The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-29
Of GENERALS.
Setting Forth the Kindness OF Heart
Of Great Men of
War.
Logan laundering Over the Field,
Logan With Tears In His
Eyes.

Mother Bickerdyke's War Experiences-
Her White Horse Jupiter-Grants
Three-Armed soldier.
Written for THE HELENA INDEPENDENT
M 8 YEARS GO BY IT SEEMS TO BE
~ stories Of the kind heartednsss of
~ their great generals the old soldiers
remember best. not the splendid
fghtinR that was done! Whatever histori-
ans may say to the contrary, there should
be no doubt that there was . warm friend
ship among the old commanders. Logan,
Grant, Sherman, were - tender hearted 40
children. Tho army nurses and the doc
tors knew how this was very we'll. Let
Mother B~ickerdyke. for instance, and any
of the old veterans chance to meet, and
those "reminiscences we'll up to the surface.
"Gen. Logan-Black LoRan--oh, yes, it
was q sight when he vent laundering over
the field, all smoke and dre-but, boys. it
was . Rrander sight to. see him with tears
in his eyes. and I've seen that, too. yes l
have" . N#
And then the old field nurse tells a story
of Atlanta. All soldiers on both sides know
the mad battle of that hot July day that
began at noon and ended at midnight.
The brave General Mcpherson met his
death on the field. A little in advance of
his staff, riding toward Gen. Shermah's
headquarters, a shot picked him off; he was
instantly killed. Gen. Logan took the COM
mand and led the maddened army. "Mc-
Pherson! MePherson!" the battle cry.
Twelve Thousand mon were killed before
the victory was won. That was tho smoke
and fire side of "Blaok Logan" az his men
loved to call him.
Gen. Mcpherson was carried to the How
ard house, but shot and she'll struck tho
building, and Gen. Sherman, taking
thought, ordered the body carried to
Mother Bicksrdyke's hospital for safe
keeping:
sent his orderly down here to see if the
body hadn't come from the Howard house.
Bring him to me, he'lisbe safe hsre2"
80 the young general was carried to
Mother Bickerdyke. She dressed him ten
dsrly for the grave. She washed off the
blood stains where tbs bullet had gone to
his heart. brushed MS hair and covered his
handsome face with her finest linen and
left him for the night Then thinking 81
tbs broken hearted won, IN who was here
after to look upon 1T she washed his coat
where the breast was stained, gathered to-
gethsr all the small belongings and packed
them ready to send to his mother in Ohio.
She had been on her midnight rounds.
Wounds were freshly dressed, medicines
given, nurses looked after and the brave,
mont outside tho hospital door. The noiss
Of the battle had ceased. Furiously a man
came riding toward the hospital. He
stopped, sprane from his saddle, threw
the bride over the horses neck. The tired
nurse came out to see who it was in such
why, Con. Logan! Is that you? What
new thing has happend? What are you
doing here after such an awful battleY'-
Mother Bickerdyks. is Mcpherson here?
Is he safe? I am to report at Shsrman's
headquarters-thsn We move on. I could
more. Show air to me-"
eyes. general, he is all ready. poor boy.
to 80 home to his mother. I have his box
packed: The doctor has written q letter for
me, and the handsome. brave boy is all
through with fighting, general"
Down through the dimly- Lighted ward
she led Gen. Logan. Far in the end of the
room by the wall. lay the silent soldier, Hs
was grandly handsome in death.
Gen. Logan passed his hand over the
still face, looked steadily a moment, and
turned away.
Yes. mother. he is safe with you. I
couldn't bear to think such a man as Nc.
Pherson should be left alone, in a place !
like this. n after such a battle! 1 must
go; it'll comfort Sherman, too. God bless
brought to you some of these days MYSELF
Gen. Logan crushed his old soft hat in
his hand; brushed the glitterine tears out
of his big black eyes, and, worn and weary
with tho awful days work, smiled into the
feld-nurse's face a wordlese farewell. and
was of like a wkirlwind Ito report to Sher-
man" that the dead officer was safe"
In those terrible days at the south and
west the nurse of whom we have spoken
was a whole Woman's Relief corps embodied
in one person. GEN. Grant used to say he
could not carry on the war without Mother
A sick soldier was precious
to Gen. Grant. He always had time" to
make arrangements for his wounded men.
He converted a large academy at Corinth,
Miss. into a hospital and gave the entire
and authoritative charge of il into Mother
Bickerdyke's hands. He had perfect conf
dence in her wonderful executive ability.
Brought under her motherly wing, the sick
aud dying soldiers rested in peace. In
and howerless graves no. one can
find now to decorate lie hundreds whose
eyes she closed, and hundreds more are
still living simply because their lives we're
saved by her wholesome care and good
nursing.
Day after day she rode on horseback
over the country, attending to her
great wash houses III the woods, where
springs were abundant and wood plentiful.
Big fires blazed day and night, and men
thousands of pie ces Of soiled linen
for the comfort of the wounded and sick.
Of the officers said: Throw them
Mother Bickerdyke; we'll get more"
mo You won't, boys. The dear women
have sent us these good garments can't
send ten thousand clean ones to you now.
Well make EN- sweet and clean al your
mothers would at home" =
And she did. For miles tho white flags"
blew and tlUttered from lines Of rope and
wire and branches of trees.
To facilitate her work, which Gen. Grant !
as well M though he were a
woman himself, he gave her a big white
horse. tall, stout and handsome. His name .
Jupiter. Never rode y prouder woman !
Mother Rlokerdyke then in her calico
gown and sunbonnet, AZ Jupiter carried her
axe q queen from hospital to camp, from
lhe dying to tho living. Everybody knew
Jupiter and Jupiter's mistress. Sometimes
he grazed in the woods, sometimes waited
nt the hospital door and ate soup like a
and on ioved hr0aa or huy ms, M