The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-25
FLORENCE NIGHTIN-
 GALE OF THE SOUTH
Heroine of the ConfederAcy to Be HOnored by State of
 Alabama.

.. r. Jswett in New Orleans Times-Dem-
 ocrat.
 The woman hero Is not always accord Cd the same public recognition of her ser vices as that which is generally confer red upon man for similar achievements, hence all the more worthy Of note and cornmendation is the bill introduced du- ring the present session of the Alabama Legislature to place the portrait of Mrs. Judge Hopkins in the Alabama Portrait Gallery. The measure, which was draWn up by ex-Governor Oates. and introduced by Senator Screws, both of whom are Confederate veterans, deserves, and doubtless will receive, the unanimous vote Of the Representatives of both branches Of that honorable assembly, as well as khe hearty indorsement of the people at large
 TO those familiar with the history Of the cos 1t is not necessary to explaln who Mrs. Hopkins Is. and why her Hkeness deeerves a place in the state fortra' Gallery among those oi other useln- VI will but ask of the veteran of the civil war whether one who wore the tattered unornamented gray. or the Donnie piue with its stars and bars, they VIII tnen learn of the noble work of this truly great vvornar and why she has been so httingiy called the Florence Nightingale or the South.
 Juliet opie Gordon Hopkins belonged to one of the most distinguished famahes Q. Virginia. her father. Hiram Lahosey oR,' S, of JefFerson County, Virginia. being oi, . rect descendant of the Right Rev. Davio Ylndsey. D. D., Bishop Of Ross, ano Auerican representative of the Church oi EnRiand in the early part of the seven eeenth century. An old tombstone In Northumberiand County still marks the rnot where his body lies inferred m the nane grave with that of his grandson Captain Thomas Opie of Bristol, the son cf Helen Lindsey, only child of the afore- said bishop. This David Lindsey proudly rIaime6 descent from Robert IT of Scot land through Princess Katherine, the daughter of the King, who married Da- yfd Lindsey, Earl of Crawford.
 So much for the noble lineage or the vrornan whom Alabama has elected to number among her distinguished patriots nirt as illustrious as it appears, 1t IS as maurht compared with her noble deeds' for
 sr5owever it may be, it seems to me,
 Iris only noble to be good,
 Kind hearts are more than coronets,
 And simple faith than Norman bieoo'
 xrhan ouite young, Juliet Opie became 4ha wife of Captain Gordon of the United states Navy, and upon his death sne ai- forwards married Judge A. F. Hopklns: Chief Justice of the Supreme Court oh AIahama. and one of the most distfn- muished jurists of his day
 Upon the declaration Of war between she States, Mrs. Hopkins zealousiy es- poused the cause of the Confederacy' not however. as a blind enthusiast, but as an intelligent patriot. Realizing that tne South must needs utilize all available re- sources in order to prepare for the com ing struggle and that there woulo pc work for the women as well as the men, rhe generously determined to place both her services and her substance at the command of her country. At once dispos- ing of her several valuable estates in New York, Virginia and Alabama, she gave the proceeds. amounting to some szVo'VvV to the Confederate Government. to be ueed in tine establishment of hospitals and as soon as the hospital corps was or. eanIxed at Richmond, she was appointed chief matron. having under her care the special supervision of the Alabama ol' vision, with full power to control all mat ters pertaining to this work She was also closely associated with the hospital work of General Lees army, and there are still retained among the sacred fam fly rs:fcs letters from General Lee to Mrs HopItins some of them written in cipher notifying her of the movements of his army and advising where her services might be utilized. There are besides let ters from other distinguished generals among which we read with interest some signed by StoAewan Jackson, Charles Bragg, Geo E. Pickett. Joseph E. John ston, Wade Hampton. a large number from Governor Shorter and several from General Hardee, whom she nurSed dur ing his last illness.
 No woman was ever better fitted for the great work which she had undertaken than Mrs. Hopkins Possessed of a strong personality and wonderful executive ability, she soon become the moving mplrit of the hospital work. Energetic tfreless and systematic, loving profoundly tlHe cause and it's defenders. she neglected no detail that could afford comfort and aid to the sick and wounded. Her first object of ministration was to relieve suf- 4ering and save life; her next to fit men for the service. Upon her devolved also the duty of receiving, accounting for and distributing the contents of hundreds of boxes which were sent daily from her own and other States, containing deli 0acies and clothing for the sick and wounded Among the various articles which lovig hands had carefully slowed fin these boxes were numberless pairs of home-knit socks and upon almost every one was pinned a note bearing some kindly message of cheer or words of love from mother, wife or sweetheart to their soldier hero. These occasionally reached when the brightening eye, the eager grasp when the brigtening eye, the eager grasp and the heaving breast told how welcome was the remembrance from home and loved ones. Thus 1t was that this noble woman acted as almoner for the devoted generous women in the far-away homes who were depriving themselves of every luxury in order to send the necessities oi life to the soldiers.
 Most of Mrs Hopkins's time was neces. earily devoted to executive duties, besides keeping up with voluminous correspond ence, but she found time each day tc visit in person the wards and hospitals Owing to the limited facilities for caring for the wounded, the captor and captive were often placed in the same hospital where each and all received equal care