The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-11-24
CHAPTER Xxx.

CHAPTER Xxx.
A short time after | was taken TO Cliff
|burne Hospital the battle of FrederickS-
burg was fought, and thousands of wound
ed were sent to Washington TO the differ
lent hospitals Cliffburne received its full
share, and the Sisters had all they could
attend to. They had but few sick men in
their care at that time, their patients
sbeing generally wounded men. There
were men with legs off; men with arms
off; men with, / might almost say, their
heads off-at least, they were minus a
large part of them. The wounds were
made by every kind of missile known to
she science OF gunnery, as wen as SdDer-
cuts and bayonet-thrusts.
There were patients who had suffered
Two, and even three, amputatIonS, ana
these wounded men represented almost
every State in the Union: indeed, | might
say every Nation of the earth. There were
americans, Irishmen. Germans. French
men, SpaniardS, Italians, AuSTianS, and,
4 believe Danes and NorwegianS; but they
were all groaning under grieyouS wounds,
suffering in a common cause-all were
Yankees now. There were men there VINO
slad scarcely kcen in the country long
enough to know how TO ask for drink OF
water in English, yet whose first act on
landing in America was to volunteer IN
fhe United States army 10 battle for the
maintenance of the Government That
had always been an asylum for the OPP
pressed of all Nations" and whose first
limitation into the American service was
80 be hurried into a terrible battle and
stricken down in death or with paiFSul
wounds to pine away months of patient
suffering i'll hospitals. All / saw here
ibore their SufferingS with heroic fortitude
iThe wounded veterans would spend their
Kline in telling stories of battles and adj
ventures; in reading books and papers
Heft for them by charitable or religious per-
sons; in dressing their own wounds II they
were able, or in recounting the circum-
stances under which they received them
uetters from home formed their greatest
lsolace. When one got letter from homes
The would appear like new man-it
would make him SO cheerful.
KIND NURSES.
lt was astonishing with what devotion
the Sisters would nurse and watch over
them. Here, in this bunk, would be
patient feeble little boy-a drummer, per- |
haps, who had left his mother and sis
tiers to join the army, and by the stirring |
notes OF bis drum to cheer the war-worn |
soldier; now stretched on bed OF suffer |
ling, with no mother near to nurse or care |
for him-perhapS even she did not know |
where her darling was; but he was far
ing Just as well as he would with her, for |
the Sisters Of Charity were lowering over |
and nursing him, supplying every want
and soothing as far as possible every pain. |
There, in that bunk, is a brawny man,
wounded by a shell. His injuries are
terrible; perhaps he is feaFfully wicked,
and as he yTithes in pain upon his bunk,
cursing his cruel fate at every breath, q |
Sisters nand smooths down his hardened
pillow and Sisters voice speaks words
of comfort to his soul Perhaps she is
repealed with fearful oaths, but only to re-
turn TO him when he is camer, with re-
doubled kindness.
fere, in this ward, is a poor soldier
dying All their loving labors and pious
prayers have been in vain; the hand OF
death is on their patient Perhaps they
have watched and cared for months over
him, and have had great hopes of his re-
eoyery; but now, alas! they are called