The National tribune., 1884-02-28
NINISTERING ANGELS.
The Touching "reminiscences of a
Devoted Army Nurse.
lBy Mrs. nnprts, Dada Ep.e,,. NJ D.. Syracuse. " p

IBy Mrs. Harriet Dada Emens II. D.. Syracuse " "
".
In November, 1852, Miss Hall, who for several
weeks had been taking care of the wounded at
Antietam, came to Washington for hospital
stores, and as my experience at Armory Square
hospital made me anxious to get away from
so much red tape" and go where the real
comfort of the sick and the wounded was the
chief concern of those in charge of them, it
was decided that / should return with Miss
Hall as far as Harper's Ferry We reached there
the 6th of November, and | learned that a new
18th army corps hospital was to be opened that
evening. Miss Duncan had preceded me. The
building to be occupied was on the bank of the
Shenandoah River. 1t was large five-stOry
structure, and had formerly been a factory.
The fourth story was the first To be filed with
the sick. There were iron cots straw beds
and good new blankets but pillows, sheets and
even stoves we did not have for some davs
because they could not be obtained We were
obliged to heat bricks and carry them UP to
those who could not otherwise keep warm.
Some of the patients were so covered with
vermin that their clothes had to be destroyed.
Many of the regiments had had no opportunity
TO draw clothing since date prior to Popes
retreat and with disease aud vermin preying
upon them all those long months, many were
quite reduced to skeletons. The surgeon or
dered the heads of several to be shaven and
made WOODEN caps for them. One looked so
poor and haggard that / thought he must be an
old man, but | found him to be a boy only
eighteen years of age. He was so emaeiated
that his cheek bones had pierced the skin, and
his voice sounded sepulehral He lived but a
week. In many cases could tell how long they
had been sick by the color of their hands and
faces. On entering the ward with basin OF
water and towel many hands would beckon
me to come to them calling out: Lady, come
here" or, Come here / want a womaa to
take care of me when I'm sick" Every morn
ing / found vacant beds. The occupants had
passed beyond the care of any one.
DR.. Goodman was in charge Of the hospital,
and he saw IN short time that every
comfort and convenience the Government
could furnish was provided. l have often
thought that if the other surgeons in charge OF
hospitals had had the interest of those under
their care as much at heart as did DR. Good
man, there would have been far less need oi
Sanitary and Christian Commissions It wa:
evident that the Government did furnish lib
orally when proper acquisitions were made. In
many cases, unfortunately, too little interest
was taken by those in charge of the hospitals
About the 18th of November Miss Hall re-
turned from Antietam and was assigned tc
duty in the ward with me, aud IN December
Misses Bell, Dysart and Tuttle joined US for at
that time every floor was flied with very sick
patients. And so months passed. each day beine
flied with cares and anxieties from early in
the morning till late at night.
SENT To THE FRONT AGAIN.
After the battle near Acquia Greek, Dr. Good
man, who had been ordered 10 the front, tele.
graphed for Mrs Duncan, Miss Hall, and my
self to come on Immediately. Owing, however
to unaceountable and red-t tape delays III getting
passes in Washington, IL was not till the 22d oi
May that we reached the 18th army corps hos
pital, in which we found many severely wound
ed. was assigned TO duty in the ID division
In one tent l found Ed. Bullen, Of the 2d Mas
sachusetts, who just one year before had been
faithful nurse in the hospital at Winchester
seriously wounded through the left lung, ana
very weak. He was among those who. in the
cold and rain, had lain on the battlefield
for twelve days. 1t seemed impossible for hin
to recover; but after the war closed wrote Il
his wife for information concerning him, anC
received an answer in his own handwriting
informing me Of his recovery. He was theT
working at his trade.
One Sunday morning, about the middle o
June, orders were received at our hospital q
move all the wounded on transports TO Wash
ington, as the army had moved and was follow
ing Lee into Pennsylvania. | waited IN Wash
ington till heard of the battle of Gettysburg
and then started for the field reaching the
town, which found in great confusion, on thl
evening of July 9th. Itwas with difficulty tia
/ found place in which to spend the night
Early in the morning / inquired at the court
house hospital OF the 1st army corps for news o
the 147th New Y York, which regiment was IN tbi
first days fight. learned that Lieut.. Schenek
from nay home IN Oswego county n. Y, had beel
wounded and was in hotel near by. On
entering the room where he was, he exclaimed
Why, Hattie Dada, l did not expect TO Sc,
you here When | saw his wound, my hear
sank within me, for knew he could not live
In a few days his father and sister came; but
with all their care he steadily failed and be
fore month had passed was numbered witt
the dead. He said TO NE, Il should have beer
ashamed to have remained at home and fel
that others were sacrificing their lives for me-
Fulton never sent cut Drawer. truer-heartet
soldier than Lieutenant VIM. Schenck.
After seeing that Lieutenant Schenek had
good attendant from his own company looked
for 18th army corps hospital ambulance. ans
soon found one filed with goods from the SAM
tary Commission, which was ahead OF the Gov
ernment in getting supplies to the wounded a
Gettysburg.
IN A GETTYSBURG HOSPITAL.
We passed out of town, over Cemetery Hill
on the Baltimore pike. All the way the houses
trees and threwn-down fences showed wher
the shot and shell had sped on their mission 0
death and destruction. The road was file,
| with army wagons, ambUlaneeS and wounde,
| soldiers ON their way TO the railroad. Nearl,
every house had the red hospital flag. and her
and there were stacks Of guns which had beel
gathered from the battlefield. OF at the lef
/ of the road, in the edge of the woods, could b
seen the newly made graves of those who hal
/ fallen-members of the 1st division of the 12tl
/ army corps. Some three miles from the tow
/ we passed the 11th army corps hospital, ant
/ about half mile beyond, near farm-hous
/ and large barn, found the 18th army corp
| hospital. They had good hospital tents, suffi
/ GENTLY large for six patients, but iH each wer
from twelve to thirteen, lying OH straw-fol
| as yet, 10 beds pillows or bed-clothes of an,
| kind had reached them. Most of them, for
| tunately, had their blankets Their food con
/ sisted of hard tack, meat and SOUP which th
weakest of the patients could not relish. Soor
however, this was remedied. was assigned t
| duty in the first division, in which the create
part of the wounded were from the 9th In
diana and the I'd Massachusetts,. There wer
many terrible cases of suffering. In one ten
were two men who had lost both arms-one
member of the Goth Connecticut; the other
Michigan soldier. In one tent of the secon
| division were nineteen cases of amputatlon-
either leg or an arm, or both.
The evening | reached the hospital, one Q
the surgeons wished me to go with him an
see the major of the Goth Ohio who was fatal
| wounded through the chest On entering th
| tent where he was he seemed very glad to Sc
| lady, and said: 81 remember having see
/ you at Acquia creek" He shook my hand 5