Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-18
YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

Before the outbreak Of the civil war
there was considerable prejudice against
the participation of women
Woman In military work in any ca
r pacity. however humane. 1t
~ Ae0S' was early decided, neverthe-
less, to employ women as nurses In the
army hospitals This was announced IN
The Star OF June IL. 1851. as follows:
Tho Secretary OF War has addressed
letter to the surgeon general In which ne
says that during the present war. the
forces being made up chiefly of volunteers.
public sentiment and the humanity or the
age requires that the services OF women
as nurses should be made available in the
general hospitals, where, except In n very
humble capacity. they have heretofore
been excluded. AS many carefully Sc
lected women are in training In various
cities Of the loyal states. 1t is the order
and wish Of the department that women
be adopted or substituted for men now In
the general hospitals. wherever 1t can be
effected, and that only such women as
have received previous training for this
purpose be accepted as nurses, except
when these can no longer be had. And II is
ordered that none be received except
those who have presented their applica-
lions to a lady appointed by the depart
ment to preside over the volunteer Wom-
en- nurses and who shall have sole au-
thority to select and accept nurses. re-
curing their age 10 be above thirty. with
certificates of character and capacity.
Miss Dix has been appointed superln-
tendent of the women nurses. with the
exclusive authority to accept such as sne
may deem properly fitted for the service.
X x
AS soon as the southern Confederacy
became q fact and the first strain OF Sc
cession had been relieved by
Cousin the actual outbreak Of war
the natural good nature OF
0ally. the American people mani
Tested itself in a search for a nickname
for the newborn government. The Star
of June II, 1861, quotes as follows from
the Mobile Tribune:
1--WE must have a pet name Tor the
Confederate states Uncle Sam is turned
over to the Yankees as an inveterate ola
curmudgeon. Let us make Cousin sally
our watchword and ralIying cry. The
thought would be in harmony with the
chivalrous gallantry that should marx
the character Of the sons of the south.
Who would not fight for Cousin Sally?'
The Star commented as folloWs:
1.-The Star must insist. however. that
tho haptismal name applied by II to
Secessia. 1. e., Uncle Sambo, Is the leglti-
mate one"
One Of the arms much In evidence at
the outset Of the civil war was the So
called Enfield rifle. made in England. In
The Star Of June Is, 1851. Is
Enfield the following paragraph re-
n.a. garding 1t:
lille. 1.-The Enfield rifle is no more
nor less than the United States Spring
field rifle musket, christened In England
the Enfield rifle. after the place in that
kingdom where they are being n1anufac-
tured under the foremanship Of half
dozen master workmen imported from our
Springfield armory works. In this coun-
try the weapon is best known as the
American MIME musket. The American
mechanics above referred to carried me
patterns over to England with them
Nearly all OF them are back at Spring
field. after having spent some three years
In putting the Enfield Mimic musket works
in operation. The Enfield gun. like our
MIME musket Is of caliber So.
The great cannon Union" designed for
the Fortress Monroe Notifications. which
was dropped overheard at Baltimore on
being loaded upon schooner. was finally
recovered and successfully shipped On
it's VOYAGE down the Chesapeake it was
provided with buoys SO that II II had
again dropped over the side 1t could have
been easily located
When the war broke out the American
army was under the command of Winfield
Scott, lieutenant general. He
Gen. was in active service. though
So. far past the age now as
0CotI. signed for the retirement Of
officers In The Star Of June IA. 1861. is
the following paragraph In reference to
him:
Yesterday was the birthday Of the vet
eran Scott. Though seventy-five years
old. his mind was never brighter or more
vigorous than at present. He enjoys ex-
cellent general health and Is troubled
only with the annoyance at times OF the
results Of old wounds and bruises. which.
however. do not afffict him seriously. No
person connected with the public service
in these times of general exertion. labors
more hours daily or with greater ASST
duty: which proves his remarkable physi-
cal vigor. The country, we know WELL
will rejoice to learn this fact, for, wher-
ever there beats a loyal heart, abiding
regard for Scott. the hero and patriot OF
the age pervades 1t. We may not map
propriately add that he is entirely conf
dent Of the success of his plans for the
preservation Of the Union Of our fathers"
X X
The federal troops were being massed
in the neighborhood Of Manassas juno
ton, which. however. was
Manassas not regarded as an ideal
Junction. position for a large camp
1861. is this paragraph:
1.-THE impossibility Of quartering 10000
men at Manassas Junction is evident
from the fact that there are not only no
buildings for hospitals nor any facility
for erecting them, but there is not suffi-
cient water for one-fourth that number
Of men. The soil is principally of red
slate, and the nearest stream TO the juno
ton is Bull run. over five miles distant
There are no springs, and when the
troops were first stationed there, though
in small numbers, the few wells were
guarded and the water served out like
provisions. AS for washing, that is i'm
possible without a trip of several miles"
A SIMPLE, HEARTFELT LAY.