Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-07-08
Army Nurses.

slime the number began to multiply, as
women began 70 realize how they, too
could help on the cause of the Union
by lessening the horrors of the battle
Held by their tender minlstrat1ons to
the sick and wounded. Many a
another sent her only son to the front
more willingly, knowing that should
sickness or wounds befalI him he would
still be under woman's tender, moth
erly care.
The army nurse was confined to no
one rank in social life. Tie ranks of
che rich as we'll as the poor and hum
ole furnished recruits. They were of
all ages, but largely from 30 years up
ward, though there were in post hospl-
tais many who hid youth and beauty
under disfguring white cap and gray
dress, which was their only uniform.
Most Of them were regularly enlisted,
aud drew pay like the soldiers, rank
9ng from private to major III that re-
spect. Their motives were various.
More than one high born and wealthy
woman, whose hands had never before
-kInd-dnnned the
humble cap and gray dress, and de-
voted years to a service that was more
srYing to the nerves and modest sensi-
bilities than words can depict, all from
Sheer devotion to the cause, refusing
all other pay or reward than con-
seriousness of noble duty well done.
and the appreciation of their boys, !"
sss they invariably called the soldiers
under their care.
Others, wives and mothers or sisters,
OF perhaps holding another tender re-
3ation to some "boy in blue" having
set their all to the front, husband.
sen, brother, or lover, and unable to
bear the terrible strain of waiting day
IE day for news from the battle-tields.
rushed to the front themselves, and
threw themselves into hospital work
with a feverish energy that often ended
II their own sickness, and left them
with constitutions as shattered as that
of the most battle-scarred veteran
duty, as did many of the men IN the
ranks feeling that some one ought to
ge. they made the sacrifice and went.
DINERS there were, especially among
The Younger ones, who were simply
carried away by burst of sentimental
enthusiasm, and whose only idea of
the work was to sit by the cot of some
sick or wounded gallant young fellow,
generally an officer, and fan him and
battle his fevered brow with eau de
cologne. Some of these. when they
learned the true nature of the nurses
work, with it's many repulsive features,
grew faint and sick, and utterly failed,
and returned to their homes with the
romance of war taken out of them.
But the greater number of these
sentimental, young enthusiasts per-
baps grew quite as faint and as much
appalled, at the nature of the work be-
fore them as their less brave sisters.
but paused and hesitated only long
enough for their true womanhood to
assert itself, when they dotted thei
fnerv, oonned the homely gray aid
came to the front, the true heroines Of
the war, borne in the memories of the
sick and wounded boys with an almost
worshipful idolatry, as yeritable
angels of mercy.
A small number went to the front
Just for the nurses pay, which was
generally liberal. But even these sell
dom failed or finched in doing noble,
tender woman's work. But not all
were handsome, or gifted, or refined,
even well born. There were many who
were coarse, uneducated, and homely,
ssuG with deft hands and plying,
womenIy hearts, they, too, won place
IN the memory of the boys. A notable
snstance of how little beauty counted
an nurse may be seen in the case
Mrs. Jane Gray Swisshelm. Thin,
angular, homely, and grim yisaged, yet
always knowing just the right thing to
do, often better, even, than the surgeon
himself never finching from anything,
however disagreeable. You can't con-
vince one of her "boys" that the grim,
homely face was not the face of an
angel.
Many Michigan veteran well re-
members Irish BiddY." who for years