 Section 24, Chapter 19, Sisters of Mount St. Vincent. Angels of the Battlefield by George Barton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Reading by Rita Butros. Sisters of Mount St. Vincent. All work done by the Sisters of Charity of Mount St. Vincent during the war was of a high order. The first of the Sisters to enter the service as nurses were Sister Anthony and Sophia. Both were sent to Camp Denison, Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 1st of May, 1861. On the evening before that date, a peculiar holy calm was upon the beautiful convent, which is located on a hilltop just within the limits of Cincinnati. The structure, surrounded by cedar trees and well-cultivated grounds, had in it the appearance of nobility, religion, peace, and charity. The golden rays of the setting sun glanced then darkened as the Sisters were enjoying their evening walk. A messenger suddenly called for the superior. The mother leaves her religious family to attend to business. Only a few minutes elapsed when she returns to inform her sisters that his honor, the mayor of Cincinnati, and the most reverend Archbishop Purcell earnestly request the Sisters of Charity to attend the sick troops who are stationed at Camp Denison. There were no commands, all willingly volunteered to nurse the sick soldiers. Preparations were quickly made, and on May 1st, 1861, five members of the community were named for the camp. Sisters Sophia and Anthony were sent in advance, and Sisters Bernardine, Alphonse, and Magdalene followed. Camp Denison was situated about 15 miles from Cincinnati on the Little Miami Railroad. This location was advantageous for many reasons, easy of access with ample space and abundance of water, level and suitable for military purposes. Mother Josephine, the presiding superior, accompanied the Sisters to this new home. Their duties consisted principally in attending the soldiers who were suffering from measles, which had broken out in the ranks in the very worst form. After these soldiers had recovered health, the Sisters returned to the mother's superior house at Cedar Grove, Cincinnati. After the return from Camp Denison, a hasty call was received from the mayor of Cumberland to attend the sick and wounded of that place. Sister Anthony was among the number, and an amusing incident is related of the Sisters' leave taking. As the goodbyes were being said, the train moved off, carrying only Sister Anthony. She arrived in Columbus some hours in advance of the others, who boarded the next train. Arriving at the station in Columbus, she received a telegram from the most reverend Archbishop of Cincinnati to return immediately to St. John's Hospital to prepare for the sick and wounded soldiers who were there, being brought from different places. The Sisters named for Cumberland were Sisters Sophia, Ambrosia, Etienne, Agnes, Jane, Mary, and Gabriella. There they were kindly received by a Catholic family. Dr. McMahon, the attending physician, was kind and attentive. The weather was cold, the accommodations poor, and the hospitals, of which there were twelve, were some distance from each other. There were crowded into these hospitals at one time, 2200 poor soldiers suffering from typhoid fever, pneumonia, erosipilis, etc. The duties were very trying, but a murmur never escaped from the lips of one sister of charity. Almighty God and His glory being their only aim, all seemed easy. Sad and numerous were the scenes we witnessed in those hospitals, says one of the Sisters. Yet none presents itself more vividly to my mind today than the suffering of the boy soldiers longing for home and mother. How often were those endearing words mother, home, mentioned? Sister Jane says, I had in my ward a droll boy named Billy. Now our Billy had watched the Sisters for some time and addressed me thus. Lady, what is that I hear the boys call you, Sister? Ah, that is a beautiful name. Well, Sister, will you give me your Bible? I would like to know something of your religion. Billy received the little Bible, or rather a small Catechism, of which he made good use. He was soon baptized, made his first Holy Communion, and his zeal did not end here. Often have I seen him on a platform explaining the words of his Catechism to his comrades, many of whom became fervent children of the Church. Many hundreds of like instances could be cited, but I trust they are written in the Book of Life. Sister Agnes spent about three months in Cumberland nursing the six soldiers. She then returned to St. John's Hospital Cincinnati to nurse the soldiers who were being sent from Richmond and Nashville to the city. It was here I witnessed the most appalling sights, she says, men wanting arms or legs, and sometimes wanting both arms and legs. Hail, haggard faces, worn from long marching and fasting. Many, I think, died of broken hearts. Faces and voices haunt me yet, calling for home and dear ones whom they were destined never again to behold on earth. The streets of this now flourishing city were then the scenes of extreme suffering and misery. Frequently fine young men seated on their own coffins passed through on their way to execution on some neighboring hillside. About the 16th of February the sisters received a hasty call from Cumberland. Mother Josephine and Reverend Father Collins were to accompany them to the scene of their duties. They reached Wheeling about 5 p.m. the next day and received hospitality from the visitation nuns. The next morning, in the face of a blinding storm of sleet and snow, the sisters started for Cumberland, where they were met at the station by Dr. McMahon, the surgeon of the post. They walked in procession through the streets and were the objects of much curiosity. That evening they secured some rooms but slept on the floor. The next morning they were assigned some apartments in the house of a southern gentleman, Dr. Healy, whose sympathy with the south compelled him to leave home and family. The accommodations here were little better than at the hotel. The bunks were made of rough boards covered with straw ticks and the pillows were of the same material. Pages would not suffice to relate all the good done in Cumberland. Often during this stillness of night, one might have gazed on a sister as she stood at the cot of a dying soldier, heard her whisper words of consolation and religion in his ears, saw her close gently, his dying eyes. Thus they passed long weary nights. Early in March 1863, the sisters of Mount St. Vincent, who had already done valiant service in other localities, were invited to go to Nashville to nurse the sick and wounded of that place. Those named were sisters Anthony, Constantina, Louise, Benedicta and Gabriella. They left Cincinnati March 19, 1863 and were accompanied by Reverend Father Tracy. There were four hospitals at this place fairly well adapted for their purpose. Sister Constantina, who took charge of the first one, proved to be an angel of mercy to the poor invalids. The building was formerly an old cotton mill located on an eminence known as College Hill. The sisters were quartered in a small house opposite to this place and during their stay were treated with the greatest consideration. Many of the wounded were sent to this place after the Battle of Stone River. Most of the patients were young and they suffered intense agony. At one time, measles became quite epidemic among the soldiers from which many of them died. It was during the mission at this place that General Rose Krantz with his bodyguard made daily visits to the sick. He was want to say in his kind jovial way, Come, come boys, you are foxing. These sisters are too good to you. Then laugh heartily at his remarks. He was very kind to all the sisters. The next important call to duty was at New Creek. The sisters of charity named for this colony were sister Sophia in charge, assisted by sisters Anne, Cecilia, Beatrice, Stanlaus, Etienne, Lawrence and Benedicta. The chaplain was Reverend Father Corcoran. From the diary of one of the above named sisters, the following is extracted. We left Cedar Grove Academy June 9th, 1862 for New Creek. Arriving at our destination, we were assigned a tent erected for our accommodation by order of Dr. McMahon. This gentleman, however, soon procured better quarters for us with a family named Dinjas. Here we performed our duties of nursing the sick and wounded with energy and zeal. During