Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-07-22
Mother Blcksrdyke Day.

COlOIb WAS Thlbeu Nv the corner or the
Bssell Block, and flag pulled 10 its
top. During the time sSlutes were
fred by Jacob Close, while Frank
Chapman sounded the bugle calls.
Music, and a short address by Rev.
ShoCkley completed the program,
and the audience adjourned to the
court yard where for two hours 1t was
entertained by addresses by Rev
Shockley and Rev. A. N. See Of
Norton. Mr. Shockley's discourse
was Of the Flag" and the patriotic
duty owed to the country by it's citi-
zene, while Mr., See told more Of MRS.
Bickerdyke and her grand work dur
ing the war. The w. r.. @. served
refreshments to a large number.
The Kansas City Star furnishes us
with the following sketch Of this re-
msrkable woman's history:
Monday ushered into her 80s Mary
A. Blckerdyke-" Mother" BiCkerdy ke
she is called by old soldier-fa as
a war nurse, and 40 she lives in Kan
sas this day has been sut apart by Mr..
BotkIn, department commander, as
Mother Biokerdyke day." and exer-
cises will DO held in her honor this
afternoon or tonight by all the posts
Of the department.
Probably Mother BIokerdyke has no
European reputation, and there may
be veterans OF the East who never
have heard of her. Yet she is an al
most unique figure. Plain and mat.
ronly In appearance, with little edu-
cation, an enemy to army authority and
regulations when they interfered with
the comfort Of her boys" she boldly
opposed herself to medical officers
and commanding generals, and by
the force of good sense she made
herself valuable to the armies OF
the west.
She early attached herself to Gen
eral Sherman and his corps, and not
only followed his army to Atlanta,
Ga, accomplishing sanitary wonders
without hospital appliance; but when
she was 80 fortunate as to be assign
ed to stationary duties she immedist-
ely set TO work to reform the admin
isEration which she found IN power.
As agent, in the field, of the Chicago
branch of the Sanitary commission
she took particular delight il tracing
any neglect or rascslity in the dis
tribution Of supplies. Soldiers who
returned home on furloughs often
complained bitterly Of the way in
which comforts and dSinties were
appropriated by the nurses and sur
Reons. When Mother BiCkerdyke
was not cooking food and dressing
wounds upon the battlefield she was
investigating these things and send
ing her complaints to headquarters
for the discharge Of the offenders,
Often she did not wait for such au.
thority but, having abundant proof
Of the justice OF the cause, ordered
surgeons Of the army to remove their
straps and report to the superIors.
One such delinquent came to Gen
eral Sherman with loud story Of in"
justice.
"Who made the charger asked
General Sherman.
"Why-why," atammered the man,
II suppose il was that spiteful old
woman, Mrs. Bickerdyke."
"Oh, we'll, then, il it was She" re-
piled the general, II can't help you
She ranks me-"
"That spiteful old woman" clad
usually in a calico gown and shawl,
with o Shaker bonnet upon her head,
had authority, however, for all her
actlona, but so sure was she OF her
ground that she seldom thought it
necessary to state from whom she
derived il.
When the war first opened Mother
Bickerdyke had not even an official
connection with the sanitary COM
mission. She worked in the hospl-
tails Of Cairo, ILL.,, st. Louis, Mo,
and Louisville, Ky, experimenting
diet kitchens, disGiplining careless
and cupable nurses and surgeons,
and distributing supplies which were
sent TO her. When the battle of Fort
Donelson was fought she immediat-
civ set out for the battle-ground. She
superintended the loading of relief
boats with beds, tea, coffee, soup,
cruel, milk punch and everything
which could be needed.
At length one night when she had
made four trips and her boat was
ready to return to the hospital on
it's fifth journey Mother Blckerdyke
was missed. The commanding Of
ficer also saw light slowly flicker
ing over the deserted battlefield. He
sent man to investigate, and there
was Mother Bickerdyke found, lam
tern IN hand, reverently examining
the faces Of the dead, lest some poor
fellow, not beyond help, should be
left anon the field comfortless and
alone Even for snch actions she
had no authority from the govern