Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-29

and patriotic interest only to the Crane
Army itself, the twenty-five surVlv'
ing civil war nurses, who are here
for their last encampment in the Ma
tional Capital are being paid especia
attention and honor by the members
of the q. A. R., affiliated organizations
and the public generally.
Like the c. A. r., the National Asso'
citation of Army Nurses is one ina
cannot be recruited and soon must aie
out. This is the one big reason why
the other patriotic orders are Vyine
with one another at this encamprneh'
to make the last visit here OF the
women who tended the wounded OF
the war-swept fields an occasion Tor an
unst,nted expression of the gratftuoe
and affection Of the Union in whose
preservation they took such an impor-
tant part.
Theee war nurses will see their boys
IN blue, many of whom they saVeo
from death ffty years ago. a as 'h re-.
morrow from the Peace Monument W, nc
the White House. from stand Dull.
especially for their comfort Iney are
wearing beautiful badges deslgne go
the .emi-centennial celebration, which
are the gift to them of the Grand
Army.
Regarded as Angels of Mercy.
The veterans look upon the nurses as
angels of mercy, and there is the
strongest of bonds between the ex-
soldiers and the fast-aging women VINO
helued to tighten the weary burdens of
the sick and wounded in the hospitals
during the civil war. They numbered
at one time about $50. but their ranks
have diminished almost to the Vahlsh-
ing point.
Arrangements for the care and com
fort of these ministering angels of the
battlefelds have been made by the
local members of the Legion OF Loyal
Women, who have engaged corps OF
competent nurses to take care OF the
war nurses
The committee in charge of arrange
ments is composed OF Mrs. Margaret
Knapp, chairman: Miss Grace PIERCE,
vice president of the legion; Mrs: Flor
ence Donohue and Mrs. Mary ". Moore.
The Associate Legion. which Is COM
posed of young women, VIII aid In en-
PERTAINING the nurses. Miss Ella bono
hue is president of the Associate Lee
gion-
The nurses headquarters Is at the
Hotel Gordon. The present officers are:
President, Rebecca l.. Price. Lancaster,
Pa: secretary, Coruelia Hancock, At
lantic City, N. j.; senior vice president.
Alice c. Risley. Jefferson City. Mo-: jul
nior vice president. Susanna Krips.
Philadelphia: chaplain: Emily Alder.
Melton, Salt Lake City. Utah: con-
ductor, Elizabeth Chapman, East st.
Louis. ILL.,; guard. Laura A. Newman.
Peoria. I'LL: treasurer. Salome NJ. Stew
p. Squire. sheboygan. Wis; press cor
respondent. Mary o. Stevens. Peabody.
Moss; custodian Of brooches, Clarissa
r. Dye. Germantown. Pa.
Early History Of Organization.
After the war was over Miss Doro-
khsa DIX gathered few Of these wom-
en- and an Organization was effected
In THE city. but there were lapses in
he meeting times. In 1892. during the
q. A. h encampment in this city Mrs.
Addie Ballou Of California, gathered
them again. but It was not until 1895
that the present organization was es-
tablished upon q arm basis. by Mrs
Emily E. woodley Of Philadelphia. The
ed By the poet-artist-nurse. Mrs. Addie
Baf1ou-
In becoming q member of the asso-
ciatiop tradition plays no part. for
that the applicant served at least three
months as a regular or volunteer nurse,
and the application must also have the
Endorsement Of the commander of the
G: A. r. post nearest the applicant.
The letters IN. A. A. NJ" are on the
bronze badge worn by the National As
ISOLATION of Army Nurses. To the vet
eran they bear varied meaning. but
soft hands and smiling faces behind
them. In reverence the hat Is doffed
and the attitude is that Of a son to his
mother.
Miss Dorothea Dix. was placed in
charge of nurses by the president, and
selected band of women. but there
were hundreds who went out with their
husbands, or upon the call to duty
when there was no relative at all in
the army
Mrs wittenmyer was placed In
charge of the Pennsylvania women by
Gov. Curtin. and with her were Mrs
Ellen NJ. Watson. Mrs. Emily -. Wood
ley. Mrs Emily A. Aston. Miss Cornelia
Kripps, Mrs. Della A. q. Fay. Mrs. Mary
F. Gardner, Mrs. Rebecca Lane Price
and a host of others, while Mrs. Salome
Myers Stewart nursed the wounded In
her own town, Gettysburg. and Miss
Kate L. Scott went out with the regi-
nlent from her own county.
Some Local Members Of Order,
In Washington can be found the
names of DIR. Susan Edison. Mrs Sarah
c. Edwards. Mrs. Anna B. Halstead,
Mrs. Ann Gridley. Mrs. Mary E A.
Woodwork. Mrs. Emma g. Brinton and
many others. while the west teens
with names and fond memories of war
time heroines.
Mrs. Rebecca Lane Price IL the ma
tional president of the Army Nurses
Association. During the civil war she
went from Pennsylvania and served as
q nurse under her maiden name of
Pennypacker. Her mother and sister
were also nurses. and II was said that
there were dve soldiers from that fam
lily. SO that there were eight in the
Pennsylvania.
Mrs. Alice Cary Risley. the senior
vice president, and her mother, Mrs
Phoebe Weston Farmer, were living in
New Iberia, on the Bayou Tasche. Lou.
fsiana, when the war broke out They
were northern people, and were looked
upon ~ Union spies. After two mobs
had gathered to hang Mrs. Farmer she
and her daughter ran the blockade by
way OF the underground railway" to
New Orleans-where all of their time
and money was spent in caring for the
sick and wounded in the various hos
pitfalls. and also at their own home
from August. 1852. to September, 1855.
at their own expense.
Wonderful Army Connection.
Mrs. saiome Myers Stewart, national
treasurer Of the Army Nurses Associa-
ton for twelve years. and who lives In
Gettysburg. Pa. nursed sick and
wounded soldiers in her fafher's bo,s.