The National tribune., 1901-12-19

nerves. pure Dloou anu HEIn HluSEitS, -Dul
no money. So at 16, thirstiug for knowl-
edge above that environed by the little
log SchOol-house, she entered Oberlin Col
lege, and worked her own unalded way
to within six weeks of graduation, when
an epidemic of typhus fever caused an
exodus from the college, to which she
never returned.
Many are living who remember the fear
full cholera epidemic of 1887. 1t was dur
ing this period that Miss Balls phenom-
enal talent as nurse came to the front.
Dr. w. II. Mussey, then in charge of
the Cincinnati; City and Hamilton Coun-
ty hospitals, called for young women vol
unteers to take a course of training un-
der himself, as he felt special need Of
trained women nurses. Mary Ann BAH
was one Of II volunteers, and for several
years remained with DIR. Mussey in hos
pital work, her skill being at once rec
ognized and appreciated.
At 80 Miss Ball found time to marry
Robert BickcTdyke, a maStcr-mCchanlc, u
skilled musician and 4 widOwer with five
children. Bishop McIlvaiue united them,
and the union was blessed with five more
children. Only 10 years Of almost ideal
happiness were granted them, and in 1893
Mrs. Bickerdyke was left a widow with
her children to rear. She became "bo-
tanic" physician, or what would today be
termed an eclectic, and was regularly rec
OgniZed by the medical fraternity Of
Galesburg, ILL.,, where she then resided
Lincoln's call for 10000 volunteers
found this capable woman. bred through
200 years of struggle and always con-
quest, for just such an emergency, alert
on the instant, and already organizing
her forces to aid and assist the departing
troops, and to assuage their inevitable
suffering in camp and fields.
T1tT, Erpc1- VOTE or Ar,p,,
came from the regimental hospitals in
Cairo, where men died like sheep of ty-
phOid fever and its relatives, dyscntery,
measles and camp diarrhea.
Or. Woodward, Surgeon Of the 22d H.,
was i'll charge, and he got permission to
send for Mrs. Bickerdyke to come with
the Galesburg supplies. and with $500
worth of sanitary supplies raised right
in her home town she went to Cairo,
where nearly 800 men lay i'll. The first
thing she made reqUiSitiOn for was
bathtubs. None were to be had. so she
ordered hOgsheadS and barrels to be cut
i'll halves, and into these she ordered
every mothers son who could get ont Of
bed, and after the bath came clean body
and bed clothing. and the result was most
gratifying. Then she established Il diet
kitchen, where she supervised the cook
ing of proper and tempting food. Many
i.
but she needed them not mt all.
She was jealousy careful of the sani-
tary clothing and provisions entrusted to
hor Ca'c. and woe hCtide the unhappy
maraudcr If she caught him. One day she
caught q young Iieutenant with one of
the hospital shirts on. She col:aged the
offender and pulled the shirt. Of over his
head amidst the shouts and applause Of
some 40 cOnvalcScCntS That she was
"a Ila Tn Ii tbi.. "a
led from an old letter o. DE-. Woodward,
Is evidence: Let me describe my he
roine. y large, heavy woman, of ID
years; strong as man; muscles of iron;
nerves of finest steel; sensitive but self
reliant; kind and tender; seeking all for
others, nothing for herself"
After the battle OF Belmont, Nov. I,
1861, Mrs. Bickerdyke was appointed
Matron Of the big hospital at Cairo, filled
with sick and wounded, and all the sani-
tary supplies We're placed in her charge.
1t was tremendous responsibility, but
Mrs. Bickerdyke seems to have been
born to bear Just such burdens. Mrs.
Liycrmore, who was her trusted friend
and aid, says of her: 1.-The rank and file
learned that she was, in an especial sense,
their friend, and dishonest, brutal sur
geons and officials, of whom there were
not few in the early months of the war,
understood in advance that she could
neither be bought nor frightened.
Throughout the war the prestige of her
hospital life in Cairo clung to her."
FORT DoNELsoN.
Feb. 16, 1862, Mrs. Bickerdyke went
from Cairo on the first boat to assist in
the removal of the wounded TO different
hospitals along the river. Her work was
heroic, according to Mrs. LiyerInOre. On
the boats the beds would be ready for
the wounded, with hot drinks and cold,
soup, Cruel and milk7punch prepared for
them under her supervision. One Sur
geOn says in his report: Il never saw
anything like her. There was really moth
ing for us Surgeons to do but dress
wounds and administer medicine. She
drew out clean shirts or drawers from
some corner, whenever needed; nourish-
ment was ready for every man as soon
as he was brought on board. Everyone
was spOngcd from blood and the frozen
mire of the battlefield as far as his con-
dition allowed. His blOod-stiffened and
sometimes horribly filthy uniform was ex-
changed for soft and clean hospital gar
mentS.'
And so it was throughout FIVE long
years. for 1t was the end of 'o6 before
Mother Bickerdyke quit.
She made five trips with the wounded
to the hospitals at Cairo, Paducah and
scarcely half an hour at q time.
AT SHILOH
Mrs. LivcrmOre says of her at Shiloh:
She carried system, order and relief
wherever she went. One of the Surgeons
found her wrapped i'll the gray overcoat
of rebel soldcr-for she had loaned
her blanket Shawl TO some poor fellow
who needed ii, and wearing Il soft souch
hat, having lost her inevitable shaker bon
net. Her kettles had been set up, the
fire kindled underneath, and she was dis
pensing hot soup, tea, crackers, panada,
whisky and water and other refreshments
TO the shiycrlng, fainting, wounded men, -
At Savannah nearly 1900 wounded
and sick soldiers We're gathered after
Shiloh. Hospital supplies ran out. and
taking Il detail and an ambulance Mother
Bickcrdyke Went foraging. She always
asked for the things she wanted, and of
fered pay, but if refused she never
stopped an instant. She simply took
possession Of any eatable III sight. There
was no gainsaying her. My precious sick
and wounded. boys have got To he fed, -
was her one excuse.
Mother Rickrrdykc dressed like Il Qua
kcr for PiainncSS. Just after Shiloh some
friends i'll the North sent her Il box of
clothes. Many of them were very rich.
ReseINing one of the plainest dresses. she
took all but Two nightdresses- and traded
them To rebel women for milk and eggs
and butter for her boys. The two night
dresses, of dainty linen, ruffled and lace
trimmed, and richly embroidered. she felt
some qualms of conscience over giving
away. But on her return from her ped
al trim, .sf.s Ecf, y,