our stay at New Creek, we were treated with great kindness and respect, particularly by Colonel Miller, who, although a Protestant, proved a sincere friend of priest and sisters. It is not surprising that our peculiar dress was a source of amusement to many persons who had never before seen a religious. We were frequently asked why we dressed so differently from other ladies. We are happy to relate that our care and kindness removed many prejudices against our religion. We remained at New Creek about three months, then the army moved to Culpeper Courthouse. We followed in ambulances and nursed the six soldiers in tents pitched on the campgrounds. Some of the soldiers had typhoid fever, of which disease many of them died. When the Confederates were victorious at Harbor's Ferry, we retreated to Washington once we returned to the Mother House Cincinnati. Gallipolis was the next assignment. The sisters named for the field of charity were sisters Louis, Ambrosia, Eufrasia, Basilia, Gonzaga, Lawrence, Konstantina, and Seraphine. About eight months after their return from Cumberland, they were ordered to this location to attend the soldiers from Winchester and Lynchburg. The wounded did not reach the hospitals until fourteen days after the battle. The misery and suffering presented was most frightful. The attending physician was Dr. Stone and the chaplain was Reverend Father Callenburg. Sister Gonzaga, a very holy person who has since gone to her reward, took quite an interest in little Toby, a little Darkie, who was conspicuous about the camp, and who endeavored whenever an opportunity occurred of instructing him in the knowledge and love of God. When she thought she had instructed him sufficiently and an examination would not be out of place, she called him to her and said, Toby, who made you? Don't know, sister, he answered. She then said to him, well, Toby, who made the trees, the grass, the flowers, and all these beautiful things which we see around us? The little fellow looked at her for a while and said, don't know, they was all here when I come. The soldiers in Gallipolis acted as gentlemen in their intercourse with the sisters. The sight of a sister was sufficient to check the least levity. Men who had been taught to look on Catholics as dangerous people learned to love and respect the faith which taught even women to sacrifice their lives for the comfort or relief of the soldiers. The Governor of Indiana made application to the most reverend Archbishop of Cincinnati for the sisters to care for and nurse his troops in Richmond, Kentucky. Sisters Anthony and Sophia were among the first ones sent. They traveled in ambulances from Cincinnati. The following are extracts from the diaries of these religious. Much, very much, might be said of our work at Richmond, but God alone could tell the story. Enroute from here, Cincinnati, we witnessed sights the most appalling. The grounds were covered with wounded, dying, and dead bodies. Some of the dead bodies were only partially covered, hands and feet protruding. The weather being very hot added not a little to the hardships of this scene of action. Arriving in Richmond, we began work immediately. The hospital had been an academy, affording wards larger and better than many other locations during the war. Shortly after attending to those suffering from the most severe wounds, a sister discovered a poor soldier crouched in a corner. For hours he had lain under the burning rays of the sun, suffering severely from a wound received in his shoulder. The flesh surrounding the wound was dreadfully mangled, and owing to neglect was swarming with vermin. Pale and haggard he looked, I shall never forget him. We washed and dressed his wounds and administered the necessary cordials, and when we placed him in a clean cot, the reader may imagine his joy. Another ward in this hospital accommodated more than one hundred men. Seventeen were lying on the floor, each of whom had lost one or more limbs. What shall we do with these poor men was the constant query. The first death that occurred was of a man who had been shot through the lung. He had been exposed to the heat of the sun and had eaten no food for hours. Everything was done for him, but his moments on earth were few. He received the last sacraments and died a beautiful death. His last words were thanks to the sisters. This death and its attending circumstances were the cause of many conversions. One pious Episcopalian asked the sisters for books on the subject of religion, saying that a religion which teaches gentle ladies such devoted self-sacrifice for suffering humanity must be divine. No page in history can record such noble deeds of courage and devotion as that illuminating the life and labors of these sisters during their stay at Richmond. Particularly noble was our much esteemed sister, Anthony. History can point to annals of devotion and self-sacrifice of noble women, but no annals are so rich in noble work and silent charity as that of our loved sister. Hundreds of men scattered over the states will always remember and revere her. She seemed happy when engaged in alleviating the sufferings of others, particularly of the soldiers. The following anecdote from the diary of a sister illustrates the influence that the religious possessed with these soldier boys. It is midnight. The moon sends her welcome light to cheer my watching hours. There is stillness all around, although many soldiers are suffering. But listen, I hear moans. A poor soldier is dying, must away to his cot. Yes, he was dying. I prayed then spoke. Now my young friend, you are going home. Home said the boy, what do you mean, sister? Why would you not like to go to heaven? Sister, are you going there when you die? I assured the boy that I sincerely hope to go there. Well said he, so do I. I called the chaplain, had the soldier baptized, and ere the morning dawned this beautiful soul was in heaven. This concludes chapter 19, section 25, chapter 20, The Sisters of Mercy. Angels of the Battlefield by George Barton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org, recording by Rita Butros. The Sisters of Mercy. None of the sisters who gave up their time and talents to the cause of suffering humanity did better work than the Sisters of Mercy. Their most conspicuous service was on southern battlefields. Although, like their colleagues in this merciful work, they were subject to the call of duty no matter whence it came. On the 19th of June, 1862, Vicar General Stars of New York applied for a sufficient corps of nurses to take charge of a military hospital in North Carolina. The proposition was laid before the Sisters of St. Catherine's Convent of Mercy in New York City, and the invitation promptly and cheerfully accepted. Nine sisters were selected for the mission. They included sisters Mary Augustine McKenna, M. Elizabeth Kalanen, M. Paul Lennon, M. Gertrude Ludweth, M. Paula Harris, M. Veronica Dimond, and M. Agatha McCarthy. The mother superior and mother Alphonsus decided to go with the party. The chaplain was Reverend Father Brule, a native of Hungary, 60 years of age. He had a long flowing gray beard, and while he was not possessed of an adequate knowledge of English, he was equipped with a valuable experience of hospital work incident to warfare. This was derived from long and laborious service in the French Army during the war which resulted in the taking of Algiers. The sisters, bad adieu to their convent friends on the 15th of July, and boarded the government boat Cataba, which was to take them to the scene of their future labors at Beaufort, North Carolina. The sisters were under the care of General Foster, who showed them every consideration. It happened that 500 horses destined for cavalry service were to be passengers on the vessel, and as the tedious and somewhat distressing process of getting them into the hold only commenced after the sisters boarded the boat, the Cataba could not leave the dock until the afternoon of July 16th. A non-Catholic officer writing from Beaufort at this time says, The Hammond General Hospital at Beaufort, North Carolina is eligibility located on the bay, the tide rising and falling entirely around the main building. It is under the care of the Sisters of Mercy, whose earnest devotedness to the noble task they have assumed is manifested in the cleanly condition of the place and the comfort and contentment