, that he
was Christian, but could not, thought, tell
Tim how near he was to the Christians home.
So. meeting the chaplain of the hospital-a good
man, l told him my patient could not livejong,
and asked him to inform him of his situation.
The chaplain soon returned and said: have
done as YOU wished and the man is ready TO
go, trusting in Christ" / went to his bedside.
His mind was so weak that he did not seem to
realize he was near his end. lie simply said
he was comfortable and felt no pain. That
forenoon he received letter from his family.
l immediately offered to write answer for
him. wishing TO take down his last words for
those who were dear TO him. 1t was with
great effort that he summoned strength for the
task. He said:
DEAR WIFE AID DAUGHTER have just
ceived your kind and welcome letter dated the
18th. ! have opportunity to get Christian
lady 10 write to yon, and | embrace il AT once.
would say again, have good nurses good atten-
ton and doctors who think understand my
case; yet VIII not attempt 10 express the idea
that ana entirely out of danger. A soldier, when
wounded, Is not free from danger The only real
safety is III the religion of the Bible, which has
thus far sustained me-
Let me sleep a little now" said he. After
while he resumed:
Jennie, / want you 10 be good. kind and
obedient TO your mother. Oh, remember this!
ask You not 10 owe special obedience 10 this min
! lister that minister but 10 your mother and TO
your God who has said, = will never leave thee
nor forsa;e thee" Dear wife, my motive was good
in coming out. ! trust God will not hold me ac-
countabe for any improper motive on, put your
trnst in Godi He viii never leave nor forsake you.
Thank God for that precious promise. He is yeri-
| flying it to me now. will never leave thee nor
foTSake thee. trust he will verify il to you also.
He would frequently fall asleep, and it was
| with difficulty that | aroused him to send some
word to his little boy. He directed me to
! write:
Dear Dockey, be good. kind. obedient, relig-
| ious boy.
| Again he closed his eyes, and left him for
| few moments, but on returning | found his
spirit had returned to God who gave it.
Charles Emerson, OF the 9th Ohio, died on
the 18th of July The first day he was brought
to the hospital ne said he was so glad to see me-
/ to think | had come to take care of poor SOL
diers On the same day died Robert Redmond,
Of the 23d Michigan. He had been there
/ long time, and was a patient sufferer. On the
10Th, 21st, oath and 18th of July, there were
/ five deaths each day III my wards. Some days
there were three deaths in the gangrene ward,
and on one day there were six.
On the 10Th of July, Sergeant VIM. Fl. Yates
died-as brave soldier as Kentucky ever fur
nished to the cause. He was wounded by
| shell, which broke his thigh. All was done
| that could be to save his life. VIM. C.. Harris
of the 9th Ohio, died on the same day He was
/ in the hospital when / first went there He
| had been wounded in the left arm, aud several
| inches of the bone had been removed. Cheer
| fully he bore il all, and pictured to himself a
bright and happy future. We thought he
would soon be able to bear the journey home.
but he began to fail, gangrene set in and all
efforts TO save him were unayailing. He had
no fears of death. for he believed in the Lord
| Jesus Christ. He only wished 10 live for his
mother, as one brother had been murdered by
the guerrillas while on his way home from the
army. Those who took care Of w. C. Harris
viii long remember him.
CHEERING THE DEsPoNDENT.
| Among those who were brought in was g
man from an Ohio regiment, who was danger
ously wounded in his arm. When he was
about TO be transferred TO Nashville he had
severe hemorrhage, and it was decided to
| putate the arm. few days later gangrene
made its appearance. One evening, as the
wound.was being dressed, he looked up to me
and said: There is no use in trying can't
endure it," Wishing to arouse him and to ex-
| cite greater courage / said: :" You, a man with
a family aud talking that way!" Saying no
more, / left him. In the morning he greeted
/ me with hearty thanks for the reprOof. Never
again was he known to give up, and in few
| weeks he was on his way home. II a patient
gave up all hope he was almost sure to die;
| therefore. it was necessary to inspire courage.
On the 2lst of July occurred the death of
William Dougherty, of the 109th Pennsylvania,
who had lost both legs above the knee. He
was a great sufferer, but died trusting in
Christ. On the same night George +. Bough-
man. of the l47th Pennsylvania, died. He had
but slight wound in his right foot, but
through the ignorance of that unhygienic sur
geOn TO whom / referred in my last article,
gangrene made such Roadway that amputation
was necessary, and death soon followed. The
next 10 go were Hiram Rogers suffering from
wound in the thigh, who wasted away to
mere skeleton; Thorn Case, of the 2lst Ohio
and Benjamin F. Bennett, of the 10th Illinois.
The latter was in the hospital when | first
went there. He had been wounded in the
thigh He seemed TO be doing well till this
remarkable old surgeon removed the splnts
after which he failed rapidly. Robert Huchin-
son, of the 21st Ohio. was the next TO go. An
other OF our patients was Charles s. Scott, fife
major of the 9th Indiana. He had gone up
10 the rife-pits to see how the boys were get
ting along. and had been there hit with a ball
He was brought 10 our hospital with his leg
amputated. For some time we thought he
would recover, but he was taken with chills,
and soon after died.
MORE WOUNDED.
On the 2Sth of this month-July, 1861
quite number Of wounded men were brought
To our hospital from the scenes Of the late bat
ties. Among them were several from the Pod
Wisconsin, which regiment had been stationed
at Murfreesboro' the winter before, and some
OF them ! knew. Sumner Nelson, of that regi-
ment. was brought in with leg amputatcd.
also found Corporal William Bright, now of
Utica, n. Y, whom thought was dead az
we had heard he had been wounded and left
on the field. His right arm was gone and he
was severely wounded through his side. I had
him taken tony ward. The doctors thought
there was but little chance for his recovery,
but in a few weeks he was able to leave the
hospital and go homo.
There were not many deaths in July
and August; still, some died every day In
August two wards were used for gaugrene pa
tients. Captain Mercer, of the Ii7th Pennsyl-
vania, was very low. and the'surgeons thought
he conld not recover; but in September we
saw him able to leave the hospital, and few