New-York tribune., 1912-01-07
Fifty Years AffersOard
After Half a Century Women Who Helped Save
the Union Will Have Monument

was first on the front, nursing the wound
ed after the Baltimore mob. In june lsol'
she was made Superintendent OF Female
Nurses without salary, and upon her rest
ed the responsibility of choosing the wom-
en- who had strength and courage necessary
for the task. Part Of her wisdom was III
choosing homey ones.
Most picturesque, perhaps, Of all the army
nurses, though columns should be written
about each, was Mother Bickerdyke.' she
made the private soldiers her care, saying
they were dear to somebody and she would
he a mother to them. THAT homely hgure'
clad I'm calico, wrapped in shawl and sur
mounted with a Shaker bonnet, is more TO
this army than the Madonna TO Catho-
lie" one Of the officers said. She was OF
humble birth and Of rough speech careless
Of her personal appearance; her calico
dress was always catching on fire and she
would be put OUT by one Of her boys ana
go on with her work in her scorched dress.
She was a genius In executive ability and
indomitable in will. She would berate un-
faithful stewards with a terrible vehe-
mence. One morning the surgeon was
drunk and the men IN the hospital had had
no breakfast.
Here these men. any one Of them worth
a thousand Of you, are suffered TO starve
and die" she shouted at him, "all because
you want to he off upon a drunk. Pull
off your shoulder straps, for you shall not
stay in the army week longer"
The man was discharged and he ap-
pealed to General Sherman.
"Oh" said the general. IT'S Mother
Bickerdyke? Then I can do nothing for
you. She outranks me"
"She was as tender toward the soldiers
as she was fierce toward those who him
dered her in her work for them. After
the battle Of DorclsOn, when the relief
parties had discontinued their work for
the night, the general observed a faint
light fitting about on the abandoned bat
tlefeld. 1t was Mother Bickerdyke with
a lantern, still cropping among the dead"
Mrs. Livermore relates the story. "Stoop-
ing down and turning their cold faces
toward her, she scrutinized them search
ingly, uneasy lest some might be left to
die uncared for. She could not rest while
she thought any were overlooked who
were yet living"
fering, shows Mother Bickerdyke in an
other guise. One night freezing rain
and piercing mountain gale overturned the
hospital tents and beat upon the blood
less feeble patients. Only huge fires, set
close together, could save the men from
, freezing to death, but at midnight the fuel
gave out. The officers were helpless in
the terrible emergency. But Mother Bick-
erdyke. without asking for orders which
no officer would have dared TO give, told
the shivering men to tear down the breast
works made of logs. Immense caldrons
of hot drinks were made for men and
mules. The fires were kept up. From
tent to tent she ran all the night in the
icy gale, hot bricks in one hand and hot
drinks in the other. cheering warming and
encouraging the poor, sick fellows.
Then when morning came and the officer
saw the demolished breastworks he ordered
Mother Bickerdyke arrested for the unau-
thorized proceeding.
Madam consider yourself under arrest" !"
IAN right, major! I'm arrested! Only
don't NEEDLE with me till the weather mod
crates; for my men will freeze to death
If you do"
But when her boys in after days crowded
around her with tears Of gratitude, she
begged them for heavens sake TO stop
their nonsense and shut up"
Such was Mother Bickerdyke." Far diff
ferent was Margaret f. Breckenridge, slen-
der, beautiful, highborn. granddaughter OF
John Breckenridge, an Attorney General Of
the United States. "Ain't she an angel?"
the soldiers would whisper, as they heard
her sweet voice leading some dying COM
rade in a hymn. She overtaxed her
strength. but never listened to the pro-
tests OF her friends.
"You will die" they said.
'"Well. what II | do?' was her steady
answer. Shall men come here by tens Of
thousands and fight and suffer and die and
sbaII not some women be willing to die to
sustain and succOr them?"
She was taken at her word and died
erieving only that she was taken away
from the suffering soldiers. who needed her.
In the West Mary j. Stafford was the first
woman To enter into hospital relief work.
She became known as the Angel at Cairo"
rnInIsterIng 10 thousands OF sick soldiers
at her own expense.
Clara Barton, OF course, Is one Of the
most famous women OF the war time.
Louisa NJ Alcott was an army nurse. Bar
bara Frietchle was a real person, even II
she did get into legend. and Harriet Beech
er stowe with Uncle Toms Cabin"
helpcd bring about the liberation OF the
slaves The list is endless.
Besides the army Of heroic nurses, there
was another class Of women at the front
whom il has not been customary to admire,
though their bravery certainly Tar ex-
ceeded anything demanded OF the men.
These were the women VINO disguised
themselves and took a mans place In the
ranks. refusing to be separated from their
husbands, or like young girl from Brook
lyn. who was filled with the belief that
she was another Joan Of Arc sent 10 save