National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-09
THE WOMEN AND THE WAR.
A Northern Nurse Tells Whore the
Horoines Were and wero Not.


Horoines Were and Were Not.
l may be classed by the heroines men
toned in the REPUBLICAN, OF the
18th Of December, 1886, among the
bloody shirt writer's. We army
nurses who began our work on
the day Sumter was fred upon, aud con-
tinued II until our soldiers were sent home,
saw enough OF that garment, not to be In
the least alarmed at the name Of one in
these latter days.
We, the loyal army nurses, did not leave
our quiet homes In the north because we
hated the south or the people there, but be-
cause we loved the grand old flag and our
country more than we did our homes.
do not call any woman that rode with
Stuart or Forrest o brave heroine, but the
woman who ministered TO the sick and
wounded are ones alone entitled TO those
names. A few days before the second bat
tie Of Bull Run, In August, 1868, there was
a skirmish near Kettle Run, not far from
Bristow station;5 we left our camp, near
Warrenton, the day Of the battle, about
dark-the soldiers left in the morning l,
with the man left with me in charge Of our
hospital stores, and some others not able to
march with the soldiers, travelled all night
on the railroad, that dark night so often
spoken of as the night Fltz-John Porter
could not march--and never blamed him.
Just before morning we reached Kettle
Run bridge. That was destroyed, and we
waited for daylight to sec our way across.
Near by we found few wounded men,
and were told our surgeons were at Bris-
tow station, at q house where the wounded
were carried. On going forward we soon
heard calls for help and fearful groans, and
going in the direction OF the sounds we
found the field where the dead and wounded
Of mo
them off as fast as they could, but some
were badly wounded, with the dead lying
across them, and there they had lain fifteen
hours or more. Where were the brave
heroinesp staid there, and with the assist
ance Of some feeble soldiers who followed
me TO the field, moved them, and got them
the drink Of water they had suffered so
much for. After they were all moved we
went on to Bristow station, where we found
our surgeons and house full Of wounded
rebel soldiers. They exclaimed, 1--WE are so
glad you have come for not even cup Of tea
orcoifee could we get, though we have plenty
OF 1t that we found I'm the store room.n
The heroine Of that house, with the assist
ance of her servants, was packing her
trunks to go away from her own people,
without even allowing her servants to give
them cup Of tea. But we soon did that,
and had a good half dozen Of her sheets
in strips for bandages.
A southern surgeon said to me 'If our
women would take the interest In the sick
and wounded that yours do, there would not
be so much suffering" and when our sur
geons were ordered forward he begged
them TO leave me to assist them. / staid
and worked all that day and night for them,
although there was not q wounded Union
| soldier there.
The next morning tho doctor told me
their folks were coming In, and need not
fear-I should be sent through the lines at
any time wished to go. But did not wait
field for labor, at the old Weare House, where
the men OF Kings division were taken.
From there / went on to the Bull Run
battle, was prisoner at Centreville, where
staid with the wounded. Not one woman
there gave me a cup Of cold water, even.
Probably many Of Stuart's or Forests
brave women were there, for the colored
people begged me to get away, saying, ''the
women wanted some one to shoot that
Yankee nurse,n but the soldiers treated
me with kindness.
The writer Of that article says: "The male
nurses were the most unfeeling animals in
the world.n That might have been true on
his side, but not with us One thing l saw
after the battle OF Gettysburg makes me
think 1t was true. The wounded were moved
back from the field short distance, and at
one place near the creek was q small house
and Pennsylvania barn-both were full OF
wounded. Our corps hospital was near
there. Wednesday, after the battle, went
over and found near the barn In COW yard,
without shelter or shade, about twenty
badly-woundedr rebel soldiers. They told me
their wounds had not been dressed, and they
were suffering for water. filed their can
teens and found their men that had yolun
teered to stay and take care Of them stand
ing around, smoking and talking war.
asked them why they did not look after
their men. They replied: eve are prison
eis, and not obliged TO do the work" AL
though had more than / could do at oui
hospital, | went every day and worked al
hour for those mon until they were put II
tents and the Sisters OF Charity came Il
take care of them.
agree with Mr.. Murray that the Sister
Of Charity did a good work, but no bettei
than the Protestant nurses. In all my ex
perience never heard of a nurse asking 1
sick or wounded soldier what his religion
was, where he came from, or what was the
color of his skin. When brought in from
the battle fields, covered with blood, 1t wal
hard to tell whether they were black OF
white until washed. Many times have we
sent for q priest when q Catholic soldier
asked for him, and not always in daylight
In my four years and eight months OF
the field, among the sick and wounded,
never met one southern woman that
could call a heroine, or even brave. Hatred
and bravery are as different as night and {
sunny day. All they did was because thel
thoroughly hated the Yankees. They
thought we were not their equals but we
were more than their equals In everything
but cruelty and hatred, but thatwas not 50
much their fault. never received q kind
ness but from one southern white family
during the war, and that was at Aloxan
| dria, Va. AN EX-ARsrY NURSE.