displayed by all the patients. One kitchen, a perfect bijoux of a kitchen, is devoted to the use of the sisters, where they prepare every kind of delicacy which the condition of the sick require in such a manner as those good sisters only can prepare such things. The prejudice which exists in some ill-liberal minded persons towards Catholics would be very speedily and effectually dispelled. Could they witness as we have these worthy ladies, modestly but earnestly pursuing their vocation among the sick and wounded, with no hope of reward until he, whose divine example they imitate, shall say, I was weary and ye ministered unto me. Long may Sister Mary Madeline, the superior and her amiable sisters, be spared to pursue their work of faith and love among us. Our soldiers feel truly grateful to Mrs. Foster, the accomplished wife of our major general, for her consideration in bringing the sisters here. The structure, which was known as the hospital, is thus admirably described by Mother Mary Carol. It was a large building that had formerly been a summer hotel. It was so near the shore that at high tide, the waves rolled in and out under the timber props on which it was erected. It was a frame building containing 500 rooms. The sisters arrived in the midst of a heavy rainstorm. As they passed from the wharf to the building in single file, all dressed in black, the patients looking out of the windows took them for nine lone widows seeking the dead bodies of their husbands. The place contained no furniture except a few miserable bedsteads and was in a most desolate condition. There was only one broom and very few utensils. The broom in possession of Chloe, a saucy little negress, was seldom available. Along the shore were wrecks of pianos, tables, chairs, glass, etc. There were no candles or lamps and everyone was compelled to retire before night. Truly a forsaken habitation for women, the most of whom had been brought up in homes of comfort and refinement. The house was extremely dirty, and the sisters got very little rest the first night. The next day a transformation took place. The newcomers, with what assistance they could obtain from the natives, began the work of house cleaning. Bob Sprule, a young negro who was presented with a red shirt, was installed as water carrier. He was so delighted with the conspicuous but useful garment that he wore it outside of his Sunday coat and proclaimed himself the best dressed man in North Carolina. The first dinner of the sisters was a sumptuous repast of pork and beans and moldy bread, to which was added coffee sweetened with molasses. Eight rooms were assigned to the nurses. These rooms were located on the second story and opened out on a piazza, overlooking the sound. In spite of the great consideration shown to the sisters, they were compelled to undergo many privations. Two of the sisters, whose names are not recorded, died from the effects of these hardships and several were dangerously ill. Nearly all the patients differed from the sisters in religious belief, and their coming caused several humorous as well as pathetic incidents. Many of the soldiers had never met a real live sister before. Their minds had been installed with false notions, and it was some days before they appreciated the sisters in their real character and at their true worth. After the work in the locality was finished, the steward of the hospital confessed that he often sat up until one o'clock in the morning watching the sisters, fully expecting them to poison the patients or do some other terrible thing, they being confessed emissaries of the pope. The dress of the sisters scared some of the others. Great heavens shrieked one patient to the nurse that bent over him. Are you a man or a woman? But your hand is a woman's hand. Its touch is soft, and your voice is gentle. What are you? Only a poor servant of the great master come from afar to serve you, said the sister. Sister moaned another, I'm dying. I want to be what you are. Help me. What the sister believes, I believe, cried another, who had probably never known any religion. Sister, tell me what to answer when the priest comes to baptize me. When the patients finally recovered sufficiently to leave the hospital, they would offer little keepsakes to the sisters, a button, a shred of blue or gray, a pebble. With a fervent, God bless you sister, I'll never forget you. Pray for me. The sisters became part of the patient's lives. They did more than nurse them. They cheered them in their hours of despondency and wrote letters for them to the anxious ones at home. Some of the sisters, by reason of ill health, were compelled to return to New York. Their places were promptly filled with recruits from the motherhouse. The perfect discipline among the sisters, the spirit of humility and self-sacrifice that prevailed generally, was exhibited when the mother's superior in charge was succeeded by mother M. Augustine McKenna. Mother Augustine was one of the women who had previously prepared food for the soldiers. The patients and others were surprised to learn after the change that she was not only a person of great executive ability, but that she was also a woman of the utmost refinement and one of the most intellectual members of the sisterhood. In October 1862, it was found that Beaufort was too much exposed for the patients and they were removed to Newburn. The residence of Governor Stanley was placed at the disposal of the sisters. It was transformed into a handsome convent, the parlor being used as a chapel. After the raids at Goldsboro, all of the wards were crowded with sick and wounded. Americans, Germans, Irish and Creoles all came in the same ambulances with their clothing matted to the skin from ghastly wounds. They were all treated alike by the nurses who were working in the cause of humanity. Sometime after the war, Jefferson Davis, ex-president of the late Confederacy, addressing a number of the sisters said, Will you allow me, ladies, to speak a moment with you? I am proud to see you once more. I can never forget your kindness to the sick and wounded in our darkest days, and I know not how to testify my gratitude and respect for every member of your noble order. Mr. Davis met Mother Mary Teresa Austin Carroll in 1887, and he reiterated his expressions of thankfulness towards the nurses who had performed what he called a great work. Many other dignitaries and soldiers on both the Union and Confederate sides testified to the good services rendered by the Sisters of Mercy. Their labors, however, did not end with the war, for after that cruel period they busied themselves in establishing homes for widows and asylums for the orphans. The Sisters of Mercy also worked with unremitting zeal during the war at Mississippi Springs, Oxford Jackson and Shelby Springs. The Southern Sisters, after devoting months to the service of the sick and wounded soldiers in these localities, returned home to Vicksburg only to find that General Slocum had confiscated their convent for a headquarters. Father Michael O'Connor, S.J., formerly Bishop of Pittsburgh, was a personal friend of Secretary of the War's Stanton, and he at once interested himself in the cause of the Sisters after a brief correspondence their property was restored to them. In February 1862, the Mayor of Cincinnati applied to the Archbishop of the same city for a sufficient number of Sisters to nurse the sick and wounded soldiers of the Ohio Regiments. The application was sent to Mother Teresa, who not only complied with it, but headed the delegation of Sisters that went to the front. Grant and Johnson had met at Shiloh, and the Battle of Pittsburgh Landing was the result. The Sisters went down the river on the Superior, preparing bandages and other hospital necessaries on the way. There was plenty of work to do when they landed, and it was entered upon with zeal. A number of secular ladies also arrived upon the scene and insisted upon aiding in the work. The Sisters cheerfully accepted their assistance. In a few days, smallpox broke out among the patients, and the secular ladies suddenly remembered that they had important engagements elsewhere. They deserted the temporary hospitals with more haste than dignity, leaving the Sisters in undisputed possession. Mother Teresa was especially devoted during the smallpox epidemic, joining the other Sisters in personally dressing the wounds of