Year: 1863




When left the soldiers this spring,
with heavy heart, unfit any longer for
active service amo~g them, told them |
felt sur" ! would find something still to
60 for them, and am thankful i: has
proved SO. Among my pleasant Offices
has been this Of writing about them, try.
ing 70 speak a word for those who have
done SO much for US that every heart
should "delicht to honor" them. Moth.


ing in all my experience among them
struck NE more than the longing with
which they turn for sympathy and en-
couragcment to the people at home, aud
especially, as they say, to the "women at
home "What do they think Of us at
homer "What are the women at home
saying about Us, aud what are they doing
for us?' These were the questions first
upon their lips. 1t was pleasant then to
point them to the hospital stores with
which eur loa! was loaded, and say,
"That is what the women at home think
of YOU; this is what they are doing for
you' We might have toll them, but
We i 1 not, how many at home were luke
warm and Indifferent; or even NOR, how
many are living in peace and security in
their quiet homes so far from the war
that its tories Of suffering and bloodshed
seemed to them Ike ii.e tales. We
have toll them, but we did not, how en-.
'ireIy such people have forgotten the sol.
diors, never rousing themselves to think
that it was only ttat living wall Of brave
men and those banks Of graves that are
seen on every plain and hillside that stand
between our homes and the enemy, and
keep those very scenes Of suffering and
bloodshed from our he1r,hstoncs. On.
1t is hard that the very peace and safety
which the SO diers have bought for US
with their blood should be the cause of
our forgetting them SO often in their
need.


Those on y who have been among them
month afSer month, know what it costs
them to fight our battles and save our
country.


And yet they ask nothing from US as
right. Every hing we do for them they
receive with the deepest gratitude. "Why
do you take so much trouble for me-"
they asked US while nursing them. "We
are trying to repay you for all you have
done for U.S. we told them "Whv,
what did we ever do for you?" And
when We reminded them that it was to
save our country they had fought and
been wounded, that it was for US they
had lain all night upon the soaking
ground ready for the morning march, or
had stood for hours in rain and snow, q
picket on some dangerous utpost-when
we told them this, they said Eyes that
is true, but we never thought of it be
fore. 1t is touching to see their eathu-
slastic reception OF those who come to
take care oe them, and the child.like
confidence with which they cast them.
selves upon our willingness and ability to
help them. "Oh! boys" said a little
fellow to his sick companions, as the
nurses were bringing them into our boat:
sob! boys, it's all right now, far the wo
men have come down to look after us
He told us afterward, with quiverins
lip, how his heart had bounded at the
sight of woman, for "we knew they
had pot forgotten US at home," he said,
''when we saw they had sent you down
to take care of u.s.


This is their dread-to be forgotten.
eve are not discontented," they often
say to US, 1--WE are willing to bear all these
hardshIps, and we never mean to come
home till this thing is over; but we do
want the people at home to strengthen
and encourage u.s."


Tho soldiers look for this now more