The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-01-19
plored his aid. He heard me with.
out interruption.

out interruption.
but these are matters that should
be laid before my medical director.
I have put all these things out of my
hands," were his first words.
"Yes, l knew that, and told him
80 and also told him that it was
necessary for some one to "cut red
tape" boldly and promptly in behalf
of these men that no subordinate
dared to do 1t, but all said he could.
and encouraged me to believe that
he would. And I besought him,
with the earnestness that women felt
in these sad cases during the war to
give me the pleasure of returning
these boys to the mothers. sisters and
wives. who would tighten withflove
the dark valley of death into which
they were fast descending. ! prom
ised. II ne gave them discharge and
transportation, to take every man 10
his friends, leaving no one of them
until 1 saw him we'll cared for. The
General briefly examined the docu-
ments gave him, and then said "he
would let me know tomorrow what
could be DONE"
The next evening, an officer of his
staff came to our boat. and made me
supremacy happy with the discharge
of the twenty-one soldiers, who had
been rewarded with loss of health,
and. as it afterwards proved to some
of them. with loss of life.
But if 1 was happy. what shall l
say of the poor emaciated fellows.
who looked for my return to them as
one looks for a reprieve from sem
tence of death? Most of these men
were brought North on our sanitary
boat. One of them died on the way,
and was buried at Memphis, and an
other died in Chicago. His home
was in Wisconsin and ride of four
hours more would have taken him to
the arms of his mother, who was ex.
pecting him. But when we reached
Chicago. Saturday evening, the train
for his town had left, and he was
} compelled to remain in the city over
Sunday. 1 took him to hotel neal
the station from which he was tt
start on Monday; and when 1 hac
: seen him comfortable in bed, wished
, to leave him, to telegraph his mothe
of his nearness to her, and then 60 Il
. my own family. promised to Sent
him a nurse IN less than an hour, ant
I to accompany him home to Wiscon
. sin myself on Monday. But he beg
3 ged SO wildly that 1 would retur
myself and stay with him. that con
Q sented, after I had informed m.
e family of my return to the city. H
P fallowed me to the door with his be
: seeching eyes, saying. II hate t
q. have you 60. for it seems as if
| should not see you again." assur
ed him that I would not be ahsen
J., above two hours at the furthest, an
2 as he wished no one to remain in tn
y room with him, left the door ajai
: getting the promise of the chamber
! maid to look in upon him occasion
ally.
j.. In less than two hours was bac
at his bedside. "He has been sleep
I ing quietly ever since you left" sal
the servant. There he lay as l ha
v left him. with one hand under hi
head. his face turned towards tn
door. that he might see any one VIII
), entered the room. Sleeping Yes
the sleep of death.
Mothers will not think me wea
; when confess that I closed the doc
:, and locked it, and then wept long an
bitterly over the dead boy-not fc
g him. but for the mother who's
Z youngest child he was. He had 6
= longed for his mother, this boyisf
u twenty-year.old soldier! Again an
o again had he said to me: II don
u expect to get we'll; know I mus
:. die; but if can only see my mothe
q once more 1 shall be willing to die.
q On Monday she came for his cof6t
u ed body. AS she bent over him an
J. wrestled with her mighty grief, st
Is seemed to find comfort in the of
l. uttered thought, that "he had give
le his life for his country."-Mary
1 LiUermore's My Story Of the War.