the patients suffering from this loathsome disease. The Sisters of Mercy also worked zealously in St. Louis. They visited almost daily the hospitals on the fairgrounds in that city, where an average of from 1,000 to 2,000 sick and wounded men were being cared for. Many other visitations were made to private hospitals and private dwellings, where the necessities of the occasion happened to place the disabled soldiers. Particular attention was paid to the patients in the McDowell College used as a hospital for sick prisoners of war. The Sisters sent large hampers to this institution, filled with clothing and with delicacies in the way of food and drink. Some of the poor sufferers were stone blind, but as soon as they discovered that the Sisters of Mercy were among them, they would stretch out their hands crying, welcome sisters. If you had never given us anything, we would still rejoice to have you come amongst us with your consoling words. Three of the prisoners of war in the McDowell Hospital were condemned to be shot as a measure of retaliation, one of the cruel customs of the war. The sentence of death had been passed with all due military solemnity and the carrying out thereof was inevitable. Knowing this to be the case, the Sisters visited the condemned men in their cells and urged them to make suitable preparations for death. The unfortunate men received the Sisters with cordiality, but they were furious at the decree which condemned them to death and absolutely refused to consider any suggestions which would cause them to forgive their enemies. While the Sisters were pleading with the men, an armed guard stood at the door and two other sentinels paced up and down the corridor with a regularity and grimness that filled the scene with awe. Finally, perseverance conquered. The doomed men relented and a clergyman accompanied them to the scaffold. They were blindfolded when making fervent acts of contrition and while engaged in this pious devotion were launched into eternity. One of the duties that devolved upon the Sisters during the war as well as thereafter was the care of the widows and orphans of the soldiers. There was one pathetic case in the McDowell institution. It concerned two little girls, daughters of southern prisoners. Their mother and married sister had died in the prison and their father was among the missing. The little ones were seriously ill when they were brought to the attention of the Sisters. They were in such a sad plight that their clothes had to be changed in the yard and the cast-off garments buried. Baptism was administered to them and their physical needs given immediate attention. The younger child, about eight years of age, died a few days later. The other recovered and was instructed in the ways necessary for a life of virtue and usefulness. At the close of the war she was claimed by her father. He had searched the city in a vain endeavor to find his offspring and when he had all but abandoned hope located her in the House of Mercy conducted by the Sisters. On being given positive pledges that the child would be properly cared for the Sisters restored her to the Anxious Father. Mary Mulholland, who became known as Mother Frances of the Sisters of Mercy, did wonderfully effective work during the war. She was born in Armagh, Ireland in 1808 but came to this country when a mere child. Her one desire was to become a member of one of those devoted sisterhoods that gave their lives to the service of the Creator. In spite of the opposition of her parents, this object was finally achieved. The opportunity came when Bishop Quarter engaged a colony of Sisters of Mercy for Chicago in 1843. The journey to the western city was by stage and boat. A terrific storm arose while the party was crossing Lake Michigan. A highway swept over the deck of the vessel carrying men, women and children into the angry waters. Mary Mulholland was one of those that went overboard and when a brave man, a Mr. Ogden, who afterwards became the first mayor of Chicago, attempted to save her, she cried, leave me to my fate, save the others. He did save others but he saved her too for a future of usefulness and good works. The future mother of the order received the white veil from the bishop in April 1847 and was professed by dispensation December 28, 1848. Her business accomplishments made her a valuable member of the community. Speaking of the experience of this good woman in the Civil War, Mother Carol says, When the Civil War broke out, Mother Francis organized among the Sisters a band of volunteer nurses to minister to the sick and wounded on southern battlefields. She accompanied them to Missouri and set them to work. In Chicago she looked after the soldiers, whether sick or prisoners. A sister who shared with her the fatigues of these great works writes, Many soldiers crying out in agony on their hard beds blessed her as she passed her holy hands over their burning brows. The absent fathers and mothers for whom they called could not come but this gentle, humble, self-sacrificing soul supplied their places. A southern lad of 18 cried like a child when she laid her hand on his clammy brow. Oh God, he murmured, I thought you were my mother. She prepared him for death and he died in her arms. Mother Francis was a power in the prisons and hospitals when the most influential gentlemen and committees were refused admission. There were so many sympathizers with Confederates in Chicago that a general uprising between Federals and Secessionists was often feared. Whenever or wherever the Sisters of Mercy appeared, the sick and wounded soldiers, whether in blue or gray uniform, were abundantly supplied with everything necessary for their comfort. Once when Secretary Stanton refused to supply more rations during the current month, the case was laid before the President who wrote, To all whom it may concern, on application of the Sisters of Mercy in Chicago of the Military Hospital in Washington furnished such provisions as they desire to purchase and charge the same to the War Department, signed Abraham Lincoln. After the war, Mother Francis continued her useful work in many convents of her order, dying peacefully on December 8th, 1888. End of Chapter 20. Section 26, Chapter 21, The North Carolina Hospitals, Angels of the Battlefield by George Barton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org recording by Rita Butros. The North Carolina Hospitals. There were many incidents of interest in the hospitals at Beaufort and Newborn, North Carolina, told by Mother M. Augustine McKenna to her niece, sister Dolores, and other members of the community of the Sisters of Mercy. Some of these were incorporated in a neat little book called The Milestone, issued last year to commemorate the Golden Jubilee or 50th anniversary of the Sisters of Mercy in New York City. The principal points are embodied in the paragraphs that follow. Beaufort is a village on a little peninsula that runs out into bog sound. It is directly opposite to Fort Macon, which is built on an island in these shallow waters. Before the war, Beaufort was a place of fashionable resort for sea bathing, and its principal hotel, though a framed building, contained 500 rooms and was elaborately furnished. But having been sacked in the spring of 1862, everything of value was destroyed. It was therefore in a sadly denuded condition when it was utilized as a hospital and made the temporary resting place of 200 disabled men just two months previous to the coming of the Sisters. Only the common army rations had been provided for these sufferers, and their situation was painful in the extreme. A complete dearth of utensils in every department marked the early management of the hospital. There was no modern means of washing clothes. It had to be done with a few small old-fashioned tubs and the untrained hands of some escaped field slaves. No artificial light of any kind, not even a candle, could be procured at that time in Beaufort, and there was no proper food or refreshing drink for the patients. The Sisters sent an urgent requisition to the United States Sanitary Commission, and very soon the hospital was amply provided with all necessaries and many comforts in the line of dressing gowns, towels, sponges, cast-steel soap, ant-clines, cologne, etc. Even in the midst of such suffering, many amusing incidents frequently occurred, as for instance when a sister