Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-05-20
BRAVE ARMY NURSES
They Are Entitled ta Niche in the
Temple Of Fame. a
0rizzled Veteran Proudly Declares
His Love for the Angels OF the
Battlefield and the Camp
Hospital.
Especial Washington letter.

TT is an old saying, and not devoid of
1 truth, that republics are migrate
full" 1t is particularly true that
people never give their full need of
grateful appreciation to those who go
forth TO battle for their country.
The time will soon be here when the
millions of young men and women of
the land will make gay holiday of the
day set apart for the decora ton of the
graves of the soldiers of the great civil
war; but only the aged and tottering
will make of that day what was intend
ed it should be by the statesmen who
enacted the legislation making it ma
Gonal holiday. 1t was expected that
forever the people would gather an
nually in grateful and fearful mem
DRY of those who fell in battle or died
of disease that this nation should re-
main inseparable.
But while there is declining apprecia-
ton and gratitude for all that was suf-
fered and done 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 shell, as well as in the presence of
conta gion 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
book buried deep down In the number
less tones; book only soldier would
discover, entitled angels Of the Bat
tlefeld," volume devoted to paying
tribute to the noble band of women
Samaritans, the army nurses. The old
soldier, who is an omnivorous reader,
and exceptionally we'll 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 sisterh GODS
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. 1t has a frontispiece which is
reproduction of Thomas master
piece, depicting a sister of charity
lying wounded upon battlefield, sup
ported by one of her sisterhood, each
wearing the peculiar white wide
spreading headgear Of their order and
surrousded by sympathizing soldiers.
The veteran, as he gazed at the pic
ture, said: ''In common with thou
sands of others, looked: for the white
bonnet as one would look for an angel;
and she came to me-
Inasmuch as this volume cannot be
purchased, you will undoubtedly be in
serested in having some of its best
points laid before you. In the pref
ace the author says: s<The sisters do
not have reunions nor campfres to
keep alive the memories of the most
bloody lustrum ia our history, but
their war stories are avs heroic, besides
being far more edifying than the veter
ans usually tell.
1.-THE chivalrous mem who wore the
blue and the gray, who caused Ameri
can manhood and valor to De known
and respected the world over have on
many occasions and iu 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