Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-05-25
MOTHER BIS PICKLES.

To many women and to very many
men since the war the name of Mother
Bickerdyke has been the name of the
modern Madonna,f the mother of man,
the woman whose breast has plllowed
more stricken heads and closed more
dying eyes than any other in all the
world, perhaps.
When Mother Bickerdyke relgned in
her big hospital kitchen at Chatta-
noogs she made frequent visits In an
army wagon drawn by mules to the
country homes and farms across the
mountains, over terribly rough roads
and through deep mud, to gather III
ratiops for cher 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 soldier had
tramped over the Tennessee mountains,
but only a few remained except the
wounded and sick. Mother Bicker-
dyke took to Huntsville all who
were left, and she had charge of the
large military hospital. But scurvy
foil wed the dreadful privations of
winter, and nothing conld 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 receives 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 a week with friends and beg
ging vigorously.
One day while General Grant was in
Washington on business with the Pres
ident, he was driving with some
gentlemen on Pennsylvania Avenue
when he saw just in front of the horses,
in the street, a sunny faced woman
waving both hands and calling at the
top of her voice: "Generall L say,
GenerslP'
The horses we're pulled up suddenly.
The gentleman who was driving said
hurriedly:
"Who in thunder is that?"
But before the words left his lips the
General, with smile, leaned out, ex-
claiming:
"Why, Mother Bickerdykei How
came you here? 1 left You with the
Army of TENNESSEE What do you
want?"
"Picklesl'
"Picklesl" repeated the General.
"Yes, sir, picklesI My boys and
your boys are dying for pickles, and
you're Just the man | want today We
need 500 barrels shipped South this
minutel'
"All right, motherl,' responded Gen
eral 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, vege-
tables, and now picklesl God bless
you, General"
The gentleman from the state De-
partment who rose beside him that day
laughed at the whole affair. General
Grant simply said: 'lt's no laughing
matter. When Mother BIckerdyke
wants anything it has to be found, and
that. too. in IA hurry. Sherman and
l fall in double quick when we hear
her voice. She's worth more to us
down there than dozens of officers,
nurses, or whole sanitary com
missions"
And that night more than 500 barrels
of picked cucumber, onions, beans,
cabbages aud tomatoes were shipped
from the Capital by order of Gen. U.
5. Grant, Commander in chief of the
army. NJ. S.