undertook the task of getting the kitchen cleaned. This establishment had been, until now, under the control of a certain functionary called the kitchen steward. He was a native of Maine, of short, stout belt. Never wore shoes, on account of the heat, he said, but always wore an immense straw hat in the house and out of it, and constantly sat in a wheelbarrow at the kitchen door with a huge bunch of keys dangling from the belt of his ticking apron. He was a woodcutter in his native forest before he was drafted into the army. He could neither read nor write, and his name was Kit Condon. The Negroes and indeed his fellow soldiers called him Mr. Kit. It took a great amount of persuasion to induce Mr. Kit to relinquish his keys, the token of his dignified office, to the North Lady as the sister-in-charge was called, and he eyed the cleaning process from his wheelbarrow with evident disapproval. Mr. Trip, a soldier six feet high, was another important personage in the culinary department, and this with Edward the Baker who made his cookies, buns, pies, etc., on the marble top of a ruined billiard table, completed the kitchen force. The renovating that kitchen received was marvelous. Piles of greasy sand were swept into the ocean through a never-to-be-forgotten hole in the very midst of the kitchen floor. The house being built on piles or timber supports, this portion of it was directly above the water. After the debris of a meal had been thrown them through this opening, the fishes could be seen by hundreds when the tide was in, and nothing could surpass their voracity. Unless indeed it was their qualsomeness, for they seemed bent on annihilating one another. One day much excitement was created by the arrival of an escaped slave. A tall young girl was seen running breathlessly across the sort of bridge or causeway that connected the hospital premises with the village of Beaufort. She was quickly followed by an elderly Southerner, and he was very close to her when she got to the end of her perilous race. The soldiers cheered her wildly and called to her that she was safe with them while they pointed their bayonets at her pursuer, and swore in no measured terms that they would pitch him into the sea if he laid a finger on the girl. However, some of the officers took up the case and brought both man and girl into the general's office in order to come to an understanding. The man cried out, she is my gal, she is my gal, she was born upon my place, she is mine. But the general would not listen to this claim and told the man the girl was free from the moment she claimed the protection of the army. She was all trembling and exhausted with fear, fatigue and excitement, and during the remainder of that day, she had to be encouraged and consoled and petted like a baby, although she was 17. Her name was Ellen, and she had a sweeter face and softer manners than are generally found among colored persons. Towards the end of October, the tides became very high and the water was driven under and around the hospital with greater impetuosity by the wind. On one occasion, the water was profaned enough to invade the hall where a good old Unitarian minister held forth to his sparse congregation and the meeting had to be discontinued. The next tide was still more daring for it swept clear through the kitchen and dining room, leaving in both a debris of dead crabs and little fish, not to mention seaweed of every variety. All this rendered the place very uninhabitable, and General Foster with his usual thoughtfulness authorized the sisters to move to Newburn and to take possession of the Stanley House, the officers and doctors receiving orders at the same time to remove the patient's thither as soon as possible. The two sisters sent to inspect the prospects in Newburn had a delightful sail in an open boat through the sound, past Fort Macon and past the Sea Green Islands onto Moorhead City, which city consisted of 12 houses and a few shanties. On arriving at Newburn, the sisters were agreeably surprised at the aspect of the Stanley House, so-called because it had originally been the home of Governor Stanley of North Carolina. A handsome lawn or courtyard lay in front of the house. Beautiful large cedars grew within this enclosure and as their berries were now ripening, flocks of mockingbirds were rejoicing in their branches and filling the air with their own inimitable harmony. In a corner stood a grand old pride of India, the first tree of the kind the sisters had ever seen, climbing roses clustered around the windows and numbers of little songsters made their abode in the foliage. The house was fine and in perfect repair, having been used as General Burnside's headquarters. It had not been ransacked or rifled as most of the other houses had been. Of the two large, handsome parlors, one was set aside for a chapel and a beautiful one it became soon afterwards. In the last week of October, the hospital at Beaufort was vacated and the six soldiers were much more comfortably settled in their winter quarters. The hospital was distinct from the Stanley residence and consisted of three houses and several newly erected pavilions. A nice shady path and a large garden separated these from the sisters domicile. In December 1862, General Foster, with a large detachment of the men under his charge, made an attack on the town of Goldsboro, North Carolina and almost ruined it. An immense number of soldiers were wounded and as the doctors' stores had not arrived, the surgeons had no old linen or lint with which to bind up the wounds of the poor sufferers. For this reason they presented a most fearful spectacle. Some had their heads and faces wrapped in coarse cloth and were so besmeared with blood that the sight was a painful one. Others, indeed the greater number, had either won or both feet in a terrible condition, the feet having been pierced with balls. There were broken legs, broken arms and one unhappy victim had both hands shot off and the condition of these agonizing wounds was something terrible. The first task of the sisters was to feed the wretched sufferers who had had but little care bestowed upon them. After that the difficult and distressing duty of cleansing their wounds was undertaken and was left entirely to the sisters. One very large man named Sherman, an Englishman, had his mouth and chin so shattered that the doctors decided that his mouth had better not be touched as he must certainly die. However the sisters with soft sponges and warm water began to loosen the horrible rags with which the poor man's face and head were covered. He poor fellow had heard enough of the doctor's opinion to render him hopeless and when he found that efforts were being made to relieve him he tried to evince his gratitude by signs. When the wraps were removed blood began to flow from his mouth and a sister took out with her finger several loosened teeth and thus greatly facilitated his breathing. The utmost possible care was taken of this patient and the satisfaction of seeing him perfectly restored to health though disfigured in a dreadful manner was in itself a great reward. The dumb gratitude he displayed when he came to say goodbye as he was leaving the hospital was very pathetic. Another interesting case was that of David Brant, a ruddy-faced lad about 18 years of age. He was suffering in some way that could not at first be discovered. It was noticed that he kept moving his feet in a distressing sort of way. These members were uncovered when to the surprise of the sister attending him. It was found that he had still his boots on and that they seemed ready to burst. Some of the soldiers at hand came with knives and cut them off piece by piece with great difficulty. And then alas it was found that veins of the boy's legs had burst open and his boots were filled with clotted blood. The doctors were sent for and had great trouble in stanching the blood and in tying up the arteries. It need hardly be added that the poor lad died the next day in great agony. He was the victim of a forced march in which the men were made to run for several miles without stopping. The sisters wrote to his father the least painful account possible of the poor son's death and received a most grateful reply. The bereaved gentleman adding that but for them he would never have known the real truth of the sad event. Hyrum was a victim of camp fever. Unfortunately for