Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-04


so from verbal "reminiscences by this
cstimable lndy--thc Conrodcrat" nurse.
The little book gives an outline OF this
courageous Southern woman's help. en-
crgy and sacrifice during those exciting
and troublous times. IL is truthful. un-
sarnishcd and far from sensational
book
Al the outbreak Of the War Between
tho states, Mrs. Newsom was n beauti-
full young widow. daughter of a Bap-
fist minister. She was born at Bran
don. Miss. but later her father. Rev
I. ;. y. King, moved 10 Phillips County.
Ark. There she grew to womanhood
and married DR. Frank Ncwaou. OF
Tennessee. This union was very happy,
nut. alas. of shor, duration. Ana when
death severed the sacrcd tics, she
sought surccasc from sorrow by min
isterng unto the wounded and dying
In the Confedcracy.
REARED AMONG LrNunIES
RENELINt' IN ROMANCES
Mrs Ncwsornc had been carefully
reared and cduratcd: she had rcvclcd
in romanc"s and grown IN amidst the
joys OF comforts lavished upon her by
Southern slavery. Therefore. her PRO
posed venture. at this carly stage in
her career. seemed folly and madness
TO her beloved parents. However, she
had determined TO become army
nurse, and entered into training for her
noble work. She willingly responded 10
the battles cry. and triumphantly
trailcd after the din and smoke OF -"
battlchelds. and established hospitals
all along her journey from state TO
State. III her efforts to relieve others
til. many SORROWS and horrors OF great
magnitude, her own WAS forced into
oblivion. Her heart aud soul blended
together in her new vocation, ana
whittier she went she was hailed as an
angel az mercy Her only companion
WAS faithful ma,d-scrvant reared in
her home.
Snc had wealth and SAVES 1T nor
command. and readily found need Cor
both in the Conf.dcracy- From her Dri-
vat" means she relieved and nouriSEcd
n multitude of suffering soldiers
whether clothed in gray or blue There
ono, however, in blue, who re-
ceivcd her special attention liz was
Colonel Ned Wentworth. relative OF
Long John Wentworth, Tho Congress-
man from Chicago, and she did not ic,
him suffer for hospital attentions.
The beautiful nurse knew personally
many OF the great Southern generals
whose names adorn historical pages
to-day, many Of them paid her social
calls. as well as complimentary hospi-
tai calls: also wrote her beautiful
friendship letters. Among these gen
erals We fnd J. u. Floyd. Of Virginia
the great freshman. Patrick Clcburne,
~ Arkansas: also. ]. g. Hindnan. a.
s. Johnson, Simon liolivcr Buckncr
later Governor OF Kentucky: Lconidas
Polk. John G. breckenridge the young
est vice president in the United States,
and many others. including J. W. Har-
dee. the gallant from Georgia. who
wrote her many letters.
FOLLOWS MARCHING TROOPS.
MINlSTERINt. UNTO ALI
Early in the conflict. Mrs. Ncwsom
prepared carload o! provisions and
hospital supplies and proceeded to
Bowling Green. ky., 10 alleviate Gen
era! Floyd's suffering troops; her. valu-
able assistance was greatly appreci-
atcd by officials and private. and hence
forward she followed the marching
troops and ministcrcd unto all classes
and conditions Of military Affections
Her wanderinss covered many miles
along scenes of death and Instructions
but she was brave, and faltcred not in
her duty. From Memphis. Tenn TO
Bowling Green. Ky, back 10 Nashville.
Chattanooga, Knoxville, Winchester
torinth. Shilo. Marietta. Atlanta and
many other cities and plains before
she arrived at Abingdon, Va. Having
been previously engaged to nurse in
Virginia. provided she was needed for
General Floyd's troops. she arrived at
Emory and Henry College. in hbinE-
don, Immediately after ii had been CON
Nerted into hospital by d.. Forbes
one of General Floyds surg cons After
caring for tho sick and wounded SOL
diers at the college. Mrs. Newsom de-
cidcd to avail herself of an oppor-
tunity to sec Richmond. the capital OF
the Confcderacy. Her health was not
good. and her strength. by her untiring
energy. had began 10 wanc However
she imagined that she might possibly
gain some new ideas, learn new meth
DDS by looking over Richmond's hos
pitfalls. whereby she could more sue
ccssfully combat with the distressing
conditions everywhere confronting her
Alas, for human hopes. She arrived in
the sultry early summer, Just after
tile battle of Seven Pines, The sIaugh-
tered were generously distributed over
the city. The gloom. the grief. the
dead the dying and the hospital con-
ditions were n replica of Others fresh
in her mind at Shilo. Corinth and else
where. which had almost sickened her
soul SO, in consequence of her frail
health. hcr stay was brief and her de-
sire Tor greater hospital knowledge was
unrGduieted.
SEEKS MORE IIEALTIJFUI.
CHANGE IN CONDITIONS
bern and Dublin for a more hcalthfuI
change In conditions. Later she went
10 Natural Bridge, also she spent n
short time at Buchanan. and recupcr-
ated rapidly in that section. At Buch-
Gnan she wrote n latter i'm the tower
OF the courthouse to her friend, Cen
eral Preston Smith, who was not as
religiously Inclined as the devout army
nurse.
After the war was over Mrs. New
som. not having any more visible
wounds to heal, nor hospitals to es-
tabltsh, did the next best thing In can
tivating Confederate officer, Colonel
Trader. However, this marriage, like
her frat was soon ended, but now she