Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-07-09
Army Nurses.

time tho number began to multiply, as
women began to realize how they, too,
could help on the cause Of the Union
by Iessening the horrors of the battle
field by their tender ministratlons to
&he sick and wounded. Many u
another sent her only son to the front
more willingly, knowing that should
sickness or wounds befall him he would
still be under woman's tender, moth
erIy care.
The army nurse was confined to no
one rank in social life. The ranks OF
she rich rs we'll IA the poor and hum
Ole furnished recruits They were of
all ages, hut largely from 30 years up
ward, though there were in post hospl-
tais many who hid youth and beauty
under distiguring white cap and gray
dress, which was their only uniform.
Most of them were regularly enlisted,
aud drew pay like the soldiers, rank
Rng from private to major III that re-
spect. Their motives were various.
More than ono high born and wealthy
woman, whose hands had never before
known toll of any kind donned the
humble cap and gray dress, and de.
voted years to service that was moro
trying 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
aciousnoss of noble duty we'll done,
and the appreciation Of their boys,
as they invariably called the soldiers
under their care.
Others, wives and mothors or sisters,
or perhaps holding another tender re-
lation TO some boy In blue" having
seLt their all to the front, husband,
son, brother, or lover and unable to
Dear the terrible strain of waiting day
tbv day for nows from the battle fields,
rushed to the front themselves, and
threw themselves into hospital work
NNash a feverish energy that often ended
&u their own sickness, and left thom
with constitutions ms shattered as that
of the most battle-scarred veteran.
Others went simply from u sense of
duty, as did many of the mon IN the
ranks; feeling that some one ought to
go, they made tho sacrifice and went.
p6he1s there were, especially among
SNN Younger ones, who were simply
carried away by burst of sentimental
enthusiasm, and whose only idea of
4he work was to sit w tho cot of some
sick or wounded gallant young fellow,
generally an officer, and fan him and
hathe his fcyered brow with eau de
cologne. Some Of these, when they
learned the true nature of the nurses
work, with its many ropuislve features,
%rew 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-
haps grew quite as faint aud rs much
appalled, Mt 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 doffod thei
ainery, donned the homely gray ana
came to the front, the true heroines OF
she war, borne in tho memories of the
sick and wounded boys with m almost
worshipful idolatry, rs yeritable
angels of mercy.
A small number went to the front
Just for the nurses pay, which was
generally liberal. But even these sell
ydom failed or iiinched in doing noble,
tender woman's work. But not all
were handsome, or giftet' or refined,
even we'll born. There e,e many who
were coarse. uneducated, and homely,
out with deft hands and plying,
womanly hearts, they, too, won place
an 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,
singular. homely. and grim visaged, yet
sslways knowing just the right thing to
do, often better, oven, than the surgeon
himself; never flinching 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 we'll re-
members Irish Biddy," who for years