him he had been kept in camp too long after he took sick and the fly blister had been applied to the back of his neck. Some of his comrades took it off but applied no dressing of any kind so that the coarse blue flannel collar of his shirt grew into the raw sore and his hair also festered into it. It was his cries that first attracted the attention of a sister for he was brought into the hospital in this condition. She found a soldier trying to relieve him by applying a coarse wet towel and cold water to his neck and this caused the screams of the sufferer. A soft sponge, warm water and castile soap came into requisition here and when the hair was cut so as to free it from the sore and the gathers of the shirt loosened from the collar the poor boy began to feel a little relief. As he lay with his face buried in the pillow he did not see who was attending him. Who was doing that? A sister of mercy was the reply. No said he, no one but my mother could do it. By degrees the sore was nicely dressed with soft old linen and cold water the only dressing allowed by the doctors and then Hyrum stole a glance at his new friend and nurse. What are you at all was the first question. The sister tried to make him understand what a sister of mercy does or tries to do for those who suffer and he sank back in his pillow saying I don't care what you are, you are a mother to me. He was only 16, full of bright intelligence and wit but after suffering dreadfully for six weeks from the fatal fever he died in the arms of his father who had been apprised by the sisters of War Hyrum's condition and had come from Boston to remain with him. Many such sad incidents might be related but no doubt such are the records of every hospital. The sisters continued their services until May 1863 when General Foster under whose protection they had been able to affect much good was ordered to Tallahassee, Florida where there was no need of a military hospital. The necessity for the sisters was now not so great in North Carolina most of the poor men having been released from their sufferings many by death and others by recovery so preparations were commenced for returning to New York. The sisters felt very much for the poor Negro girls who had attached themselves to them so affectionately and who in their simple ignorance thought that the North ladies could do anything and everything. Some very amusing incidents took place in connection with our contra bands one night a sister having forgotten something in the kitchen went for it at a later hour than usual all the Negro girls and women who worked for the hospital scrubbing, washing, ironing, etc. slept in the rooms over the kitchen and the sister hearing peels of laughter did not think it beneath her dignity to act the part of a listener under these colored circumstances. She therefore went noiselessly up the stairs and to her great amusement heard herself perfectly imitated by one of the girls this sister had for many months been giving the general instructions to the women and girls now she heard the very tones of her voice and the manner of her delivery most perfectly reproduced another genius undertook to represent another sister and so on until every sister was portrayed to the great delight of the company the members of which never dreamed of the amused listener on the kitchen stairs. The solicitude of the sisters for the welfare of their patients frequently caused warm friendships that continued long after the close of the war Sister Mary Gertrude and Mother Mary Augustine were two of the sisters attached to the hospitals in Beaufort and Newburn. One of those cases that came under their care was that of Charles Edward Hickling of the 45th Regiment, Massachusetts volunteers. The bravery and manliness of this young soldier won the hearts of all. Illness contracted in the service finally caused his death in 1867 he bore all his suffering with great fortitude. During his illness the sisters visited him at his home and after his death sent consoling letters to the bereaved family. These letters show the tender sympathy and general interest of the sisters toward the soldiers to such an extent that the writer feels justified in giving brief extracts from what were intended to be personal missives. Sister Mary Gertrude, under date of January 3, 1868 wrote to the parents, how can I express to you in adequate terms the very great grief and affectionate sympathy I feel toward you in your great affliction. May God be your comfort and your refuge in this trying hour. Foreign sufferings such as these no creature can give you consolation. We must look higher. He who sent the cross can alone give the power to sustain its weight. Do not give way to despondency, my very dear friends. The dear boy has only gone before you for a time. We are all hastening towards our turn. In a very little time we too shall have passed the eternal gates there to meet all we have loved and lost and with them praise the tender mercy of the good God to us whilst in our exile. I have been and am still with you in thought and spirit going through the least detail of all the trying circumstances of this sad bereavement. Mother Augustine who was the superior of the sisters at the Newburn hospital writing to a devoted friend, Miss Susan Messenger said on January 4, 1868 so our brave soldier boy is gone. His long and trying march has brought him to the goal and in his young enthusiasm he has gone to join the numerous band of those who were his companions in the field and in the fight in danger and in privations, exposure and fatigue but not in the long years of patient and heroic endurance which requires more of a martyr's fortitude than a soldier's courage. Dear Charles, he is the last of our soldier boys the last link that bound us to the Boston Regiment the brave Massachusetts volunteers whose heroism we shall never forget. Eternity. Dear Charles knows its wonders now let us pray that we may so live so use our powers here that our eternity may be with those who have fought their way through the trials and sorrows of life to its unending peace. End of Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Part 1 of Angels of the Battlefield This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Angels of the Battlefield by George Barton Labor's in the West Part 1 Soon after the beginning of the war the Irish Brigade was organized in Chicago by Colonel Mulligan whose life was sacrificed in the Union cause He was a devout Catholic and a warm friend of the Sisters of Mercy As his command were nearly all Catholics he determined to secure the services of the Sisters in behalf of his sick and wounded and before his departure from Chicago called on Reverend Mother Francis from whom he obtained the promise that the suffering among his soldiers should be cared for by her children This is the mother of whom a brief sketch is given in a previous chapter The regiment left Chicago in the summer of 1861 and was finally stationed at Lexington, Missouri On September 3rd, six Sisters of Mercy escorted by Reverend Mother Francis and her assistant left Chicago under the care of Lieutenant Shanley The superiors were to return when the Sisters were settled in Lexington The hospital was to be in charge of Sister Mary Alphonsus Butler assisted by her companions to those who had never been within sight or sound of war's alarms This appeared to be an undertaking of no small hazard The Sisters believed they were risking their lives Yes, said one I was fully convinced I should never see Chicago again They went by St. Louis to Jefferson City from which point they were to proceed to Lexington During their stay in Jefferson they were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Mosley who were ardent sympathizers with the Southern cause Nothing could exceed their attention and kindness to the Sisters, to whom they showed every mark of respect When Mr. and Mrs. Mosley withdrew to St. Louis they left their beautiful home at the disposal of their valued guests It was rumored that Confederate forces were stationed along the river banks and that communication with Lexington would be speedily cut off The Sisters, therefore, embarked on the first boat leaving Jefferson, the Sioux City which was to carry them to their destination It was under command of Lieutenant Shanley who was conducting a detachment of troops to Lexington Several ladies were on board among