The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1890-02-20

the more serious eases marched for the boat
and the others taken into hospital there. With
a dozen or 50 from our squad we were taken
| TO the pier and put on board the boat, where
we found everything neat, clean and attractive,
| and attentive surgeons, assistants and nurses.
We were helped to clean, neat couches and
| everything done for our comfort that could lie
under the circumstances This was rest. and
| combined with medicine care and nursing
does very much. The great boat soon unmoor-
ed and We We're gliding down the noble James
| River. From where we lay, through the " in
dows we could see the shores gliding by in har-
mony to the throb, throb, throb, of the mighty
engine and the plashing of the great paddle
wheels.
The run down the James with the tide is a
pleasant one and before night we were at the
wharf near Hampton Hospital q couple of
miles from Fortress Monroe From the boat
we We're taken up into the central division of
that institution and into a ward composed of
wall tents with fly on a good board floor. Six
single, iron frame, low cot beds accommodated
one man in each to a tent. Here. in ward o.
| rel laned from about Dec. |. 1864 untii
about the first Of March lS65 These three
months Were months Of suffering And misery
III their first part, but Of conyalescentc and uar-
t'al recovery IN their latter portion. | Was
put on low diet. The surgeon came attpntiytly
every day. he ward-master ana nurses look-
ed we'll after their duties, and life passed on in
its rounds, one day being much like it, prede-
cessor or successor except change in weather.
or some camp, or ward, or personal local incl
dent, varied the sembance a little Even little
things served to interest these disabled men As
the human mind is made up that il expand,
and contracts to tocaliIe its power, or catch
the light as the occasion may demand. II We
are in the midst of great and stirring events
We notice only the great and stirring things
particularly. If we are shut in by narrowe>t
bounds, even the minuest things receive great
attention. 50 We, cut of from the great and
stirring events aud eXcitement> Of the front
turned to those about u for otcupaton
Wa>n'tit 50 with YOU comrades? We eagerly
read the papers, looked for letters from home,
or wrote home often, thu, to while away
time further.
While health was slowly asserting ana con
t'hhiiiS ~ NAl VT lOoh ukl various IHtUG> IN
turn for amusement. Sometimes We had Il
run Of the bone rim and iewery manufacture.
This wearing out, We took up card PLAYING.
checkers and other games. Week ortwo -er,-
ed TO play these out, y far a. Ir>t Ana novelty
went, and the mind called for something uew.
Drawing with pen ana ink had it> turn | have
q lot of my efforts now among 10y souvenir, of
the service. Whiting, wood carving and
various other things came ID to relieve .he
tediun Of the time
Hampton hospital consisted of three di-
visions. New Camp, that par, where The SEX
coIored soldiers We're treated: The central part,
or Hampton hospital proper, and the the>a-
peake This latter was large three story
brick structure formerly used a, a female sem
mary. believe, and lot of tent, about it on
it, grounds. This is now home for disabled
veteran soldiers, WE learn. There was also
"bul pen" here where rebel prisoners were
kept. Pm, ATE.