Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-05-30
BRAVE ARMY NURSES
I'll y Are Entitled to a Niche in the
Temple of Fame.
GrixzIed Veteran Proudly Declares
HIS Love for the Angels of taae
Battlefield and the Camp
Hospital.
Especial washington letter.


TT is an old saying, and not devoid Of
l truth, that republics are migrate
full" 1t is particularly true that
people never give their full need of
grateful appreciation to those who go
tort8 20 bal He for their country.
Ins tine ,,iil scon be heIe when the
mrli.cns Ct young men and women Of
the land viii make gay holiday Of the
Say Sei ap&ri tor tire decoration Of the
graves 81 tae Soia3ers OF the great civil
Aaa, ~. ohlS the aged and tottering
Wa -ielst II that cay what vas intend
- 4 seoUid be by The statesmen who
enaesea ,ae 4 gisia.ion mahn.g il ma
forever tie re PIE w9Gie gather an
nuaiiJ IN gia,,fui ais teaflul mem
Org u inDse mhD req n battle or died
oil Gisease al tbis na.ion should re-
man insepaiaoie.
But Whit there is declining apprecia-
ton and gfatiiu1e FOR all tiat was suf-
fcred and cone by the soldiers there
seems TO be almost an entire forget
fulness of the angels Of the battle
field, those brave women and true who
served their country in danger of shot
and she'll, as well as in the presence of
contagion and infection, in the hospi-
tails and on the terrible field of car
mage.
One of the eminent veterans of that
great strife recently led the narrator
to the Congressional library to see a
book buried deep down in the number
less tones; book only soldier would
discover, entitled Angels of the Bat
tlefield," volume devoted to paying
tribute to the noble band of women
Samaritans, the army nurses. The old
soldier, who is au omnivorous reader,
and exceptionally well informed, stat
ed that this is the only volume ever
published giving full credit to those
women for the part they played in the
great tragedy.
This is history, and reliable history.
The book gives credit to all of the
nurses, but is published particularly to
give credit to those church sisterhoods
who did so much for their country and
for mankind in need of help and ten
derness. The book has long been out
of print IT has a frontispiece which is
reproduction of Thomas master
piece, depicting sister of charity
lying wounded upon a battlefield, sup
ported by one Of her sisterhood, each
wearing the peculiar white wide
spreading headgear Of their order and
surrounded by sympathizing soldiers.
The veteran, as he gazed at the pic
ture, said: sin common with thou-
sands of others, looked for the white
bonnet as one would look for an angel;
and she came to me-"
lnasmuch as this volume cannot be
purchased, you will undoubtedly be in
terested in having some of its best
points laid before you. In the pref
ace the author says: "The sisters do
not have reunions nor campfires to
keep alive the memories of the most
bloody lustrum in our history, but
their war stories are as heroic, besides
being far more edifying than the veter-
ans usually tell.
The chivalrous men who wore the.
clue and the gray, who caused Ameri-
and respected the world over have on
many occasions and in various ways
given expression to the esteem and af-
lection in which they hold the women
who devoted their lives to the sick and
wounded. The ranks of war sisters