whom was Mrs. Mulligan who, with her infant daughter, was going to join her husband As the steamer proceeded up the river the rumours of danger ahead became more and more alarming At length, at the earnest request of some of the ladies Lieutenant Shanley gave orders to return to Jefferson On reaching that city the officer in command directed that the ladies who were not willing to undertake the voyage should be put ashore and that the Sioux City should resume her voyage to Lexington The second attempt, however, proved that the alarm of the ladies was not unfounded Danger was constantly apprehended It was given out as certain that the Confederates were stationed at Glasgow, a small town on the Missouri When the boat came within a few rods of it the Confederates were seen rushing from the woods on both sides of the river Sister Marie-Alphonsus, who was saying her office on deck saw the men on the right bank uncovering a cannon and preparing to fire She hurriedly entered the state room saying Here they are! Who? asked a sister The Confederates, she replied While they were still speaking they heard the whizzing and rattling of bullets outside The head of the boat was immediately turned but the firing from both sides of the river continued for some minutes Had the assailants waited till the boat had come within range of the cannon, nothing could have saved her Their impetuosity defeated their attempt As it was, the escape of the boat was considered miraculous The sisters afterwards met a gentleman who had been among the Confederates at Glasgow on that occasion He told them that the Southerners never could account for the escape of the Sioux City There were five hundred infantry on the right bank and one thousand cavalry on the left No one on board was wounded but the craft was very much damaged The pilot house was completely riddled as the Confederates had aimed particularly at the helmsmen The Southerners afterwards declared they did not know there were women on board when they fired on the boat Above all, the sisters for they were especially courteous to all who wore the religious habit During the danger the other ladies were placed by the officers in the part of the boat which was least exposed The sisters stood in readiness to wait on the wounded but blessed God that there were none such at this time When the peril was over one of the sisters caused much amusement by saying I continued to say my office all through the firing so that I might have it finished before being shot During the return voyage much apprehension was felt because the Confederates were supposed to be an ambush at different points About ten miles below Glasgow the boat stuck in a sandbar and the efforts of the men to release her were more terrifying than the southern bullets This was the last attempt made to reach Lexington Meanwhile, Colonel Mulligan's brigade of 2,000 men was surrounded by Price's men supposed to number 20,000 For three days the brigade made a gallant resistance Their supply of water had been cut off for 48 hours when they surrendered to General Price September 20th, 1861 The general proved himself a generous enemy The conduct won the esteem and gratitude of his distinguished prisoner The two men became sincere friends before they parted The sisters continued to occupy the Mosley residence They experienced the greatest kindness and respect from the colored people left in charge of it to the simple souls they were a great curiosity The old housekeeper wanted all her friends to come see the sisters and numbers responded to her ardent invitations These guests were puzzled to account for the want of resemblance between persons related to each other, as they thought, in the first degree You say this lady is your sister, said one, but she doesn't look like you at all, nor this one either It took some time to make them understand that the relationship was not in blood but in spirit and profession The Jefferson City Hospital for the Sick and Wounded was placed under the care of the sisters This charge they readily undertook at the request of the authorities as the original project of going to Lexington had proved impracticable They found the poor soldiers in wretched condition The hospital, a very recently established institution, had not yet sufficient furniture Convalescing soldiers, who were the only nurses could not be expected to bestow on the sick the tender care they required No woman of a religious order had ever before been seen in Jefferson As such of the soldiers as had heard of them had heard little that was construed to their advantage The sisters, therefore, on taking charge of the hospital met with a very cold reception They showed neither surprise nor annoyance at this and very soon the coldness and prejudice disappeared being followed by appreciation and gratitude On entering the hospital they found a poor soldier in a woefully neglected condition lying on a blanket laid on the floor One of the sisters requested the nurse to allow her to have a little water When she received it she knelt beside the poor sufferer and bathed his face in hands The nurse, a rather stern person, stood by during the process May I ask, madam, said he, when she finished Is that man a relative of yours? No, sir, she replied I never saw him before We are here to take care of the sick and we attend every patient as we would our nearest and dearest relative In a short time the sisters, by their self-devotion had gained the good will of the inmates and officers and the hospital began to wear a better appearance It took a good while, however, for the citizens and soldiers to become so accustomed to the sisters as always to recognize them as such One morning, as they were going processionally to mass they met a new detachment of soldiers who stepped aside to allow them the sidewalk They kept a respectful silence until the sisters had passed when one turning to another inquired Who's dead? When General Fremont and his staff came to Jefferson they at once visited the six soldiers Desiring to have an interview with the sisters the general was shown to their apartment just as they had assembled for their frugal meal When he knocked the door was opened and to their great astonishment he and his staff in brilliant uniform stood before them The interview was a very pleasant one General Fremont was, on all occasions most courteous to them and granted everything they asked Eloquently did they represent to him the wants of the poor soldiers for whom he promised to provide and his promises were religiously kept This officer was noted for his kindness to his soldiers especially the sick The sisters also received several visits from Colonel Mulligan and his brave little wife an old pupil of theirs When she heard of her husband's capture although she had but just recovered from a severe illness she made her way across the country to Lexington to comfort him by her presence Soon after he was paroled and they journeyed homeward together stopping at Jefferson on their way Mrs. Mulligan gave the sisters a glowing account of her husband's exploits and moved them to tears by her description of his sufferings She was proud of him for he was a genuinely brave man To rare merit he added rare modesty and were it not for the animated recital of his devoted wife the sisters would have heard but little of his thrilling adventures in Lexington End of Chapter 22 Part 1 Chapter 22 Part 2 of Angels of the Battlefield This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Angels of the Battlefield by George Barton Labors in the West Part 2 On the 10th of March 1863 an incident occurred in Mulligan's Irish Brigade which, while not dealing with the labors of the sisters was of such an unusual character as to deserve mention It was the presentation of a purse to Reverend Thaddeus J. Butler D.D. the chaplain by the Protestant members of the regiment The following address accompanied the purse Reverend and Dear Sir We, the undersigned, Protestant members of the 23rd Regiment Illinois Volunteers and a Rourke Battery attached thereto have learned with deep and sincere regret of your intention to leave us From our long and happy association with you and the many kindnesses we have experienced at your hands we cannot permit you to depart without expressing to you the heartfelt sentiments we feel toward you The earnestness, zeal, and untiring energy you have displayed for