The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-01-26
uONORs TO THE PEN.
HISTORIC POEM.
A Fine Tribute to the Women of the War
by One of Them.


Barton, President of the Red Cross Association,
and Past National Chaplain, W,R.C Mt the Fare
well Reception of Potomac Relief Corps, at Will
lard's Hotel, Washington, and souvenir copies
sent her hosts Of friends at the holiday season:
"THE WOMEN WHO WENT TO THE FIELD"
The women who went to the field
you say
The won,en who went to the field;
ard pray
What did they go for?-juat to be
in the way?
They'd not know the difference
betwixt work and play.
And what did they know about ,cdr,
What could they do ?-of what use
could they be?
They would scream at the sight Of gun,
don't you see?
Just fancy them round where tho
bugle-notes play,
And tile long roll is bidding
to the fray.
Imagine their skirts mong
artillery wheels,
And watch for their iu,ter hey
flee cross the fields
When the charge is rammed home
and the fire belches hot;
They never will wait for the
answering shot.
They would faint at The first drop OF blood
in their sight.
What fun for us boys-(ere we enter
the hgh);
They might pick some lint, and tear UP
sheets.
And make us some jellies. and send on
their sweets.
A nd knit some soft socks for uncles Sans
shoes,
And write us some letters. and tell US
the news.
And thus it was settled, by common
consent,
That husbands or brothers, or whoever
went,
That the place for the women was in
their own homes.
There to patiently wait until victory
But later il chanced-just how,
knew
That the lines slipped bit, and some
gan 10 crowd through;
And they went-where did they go?-Ah! where
did they not?
Show us the battle-the tieId-or the
SPOT
Where Tie groans OF the wounded rang out
the air.
That her ear caught it not aud her hand
not there;
Who wiped the death sweat from the cold
clammy brow,
nd sent homo the message Ills well
with him now;
Who watched In the tents whilst the fever
fires burned
And the pain tossing limbs in agony
turned.
And wet the parched tongue, Gained
delirium's strife
Till the dying lips murmured My Mother"
My wife"
And who were they all They were many,
my men;
Their records were kept by no tabular
pen;
They exist in traditions from father
son,
Who recalls, In di IL memory, now here
and there one.
few names were writ, and by chance
live today;
Butts perishing record, fast fading
away
OF those wo recall. there scarcely
score,
DIX, Dame BIclserdyke. Edison. Harvey
and Moore,
Fales, Wltenmyer, Gibson Stafford
and Lee.
And poor Gutter dead in the sands of
the sea;
And Frances D. Gage, our Aunt Fanny"
of old,
Whose voice rang for freedom when
freedom sold.
And Husband and Etheridge. and
Harlan and Case,
Lvermore, Alcott. Hancock and
Chase,
And Turner and Hawey and Potter
and Hall.
All, the list grows apace as they come
at the call:
Did these women quail mt the sight
of IA gun?
Will some soldier tell us OF ono
lie ram?
Will he glance at the boats the great
Western iood7
At Pitsburg and Shiloh, did they faint
nj the blood
And the brave wife of Grant stood there
with them them
And her calm stately presence gave strength
To his
And Marie of Logan: she went with them
too;
BRIDE scarcely moro than sweetheart,
it's true ~
Her young cheek grows pale when the
bold troopers ride.
Where the Black Eagle y soars she Is close
at his side,
She shameless his blood coos the fever.burnt
breath,
And the wave of her hand stays the
Angel of Death;
She nurses him back. and restores
again
To both army and State the great
leader of men.
| She has smoothed his black pumcs
laid them 10 sleep,
While the angels above them their high
vigils keep:
| And she sjts here alone with he
on her brow
| Your cheers for her. comradesi Three cheers
for her now
| lat this point, as by impulse, every man In
| the room sprang his feet and led by Gen. w. w.
| Dudley, gave three rousnR cheers, while Mrs. Lo-
gan with her beautiful white head bent low vainly
sought to slanch the fasi-aing tears; the air was
| white with sympathelic 'kerchiefs of the ladies,
| and the imposing figure of Clara Barton standing
with upifted arm if in signal for the cheers, SO
| grandly given completed the historic and never
| lobe forgotten scene.I
| And these were the women who went
to the war;
| The women OF questions What did they
go for?
| Because in their hearts God had planted
| the seed