Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1893-11-10
MOTHER elckERDYkg'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 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 at Chattanooga she made
Z frequent visits in an army wagon drawn
by mules to the country homes and farms
across the mountains, over terribly rough
roslds 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.
ccpt the wounded and sick. Mother Bick-
eriyke took to 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 a week with friends
and begging vigorously
One day, while General Grant was In
Washington on business with the presi.
dent, be was driving with some gentleman
on Pennsylvania avenue when he saw Just
IN front of the horses, in the street, n sunny
3 faced woman waving both hands and cali.
ing at the top of her voice; General |
say, generalp
The horses were pulled up suddenly.
The gentleman who was driving said hur.
riedIy:
Who in thunder is thatf'
But before the words left his lips the
general. with Il smile. leaned out. exclaim.
ing:
why, Mother Bickerdykel How came
you hereS left you with the Army of
the TENNESSEE What do you wants'
"Picklesl'
~Picklesp repeated the general.
Yes, sir, pickles. My boys and your boys
,sare dying for pickles, and you're just the
, ~ want tolayi We need 500 barrels
SonyS fc,suth this ininutep'
|sneh q paothera, responded General
FGKles you shall have, and right
TO hack to the boys; they need
fsNak you. general. l'll be there. I've
had blessed crfpl Fruit, vegetables and
now pickles. God bless you, generall'
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
nient whorode beside him that day laughed
at the whole affair General Grant simply
said tits no laughing matter. When
Mother Bickerlyke wants anything it has
to be found, and that, too, in a hurry.
Sherman and | 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 tmore than 500 barrels of
picked cucunIbers onions beans, cabbages
and tomatoes were shipped from the cap
ital by order of General U. s. Grant, com
niander in chief OF the army.-New York
Sun.