The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-22
ARMY NURSES.
stories of Their Experiences During
the War of the Rebellion.

An interesting book has been COM
piled by a former nurse. Mary G. Hol-
land. wherein many interesting stories
of the lives of army nurses are told
by themselves It was a happy thought
which inspired her; and she takes hold
of the sympathies of her feminine read
ers at once by telling the spirit where
with she met Miss DiX's order. She
had heard her cali to go TO the war
as a nurse. and had tried 70 enlist
under Miss Abbie May, and also to be
one of Miss Lander's volunteers for
Fortress Monroe. in the plan that
failed. Miss DiX's circular read:
mo woman under 80 years need aD-
ply to serve in government hospitals.
AN nurses are required to be very
plain-looling women. Their dresses
must be brown or black, with no bows,
no curls, no jewelry, and no hoop
skirts"
The Quaker Dorothea Dix little knew
what heroism the last phrase in that
order demanded. Thus was the nurse
summoned TO duty.
1T was fashionable at the time to
wear Immense hoops. 1 had worn one
for some time, and really felt it a sac
rifice 10 leave it off. Other require
nents were agreeable, but I felt could
not walk without hoop. l said:
Wei, if [ can't walk without IL, l will
crawl-for 1 must go, and l will do
the best l can Soon after this L
took up a morning paper and read
that the wounded were being brought
into Washington so fast that more help
was needed at once. I wrote immedi-
ately to Miss Dix saying: I am in
possession of one of your circulars,
and will comply with all your require
menhs I am plain looking enough TO
suit you, and old enough. 1 have no
near relatives in the war, no lover
there. ] never had a husband, and am
not looking for one. VIII you take
me? In few days her answer came:
Report at once at my house, corner of
Fourteenth street and, New York ave-
nue. Washington She labeled me so
nicely that I think if I had seen a box
of glass l should have gone through
safely, and gave me instructions to
procure transportation
Here is an extract from the much
more detailed story of her experience
given by another nurse, Mrs. Kaiser:
Early Sunday morning we were
aroused by the drum calling to battle.
The men responded promptly, leaving
me with only one attendant to care for
the helpless, sick soldiers who lay on
the damp ground, wrapped only in a
blanket l gave them some coffee and
hard tack with a smile and the as
surance that 1 would get them out of
the way of the flying lead. The camp
was in the range of the battle, and l
knew the regiment had no ammunition,
and must soon fall back-perhaps be-
fore | could even get the men ready
to go. Several balls came tearing
through the tent, creating almost a
panic. We had gone there in the dark,
and had not taken the trouble to find
our position, and what to do we did
not know. Suddenly / thought OF a
lieutenant who had been sick the day
before. 1 sought among the tents and
found him, and he gave me the points
of the compass and told me of a ra-
vine near by, where we must try TO
get the men. Those who were unable
to walk were carried on poles, and thus
all were transported but one old man,
VINO was delirious and would neither
go nor be carried.
"A cartain came in, wounded in the
left shoulder, and so once more 1 went