The Washington herald., 1914-04-30
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
April lS64-Ms Clara Barton Was Belle Plain Va Preparing Hospital
Supplies for the Coming Campaign Against Richmond Beginnings
Career of WOdd-Y Service to Humanity
Written Expressly for The Herald.

Fifty years ago today Miss Clara Bar
ton-famous in later years as the found
er of the American Red Cross-Tas at
Belle Plain, Va, a landing place on the
Potomac River. preparing hospital sup
plies Tor use n the coming campaign
against Richmond.
One of the first women to offer her
services in nursing the sick soldiers in
Washington, after the attack on the Mac
sachusetts troops passing through Balti-
more, Miss Barton had made a notable
beginning in a career OF philanthropy
that was to make her known the world
over. As a poor New England school
teacher she had started out single hand
ed to do what she could TO aid the
Northern soldiers. She was now known
throughout the army in Virginia
native of North Oxford, Worcester
County, Mass Miss Barton was the
daughter of Stephen Barton, who had
served in his youth as an Indian fighter
under Mad Anthony" Wayne. Clara was
the youngest Of six children. and be-
gan when very young to teach, labor
ing in various places in Massachusetts
and New Jersey.
she went to Washington. There friend
and distant relative, then in Congress,
obtained for her an appointment in the
Patent ONCE. where she continued until
the fall of 1851, when she lost the posi-
ton, for political reasons.
On the outbreak of the war, Miss Bar
ton desired to devote her strength and
what money she had been able to save
to the needy soldiers. Tet could she,
she asked herself, 60 with safety and
propriety among 10000 armed men and
say that no one had sent her? She
voiced these fears to her father, then on
his deathbed. He told her every true
soldier wdtild respect her. Thus encour-
aged, she started on her career in phil
anthropy.
Miss Barton in the Field.
Miss Barton made a beginning at rails
ing money to buy hospital supplies and
food by advertising in Worcester (Mass.)
newspapers, saying that she would re-
ceive stores and money for the wounded
soldiers at the front and distribute them
personally. The response was so gener-
Gus that she received supplies sufficient
to I'LL a whole building at the corner of
Seventh street and Pennsylvania avenue
In Washington.
She took the supplies to the front at the
time of the first battle OF Bull Run in
her own teams. 1t was not long before
the government recognized the value of
her services, and she was furnished with
transportation and permission to go to
the front wherever her services were
needed
BY the opening OF the Campaigns of
1862 Miss Barton had her service fully
Equipped She was. not in the Peninsula
|campaign. but was in the midst of the
campaign under Pope that followed it
An army surgeon who saw her at the
front wrote this OF Aer:
It first met her at the battle of Cedar
Mountain. August, 1862. where she ap-
peared in front of the hospital at u
O'Clock at night with a four-mule team
hoaded with everything needed. At the
VINE we were entirely out of dressings of
every kind. She supplied us with every |
thing. and while the shells were bursting |
IN every direction took her course to the |
hospital on our right, whore she found |
everything wanting again.
We began our retreat, and arrived on |
the disastrous field Of Bull Run. While |
the battle was raging the fiercest, who |
should drive up in front Of our hospital |
out this same woman, with her muies al /
most dead. having made forced marches |
from Washington TO the army.
The battle was over, our wounded re- /
moved. and we were ordered to Fairfax
Station. We had hardly got there before
the battle OF chantiIly commenced, and
soon the wounded began TO come in.
Here we had nothing but our Instruments
mot even a bottle Of wine. When the
cars whistled up to the station. the first
person On the platform was Miss Barton,
10 again supply us with bandages.
brandy, wine, prepared soup. jeIlies. meal,
and every article that could be thought
of She stayed until the last wounded
solder was placed on the cars, and then
bade u good-by and left"
A1s Barton Sollowss the army into