The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-01-18
AS 1T LOOKS TO WOMEN.
A Tale of Mother Bickerdyke and Her
Pickles.
AN INCIDENT OF THE CIVIL WAR.
Gen. Grant Said He and Sherman Hurried
90 FAN I'm when They Heard the Sound
of Her voice-The Sleeping Rooms of
Children.

To many women and to very many men
since the war the name of Mother Bicker
dyke has been the name OF the modern Ma
donna, the mother Of man. the woman
whose breast has pillowed more stricken
heads and closed more dying eyes than any
other In all the world, perhaps. When
Mother Bickerdyke reigned In her big hos
pital kitchen ut Chattanooga she made
frequent visits in an army wagon drawn
by mules to the country homes and farms
across the L.ountains, over terribly rough
roads and through deep mud, to gather in
rations for "her boys"
During the cold winter her hospital boys
did very well, but In March, as storms
drenched the trees and earth about the
camp, they sickened and many died Some
were furloughed and sent north, but many
were left behind. Eighty thousand Union
soldiers had tramped over the Tennessee
mountains, but only few remained ex'
cept the wounded and sick. Mother Bick-
erdyke took 20 Huntsville all who were left,
and she had charge Of the large military
hospital But scurvy followed the dread
full privations OF winter, and nothing could
save them except vegetables. fruits or
pickles.
Mrs. Porter took charge of the boys and
'the mother" started out for supplies. She
spoke in public halls and churches, with
appeals for her dying boys" She received
gifts OF dried fruits in Nashville; the little
children sent her barrels Of potatoes and
the aid societies gave her jellies and canned
goods. She stopped at the capital on her
way north, spending week with friends
and begging vigorously.
One day, while General Grant was in
Washington on business with the presi-
dent, he was driving with some gentleman
on Pennsylvania avenue when he saw just
IN front Of the horses in the street, a sunny
faced woman waving both hands and call
ing at the top Of her voice: "Generall
say, generalW
The horses were pulled up suddenly.
The gentleman who was driving said hur-
riedly:
"Who in thunder is thats"
But before the words left his lips the
general, with smile. leaned out. exclaim.
ing:
"Why, Mother Bickerdykel How came
you heret left you with the Army of
the Tennesseel What do you want~
"Picklesr'
'@Pickfest' repeated the general.
"Yes, sir, pioklesl My boys and your boys
are dying for pickles, and you're just the
man l want today We need 800 barrels
shipped south this minutep'
"All right. mother" responded General
Grant Pickles you shall have, and right
away too. Go back to the boys; they need
you'
Thank you, general. I'll be there. I've
had blessed tripl Fruit, vegetables and
now pickles. God bless you, generalp
With a wave Of her hand, a toss Of her
head and the kind Of smile that went
through the hearts of her sick and dying
boys, she turned away, satisfied with her
general"
The gentleman from the state depart
ment who rode beside him that day laughed
at the whole affair General Grant simply
said: TITS no laughing matter When
Mother Bickerdyke wants anything it has
TO be found, and that, too, in hurry.
Sherman aud | fall In double quick when
we hear her voice. She's worth more to
us down here than dozens OF officers, nurses
or whole sanitary commissions"
And that night more than 800 barrels Of
picked cucumbers, onions, beans, cabbages
and tomatoes were shipped from the cap
ital by order Of General Y. S. Grant, com
mander in chief of the army.-New York
Sun.