Year: 1863

and eighty sick on board, who crowded the
space allotted to them on the little boat to
great excess. A DR.. McCloughan, Of Red.
kuk, Iowa, was in charge, and he seemed
very grabbed, disagrceable old man--at least
no was so to me. did not ask for medical
assistance but once during the trip, and then
sent nurse to see IL he could not proctifs
something that would quiet my cough. which
was very distressing. He returned, bringing
with him an Assistant Surgeon, who had
but just reached my bedside as the Old Dec.
tor came along and told him he was needed
elsewhere; then fell to and gave me severe
reprimanding for calling the doctor and max
ing SO much trouble. found the cabin far
from comfortable. The staterooms wsrs
completely filled, and the cabin floor 80 thick
ly strewn that the nurses in attending to the
sick were obliged to got around by stepping
from one bed to another. On my right lay
an Iowa boy of tho Twenty fourth regiment.
He was out of his head and talked incesssnt-
ly. He was evidently home boy for he had
much to say Of his mother. He frequently
saw her in stateroom opposite, and would
call Justify to her to come to his bedside, Or
beg that he might be carried to where she
was. On my left was rather old man Of
the Forty seventh Indiana. He had been
sick he told me over nine months, and that
hc did not expect to get well, but only hoped
that he might live to get homo to his family.
lie never done 1t, though. Beth he and tho
one on my right died shortly after arriving
at the Barracks. Fifteen of our number
died on the way up, and about Is many
more within few days after reaching our
destination. Many of these went to thcit
death merely from want of proper care
There were no medicines aboard Of conse-
ouence, for they could not be procured, the
doctors said either at Helena, nor upon our
arrival at Memphis. The nourishment for
the sick, too, was far from what it should
have been; but would have consisted of but
little else than pilot bread had it not been
for the exertions of couple Of female nurs-
es, who done all that human beings could do
for the comfort of the sick.


JEFFERSON BARRACKS. .


Not far from o'clock P. N. OF the I'd Of
January we landed at Jefferson Barracks, and
never was more thankful for arriving at
any place in my life. About dark secured
seat in an ambulance and was driven to
Ward NJ Of the hospital. Ny treatment hero
was in such contrast to that had Of late
received that do not believe any man ever
accepted kindness with more greatful heart
than did dare say that Government has
no better conducted hospital, regarding all
things, than Jefferson Barracks Hospital
DR.. Few, who had charge Of Ward NJ, is an
excellent physician, very attentive to his pa-
tients, and kind hearted, unassuming man.,
The nurses, too, without exception were
kind and attentive-always ready and will
ling to go even to the utmost Of their strength
to alleviate the wants of the sick. As It was
in Ward NJ, understood it was in the sew
eral Wards Of the Hospital '..


TIE SANITARY COMMISSION.


I wish to impress upon the mind Of every
one who may read this by-no- o-means-severe
hospital experience Of mine that am an
earnest advocate for the encouragement Of
effort in behalf Of the Sanitary Commission.
From the commencement of my sickness /
had been continually under the blessed show
er Of its benificence, and now at Jefferson
Barracks, saw more plainly than ever be-
fore the good results Of its charitable work.
ings. Shirts, drawers, socks, handkerchiefs,
writing material, and SO forth, werc being:
constantly distributed among those who re-.
quiled such favors. Ifmy pen can do ought
to encourage the ladies in their Soldiers' Aid
Societies, or inspire men to open their hearts
and give freely to this blessed work, most
cheerfuly shall it labor, retaining not =
stroke where its influence may be felt.


lam DISCHARGED THE SERVICE.


On account Of my wretched cough and
hSNoShs SuuoS&thiS cPSio We VOh6S0 w
retain an upright position the greater por.
ton of the time One evening. ~ usual; L
was setting by the Are, bolstcred up in my
large char. had been thinking, thinking,
for how long do not know, nor Of what-of
home, perhaps when on looking up, I saw
very familiar face, bearing = very ques.
tioning expression. "Hank l" and my
brother stood at my side and held my thin,.
white hand in his strong grasp. had Been
a man till then-now was q child: This
was on the 9th Of January. On the 12th
following through the indofatigable efEbrtro Of
ily brother succeeded in Obtaining my die.
charge. The next day started on my homs-
ward journy-a journey had not anticipa.
ted as likely to occur for some month"; Al.
ter three days of very wsarisoms riding +
reached home. And now, after Eve dionths
Of severe sickness, am, BY the blessing of
Providence. enabled to write that the ptcdic.
ton Of the Doctor, on my leaving hospital,
that would not live six weeks 1t furthefist,