Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-26
The Douglas House.

To the Editor of The Star:
am interested in the discussion of
the Douglas house. and perhaps l may
contribute something of interest regard
ing the locality where it stands
do not know which was built first
the house on the southeast corner of
and New Jersey avenue or the one in
the row on the northwest corner of
and 1st The latter was one of three
built or owned by Douglas. Rice and
Breckinridge all of national fame.
These three houses were occupied by
the Union forces and known as Douglas
Hospital The walls were cut through
and the three houses became one. and
had additional wards erected on the
west After the war the connections
were .bricked up and the west house be-
L. S Grant. Gen. William Tecumseh
Sherman and Mayor Emery
DIR. William Thomson of Philadelphia
was surgeon n-chief. and my company
the I'D. ID Battalion, Veteran Reserve
Corps, under command of Capt. Hanni-
bal d. Norton-was the hospital guard
In 1864, about May. when wounded
men began to arrive from the front, Mrs.
Douglas was. a constant visitor from her
home on the opposite corner. She also
visited the hospital, which stood where
the Seaton School now is. across the
street.
1t was the gossip of the hospital at
tendants that Mrs Douglas had been en-
name of Williams, but being quite young
was Influenced by her friends to break
with the poor army officer and marry
Senator Douglas, then prominent
prospects of being the next President of
the United States. She was not happy
after her marriage, and was quite young
when Mr.. Douglas died Capt. Williams
became colonel. and in one of Grant 5
terrible battles before Richmond was
badly wounded.
/ was on duty as receiving clerk the
morning he arrived at Douglas Hospital.
Mrs. Douglas saw the account of his ar
rival in the Morning Chronicle. and be-
fore Z o'clock that morning was at the
gate begging an opportunity to see him.
After some delay 1t was arranged that
Col. Williams should go to the home of
Mrs. Douglas. there to be cared for by
the regular nurses. In spite of his criti-
cal condition he was moved on the hos
pital bed SO gently and carefully that
he did not receive single jar.
The large parlor of the Douglas man.
sion was placed at the colonel's dispose l..
while Mrs. Douglas constituted herself
as his head nurse. Never did man
have more tender care Day and night
she was at his side, springing to his
call before any one of us could reach
his bedside. The love she had given
the young officer had never died. and it
shone in her face and eyes as she min
istered to him. and was apparent in
every Look. act and tone as she how
cred like ministering angel above his
wasted form. That he lived was due
more to her than to the skill of the emf
nent surgeons who were detailed to
watch the case. In spite of the delicate
situation there was never Il word spoken
by any one rejecting upon her.
II was a grand day for her when Col
Williams was assisted into the luxuriolIs
carriage of Mrs. Douglas, and together
they rode about the city. OF course.
there could be hut one ending of such a
romance. and all old citizens of Wash
ingtOn know what il was. 1T seems a
pity to have such old landmarks de-
stroyed, but it is rendered necessary by
the onward march of the city's progress
IL. a. DOBSON.