The Ordway new era., 1913-05-02
AROUND Tue
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WOMEN At ARMY ROLL CALL

WOMEN At ARMY ROLL CALL
Ms. John II. Mckay Tells Hew s,ss
Answered fer Her Sick hssbas1
st Camp Randall Wiz.
For six months In the year 1855
Mrs.. John H Mckay. Who now lives
At es1s Wentworth avenue, answered
At the daily roll call Of Camp Ran
dali. Madison. Wis. in company with
the soldiers Of the camp. She did
this in order that her husband, who
died nine yeafs ago. might not become
technically . deserter from the army.
We were living in LeClairs. Iowa.
in 1854" said Mrs. Mckay. my hus-
band had tried to enlist In Wisconsin
and lows. but he could not meet the
physical requirements. In October OF
1854 he suceeeded In entering the
Ninth Illinois regiment He went to
Rock Island to enlist and then came
back to LeClaire. The next day he
went to be sworn In and expected to
return to say goodbye to me. walt
ed on the river bank for him that eve
ming. and the man who had gone with
him came back alone. and said that
my husband had already been sent to
Quincy on the way to Springfield.
He went south into Tennessee. I
have an the letter. that he wrote to
me then. Not one Of them was lost.
and every ono Of my letstrs reached
him had gone back to Madison
with my two children and was living
with my parents. l used to send him
30 cents and two or three postage
stamps In every letter. and think
that the money kept him alive
7 intended to go to Tennessee ~
an army nurse with the wife Of the
governor Of Wisconsin. but the COVER.
NOR was drowned At st. Louis and !
had to take care Of his wife. I be-
came . nurse At Madison and saved
AL the money could. There vers
many southern sympathisers In Madi-
copperheads. they were called
and was sometimes ordered out Of
sick rooms when the patients found out
that my husband was in the northern
army
NY husband was sick and he was
at last sent to the hospital 1t JefIsf-
sonvills. Ind. The matron there wrote
me letter saying that she hoped I
would raise my children % that they
would meet their father in heaven. ~
cause he would b there By the time
got her letter. I remember At about
that time seeing my father coming
from the postoGacs with tears in his
syss and called out to him: oh, b
John AsaAr and he said: No, he's
httlo better. but Abraham Ltncoln q
kflleA' That vas n the middle ol
April. - :
4 vas goang 70 % 70 JsRsfsonvi1Is.
bat my brothsrin-law offered 70 % In
stead. and gave him money TO bring
hack my husband or his body. NY
brothsr.in-law went there and at Arst
he could NOT get into the hospital.
He inquired about his brother and
twies he was told that my husband
was in the deadhouse. but, - Il turn
ID out. Il was another man Of sxactly
the same name. Ny husband was st1ll
living. but the doctor said II would
not b for long. His brother nufssd
him for -four vssks and then brought
him 70 Madison. On the way they
bSVRPO0 ~ SneG080 ooO ny uU9O800
managed 70 get . big meal Of sausage
and pancakes while his brother WAS
not looking.
In Madison I took my husband
home. He was assigned 70 Camp
Randall. but the onlcsrs at the camp
sald could take him to the houss n
I would report at the camp every day,
20 that he would not b Q deserted.
10 every morning before brsakfast
went down 70 he camp and IN
through the gate. whore no other
women were allowed 70 pass. and
answered for him at ron call Ny
father or my sister o. my bfothsrin-
law oftsa went with ne. but thsy
were not allowed TO enter the camp.
Because he was allowed to stay at
home ny husband was saved TO i've
almost forty years"