The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-11-08
ALICE C. RISLEY.
Characteristic Letter from this Noble Woman.

a OHaEaCterStlC Letter from NoUte dOhtats
We have been permitted to make extracts
from private letter written by the we'll
known nurse in Army Hospitals, Mrs. Alice G.
Risley {nee Farmer which we have no doubt
will be read with pleasure by many comrades
who have experienced her tender and loving
care while languisbing on beds of pain in an
inhospitabie country, rendered so not only by
a hostile population, but by the hot and ener-
waiting climate.
Mrs Risley now lives at West Plains, Mo-,
and takes great interest in the old boys, rs will
BIO seen from the extracts from her letter.
After mentioning several army officers Mrs.
Risley alludes to Chaplain Jones in the follow
ing manner:
Enoch Jones was Acting Chaplain of the Conva-
descent Barracks at New Orleans. l don't remem-
Der now just how became acquainted with him,
but suppose it was because was young and not
particularly badloolling. and l might have en-
Joycd myself with large army acquaintance had
desired. But chose the other life, that of visit
ing hospitals, ana taking of the sick at home
was never intended for preachers wife, and
knew it then, just rs well as do now. He used
to write me anonymous verses, and made no at
tempt to disguise his handwriting, which knew
very well. He told me he had been gambler for
many years, had reformed and joined the church.
have his photograph and some of the verses yet.
Mother and often wonder what ever became OF
him
twas much interested In your experience with
the Secret Service. And that reminds me of two
soldiers belonging to the I'd Ill. Cav, George
Moore and Pat Riley They belonged to the Sc
cret Service. l would be delighted TO hear of Pat
Riley.
went with four other girls from New Orleans
to Baton Rouge, and taught two months in the
Magruder College (negro school. L believe this
was in the Summer of 1864. These two soldiers
boarded at the same house we did, and it was n
matter OF great curiosity to US girls why they
boarded there, and why they Il believe it was
called uudress uniform. They wore blue clothes
aud brass buttons but not cavalry suits and they
nd in tn ZIG una
equitable manner. When they were discharged
both of them came TO New Orleans TO bid me good
by and have never heard from them since Ally
husbands partner belonged to the same reg-
ment and he knew who they were, and this Is
how | found out that they belonged to the
Secret Service. They were real gentlemen and
would rejoice TO hear from them / don't know
what County they enlisted from. There's many a
soldier, if alive that would remember me and the
st. James Hospital and the rebel Steward. re-
member how ludierous a name on the card at the
foot of bed looked, "Ichabod Bump, 18th \.
Y" In all my experience no name ever struck me
as that one did. nearly laughed outright. be-
!ieve he died.
Ny heart goes out in sympathy to all soldiers
having hospital experience. No doubt IN some
hospitals they had all the that could be given
under the circumstances. Our hospitals were SO
far from Washington that indiguites and cruelty
could be practeed, and the sick and wounded had
no redress.
1 particularly refer to the St. James under
Browneli, and the ST. Louis under Bacon. Bacon
was Connecticut COpperllead.
Neither of these Surgeons would allow sick
man taken out | believe / wrote in my last that
the Steward of the St. James had been sent to Dry
IortuSas On reflection, believe he was sent 10
Ship Island.
Soldiers belonging to Co. B, 26th Mass were de-
tailed to bury the dead from that hospital and the
men told me that scarcely day passed but what
they had TO wait for the to die after they got
there; and they were not always sure the man was
dead when they started with him. 1t made no
difference whether the coffin was too long or too
short, he was put IN and buried, have many sad
recolleetions OF that hospital
And Of the st. Louis. How many times I have
heid caucus with the sick, planning some way to
get even"
This hospital was also used for the sick rebel
prisoners. While it was almost impossible for a
Union lady to visit the Union soldiers, rebel ladies
had full consent 10 visit rebel soldiers. They
carried wines tof which Bacon had his shaFe),
fruits, cake and every luxury that could be pro-
cured. They fitted mp room with chairs and q
piano, and had music and singing for the amuse-
ment of the sick rebels and the Union soldier could
lie on his cos and listen TO the music if he WASH
too far off.
There was Union flag hung over the door of the
main entrance and the most prominent of the
rebel ladies' II have forgotten her name, but every
soldier That was IN the hospital at that time knew
her as The Brigadier- General y refused 10 walk
under the flag. OF course the guard ut the door en-
Joyed making her walk under II. One day she
refused positively TO walk under IT, and sent up
stairs for Bacon. When he came down she de-
manded that the flag be taken down that she
and her friends could go in without walking under
1t. lie ordered the flag down. Can you imagine
the feeling OF the Union soldier who had to obey
tnal GfUGr!
For days we talked about it and planned ways
and means to make them walk under The lag, but,
TO my knowledge, we never succeeded.
Some OF The Union ladies published him in the
New York papers, and there was quite @ rumpGs
stirred up, but IneYer knew what was done with
him. The last time was il the hospital the flag
was down.
In speaking Of the ST, James and St Louis Hos
pitfalls, should shave said that in these hospitals
there were Ward Surgeons that were good true
men. DR. Barrett and DR.. Avery We're good men.
My objections center on the two head Surgeons.
Once saw advertisement IN THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE for DR.. Backer of the Marine Hospital,
but have never seen an answer.
Hewa an old man then, aud good man. When
| asked him for pass, lac wrote, = Pass Alice G.
Farmer at all hours" Most of the doctors wrote
from three to five. four TO six. If 1 would go TO
him and say there is man in such ward; l want
TO take him home; believe VIC can cure him, his
answer was always pleasant and in the affirmative.
An Orderly would be sent for an ambulance, and
the man would be sent to house. The only stipu
lation would be to report him every three days.
.