The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-09-10

and Christian Commission during the
war. and ii may be of interest to know
something of its personal doings. The
movement was first started early in
April 1861, by a small band of women |
from a church in New York City VINO
assembled for the purpose OF extend
ing a welcome and furnishing food
and comfort to all troops passing |
through the city. At so early a date
as this it was impossible to foresee |
or have any conception of what was |
before them. 1t really meant they |
must take care of all the troops from |
New England and nearly all from
their own state that numbered hrst
and last to more thar four hundred
thousand. The first permanent or
ganization was made April 29th and
was called "The Woman's Central AS
ISOLATION of Relief" Miss Dorothy
Dix a lady of great executive ability,
who was later appointed by President
Lincoln to have charge OF all the army
nurses foresaw that the simple reed
ing of the men was a comparatively
small factor in the work to be accom-
plished
There were hospitals to be fur
Inished with outfits and maintained.
Lint and bandages must be provided
for the wounded, extra diet, wine and
iellies for the sick and thousand ana
one other things that cannot be emu
merated In order to meet all these
requirements it was found necessary
to issue a call to all women OF the
country to come to the man. To per
feet such tremendous undertaking
quickly and Systematically required
skill and careful thought. However
the ladies were equal to the emer-
gency and it was only a short time be-
fore the supplies came pouring IN
from all sources and things moved
| like clock work.
won't say for dead certain that
the ladies didn't advise with mere
Imam in carrying out their projects II
they did | don't believe it's a matter
of record. They appointed a secre-
tary in every congressional district OF
the loyal states whose duty was to es-
ltablsh a soldiers aid society in every
city and village in the district, they TO
report all supplies to her and she to
report same to the general secretary
who sent out circulars from time to
time stating what was needed. The
society now became the u. S. SAM
tary Commission with headquarters
at Washington. Early in go there
I was a call by the ladies as I remem-
Der It for two thousand women nur-
SEES to go into the hospitals and before
they could supply places for them to
sleep double the number were at
hand ready for work.
As the war progressed hundreds OF
these women went to the front close
to the firing line that they might as
sist I'm the field hospitals. We have a
certificate nicely framed hanging IN
our Post hall that reads "Headquar-
,tters Woman's Central Association of
Relief. organized April %, 1861, dis
solved July A. 1865. Presented TO the
Soldiers Aid Society of Bennington
L in behalf Of the Army and Navy in
Commemoration OF our Common La
bors for the relief OF the Sick and
Wounded during the Great Rebel
lion"
1t is signed by seven ladies who
: had charge of the different depart
ments in the general office and coun
: tersigned by Harriet Jewett Morgan
j. as district secretary. Mrs. Morgan
= was the wife Of Doctor Benj. +. Nor
, gan Of Bennington Center and will bC
z remembered by our older citizens
; Mr.. Frank Morgan is n grandson anC
J. Mrs. Buel Sibley Of Union street. {
= granddaughter to whom We are in
a. debted for this official document n
Z a former letter relating TO men In th'
Z war found II difficult to find a place
6 to quit, so this time decided to WRIT
J.. something about women which woul,
J. require but little space. I have al
: ready written pages and pages on tn
L subject without sprlnging singl
funny story and It seems to me nov
II that have only begun, realizing how
3 ever that everything must have a
a end. ! am going back to my text o
u what women endured and relate fey
n personal incidents OF What occurre
e right here In our own families.
x To begin with, YOU must realiz
r that during those dark days mother
81 loved their sons. wives their hui
D. bands and sweethearts their beau'
le just as dearly as you do at the pres
"a ent time and In order for you 10 e
le a full realization Of what I wish {
r make plain. will ask you to pause IA
y moment and Just put yourselves
n. their places.
Of The first was q dear old widow lad
by the name OF Cole She had 81
~ strapping sons. four OF whom were oil
N enough to enter the service. Eugen
a. and Rem went with Colonel Walbrldp
n little later Felix and Norman wer
le with Colonel Pratt. and year late
Erslllne went with Captain Wlnslo
he hut was obliged 10 lie one year on nj
~ age In order to pass. This left onl
ID Charlie, a lad OF thirteen. who wa
IN crazy to go and finally did. the lai
ne year OF the war. enlistlng as drum
I'd mer In n New York regiment. 81
rs from one family She loved her boz
"a and she loved other good boys as
nj have reason TO know for when wei
H. there TO play and they got cookies
er had them too. Sometimes they won
ed coax her and she would set out OF
he Of those old fashioned dried app
Id pies an inch thick with lemon In
ce She did not make a solid top cru
OF hut cut II In strips and criss.crossl
n t. She said Il was not good WI
We and only did Il just to please the bo
ms My. but Il was awful good
es Then there was Mrs. Dunn. moth
or OF our street commissioner Russ,
on Dunn. Hers was the saddest exn,
We fence Of all here for she gave h
ut husband and three splendid sons
Ith die. They all belonged to Capta
I'd. Rays Company A, Let Vermont Cav.
air ~ and were with the regiment on X
'as nalrlcks famous raid in Fehruai
so lSei' The plan was to make da