The Washington herald., 1914-11-02
CIVIL WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
November IS64-The Sanitary Commission Was Carrying
Comfort Many Northern Homes BY Its Efforts Trace Soldiers Who
Had RepO. Manufacturing Incidents One Of the Sadd
Phases Of War
written expressly for The washington Herald,

I repeated in how many forms. in how
many homes, all over the land"
With the witness Of such griefs as
| these. while striving for these aIevia-
| tions of suffering in the field. there was
, the thought of those at home, who,
through long and weary months, have
waited for tidinss of those who have
d!ed. hoping for some explanation Of the
interrupted letters and the silence which
| to many, alas Is the silence Of the
grave.
And yet, in thousands of cases. this
| explanation never comes; and the sus'
pense is a living grief, a lasting sorrow
Men died every day and were carried
out to the deadhouse for burial, who
left no trace Of friends, hardly a name
| to be recorded on a head-board. Look
into that part of any soldiers burial
! field which is devoted to the unknown
and see the proportion buried there.
The constant sight OF the dead car
ried out for burial deeply touched me
and suggested a want. which might be
easily supplied. of a complete list of the
patients, with the address of their near
est relative. found that nearly all the
men had close family ties The men
being grateful for such appeals and re-
spending heartily to them.
/ I'm our hospital such list was at.
tempted. and its value was every day
| illustrated by the touching letters OF
thankfuIness received from homes which
were clouded indeed by bereavement
which but for such intelligence would
! have remained In that darker sorrow OF
! uncertainty until they should meet thelI
missing ones face to face in the other
] world.
Mothers wrote OF their 'undyins
| gratitude for the simple announcement
of the fact that their sons were In a
hospital; or they wrote BY the love you
bear your own mother. give me some
I tidings OF my boy. Is he alive? Where
can I see him? Is he dead? When and
how"
Seeking Loved Ones.
In Washington the sanitary commits.
sion had a directory which was as com.
/ plete a record as possible of names Ir
/ the Washington Hospitals. The chief Of
this bureau wrote thus in illustration oi
the value Of these records:
''Of the many scenes witnessed In the
bureau, I can only mention a few with
out attempting a description. A mother
has not heard anything of her son since
! the last battle!' she hopes he is safe but
/ would like to be assured.
There is no escape; she must be told
that he has fallen upon the Federal
| altar; an agony Of tears bursts forth
! which seems as II II would never cease
Another. less excitable, does not tire
| Of telling how good a boy he was.
No mother ever had such a son as he.
sobs a third. A father presents himself
| "a strong man. and yet young in years
\ to receive the same announcement, and
silks with audible grief, into a chair.
! Another, with pale face and tremu-
I lous voice. anxious to know. yet dreadine
! to hear, Is told that his boy Is in the
! hospital a short distance of: he grasps
my hand with both of his while tears
run down his cheeks, and without utter,
! ing another word leaves the room. 1t Is
very hard, my friend was said to one
/ mute with grief, but you are not alone
| I know 1t, sir was the prompt reply
! but he was the only one had
| "A woman Of more than ordinary in
| telligence and appearance, with almost
! brtathless voice. said: I want to find
my husband; I have not heard from him
| for several months. 1 have written tC
| the officers of his regiment. but do moi
! get any reply; can you tell me wher'
/ he isT'
"'wnl " you please to give me his namt
| and number Of his regiment %, yes
sir You will find him at Lincoln Hos
pital; the city cars pass near the build
| ing, and the conductor VIII point Il out
to you.' A, momentary hade OF incre
dulity Is perceptible: then turning he
1 full, deep eyes. swollen with emotion. sh,
/ gives one Iook-a fun reward for month
( Of labor-and in an instant Is In tn
street. Thus the varied scen'
| goes on"
tcOpgrsht. Isi4.l