The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-16
MOTHER BIcKERDYkE's PICKLES.

The Perseverance of One of the Most
Noted Women of the Civil War.
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 piIiowed more stricken
heads and closed more dying eyes than any
other in all the world, perhaps When
Mother Bickerdyke reigned in her big hos
2ital kitchen at Chattanooga she made
frequent visits In an army wagon drawn
BY Llules to the country homes and farms
across the mountains over terribly rough
roads and through deep mud to gather in
rarions for her boys"
During the cold winter her hospital bows
did very well, but in March. as storms
drenched the trees and earth about the
camp, they sickened and MANY died. Some
were fUrloUChed and sent north but many
were left behind. Eighty thousand Union
soldiers had tramped over the Tennessee
mountains, but only a few remained ex-
ccpt the wounded and sick. Mother Bick
srdylle took to Huntsville all who were left
and she had charge Of the large military
hospital. But scurvy followed the dread
full pTivatiOnS Of winter, and nothing could
save them except vegetables, fruits or
pickles.
Mrs. Porter took charge of the bows 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 aud
the aid societies gave her jeIlies and canned
goods. She stopped at the capital on her
way north, spending a 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, sunny
faced woman waving both hands and call
ing at the top of her voice: General l
say, general
The horses were pulled up suddenly
The gentleman who was driving said hur-
riedly:
Who in thunder is that?"
But before the words left his lips the
general, with smile, leaned out, eXclaim-
ing:
"Why, Mother Bickerdykel How came
you here? left you with the Army of
the Tennessee! What do you wantg"
Pickles.
Pickles. repeated the general
Yes, sir, pickles. My boys and your boys
are dying for pickles, and you're just the
man l want today! We need 500 barrels
shipped south this minute"
"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 4 blessed trip Fruit, vegetables and
now pickles God bless you, general
With a wave of her hand, 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
nent who rode beside him that day laughed
at the whole affair. General Grant simply
said: IT'S no laughing matter When
Mother BickerGyke wants anything it has
10 be found, and that, too, in hurry.
Sherman and | fall in double quick when
we hear her voice She's worth more to
rs down here than dozens of officers, nurses
or whole sanitary commissions"
And that night more than 500 barrels of
picked cucumbers, onions, beans, cabbages
and tomatoes were shipped from the cap
ital by order of General L. 5. Grant, com
mander in chief of the army.-New York
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