the welfare of all connected with the regiment The kindly and deep solicitude and manly courtesy which at all times we have experienced at your hands your sterling worth, so nobly tried in the hour of danger have won for you all our hearts and gained your admiration and respect In parting with you we feel that we have lost a dear and valued friend, a good counselor and a Christian gentleman and we assure you carry with you our sincere wishes wherever your duty may call you wishing you a kind farewell and that God may bless you, we remain The signatures followed this Colonel Mulligan presented the purse in the presence of the officers and orderly sergeants of the regiment and in doing so said Reverend and Dear Sir our gallant brigade desires me to present you as an earnest of their respect and affection the accompanying purse To us all in every situation you have proved yourself the devoted friend and the exemplary priest our hearts are with you One of the soldiers, writing to the Freeman's journal of this remarkable event says When the Protestants of our regiment address words of so much affection and attachment to our beloved chaplain how are the Catholics, his own co-religionists for whom he has labored zealously and devotedly to testify their sorrow at his departure from them words can but inadequately do so Our separated brethren proved in a substantial manner the sincerity of their declaration by contributing liberally to the purse which was donated to him They worked upon our rustic church as eagerly as those for whose benefit it was constructed The amiable Captain Simison, an ardent admirer of Dr. Butler superintended the work Our late worthy and accomplished chaplain was necessitated to return to his own congregation at Chicago which had been bereft of his ministry General Kelly with his staff came from Cumberland to bid him farewell The general held him in esteem and regretted his departure Last evening the Reverend Doctor passed through the quarters and bade good-bye to the several companies Afterward the men assembled at the depot being anxious to obtain the last glimpse of him Lines were formed by the men between which he passed on entering the train Hands were extended on both sides half of which he could not grasp After entering the carriage and when it was in motion many others shook hands with him The enlivening airs of Aaron were played by the band Captain Gleason called for three cheers for Dr. Butler which were responded to with deafening plaudits Colonel Mulligan came on the train from Cumberland and with many of the officers accompanied the doctor a short distance from the station Dr. Butler organized a temperate society here last fall Being painfully sensible of the baneful effects of intemperance the predominating sin of our race he administered the pledge to almost four hundred of the men Although it has not eradicated the vice it has checked it in great measure Many of the officers set the good example by joining the movement The Colonel is president of the society the Lieutenant Colonel is vice president Father Butler did not pledge them for life only during the term of their enlistment while they were under his spiritual care Lieutenant Nugent invited the Reverend Doctor and most of the officers to supper last evening where a bounteous table was spread for them and good cheer prevailed It is in order to state here that on the 20th of December, 1861 Mr. Arnold, rising in his seat in the House of Representatives at Washington introduced a joint resolution giving the thanks of Congress to Colonel James A. Mulligan and the officers and men under his command for the heroic defense of Lexington, Missouri which was read a first and second time The joint resolution was as follows Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives that the thanks of Congress be extended to Colonel James A. Mulligan and the gallant officers and soldiers under his command who bravely stood by him against a greatly superior force in his heroic defense of Lexington, Missouri Resolved that the 23rd Regiment of Illinois Volunteers the Irish Brigade in testimony of their gallantry on that occasion are authorized to bear on their colors the word Lexington Resolved that the Secretary of War be requested to communicate these resolutions to Colonel Mulligan and his officers and soldiers The joint resolution was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time It was accordingly read a third time and passed Reverend William Walsh of Jefferson City was a sincere friend of the sisters during their abode in the hospital and they remember him with lively gratitude On New Year's Day, 1862, they made their renewal of vows in the church They also derived much comfort and support from the many kind and encouraging letters they received from their superior Reverend Mother Francis The warmest sympathies of this noble-hearted woman were aroused for her children working in a cause so dear and sacred She visited them during the fall and frequently sent them contributions, provisions and delicacies for their soldiers These soon became so numerous that two more sisters and several elderly women and young girls were sent to their aid An additional hospital was required and a building formerly used as a seminary was devoted to that purpose The assistants of the sisters were a uniform of grey and as all went to mass every morning when hospital duties permitted the procession of the black and grey-robed maidens looked rather solemn Except in the case of Catholics the ministrations of the sisters were confined to the bodily ills of the sick They rarely touched on religious subjects save when the patient desired it On one occasion they found a dying man whom they believed to be a Catholic The sisters who attended him asked him to what church he belonged He looked cautiously around the ward and whispered, I am ashamed to tell But said she you should not belong to a church of which you are ashamed The poor man then acknowledged that he was a Catholic though through human respect he had concealed it until then The sisters spoke words of advice and encouragement to the poor man a brave soldier of earth an indifferent soldier of Christ and had the consolation of inducing him to receive the sacraments His death took place soon after and his fellow soldiers having arrayed him in his uniform placed upon his bosom the crucifix which the sister had given him This act of reverence in men whose seldom gave religion a thought surprised and pleased the sisters not a little They remained in charge of the Jefferson City hospital until April 1862 when, the army having been ordered to another division their services were no longer required They therefore made preparations to return to Chicago The night before the day appointed for their departure they were much surprised by receiving a serenade from the military band Next morning Father Welch said mass in the hospital The sisters then bade good-bye to the few soldiers who remained and the poor fellows were very much affected at the parting and waited on by Mr. Yateman sanitary commissioner who requested them to take charge of the hospital department of the steamboat Empress then about to start for the battlefield of Shiloh in order to transfer the wounded to places where they could receive proper care Many of the sick and wounded were on the battlefield sheltered only by tents and deprived of almost every comfort When the necessary permission from home was obtained the sisters went aboard the Empress for Pittsburgh Landing which they reached on Palm Sunday They had been anxious to reach it that day hoping to be in time for mass but they were surprised and disappointed to find that instead of being a town or village Pittsburgh Landing consisted of only one house a log cabin in which there was no prospect of hearing mass They went ashore at once to visit the sick and wounded of both armies who were in separate tents and distributed to the poor men some refreshments which were most gratefully received Next day the Empress laden with sick and wounded started for Keokuk, Iowa There were over 300 sufferers aboard and the sisters were occupied from early morning till midnight waiting on them and endeavouring to soothe their depressed spirits The Empress reached Keokuk on Holy Saturday, April 16th 1862 The removal of the sick to the hospital began at once and occupied two days during which time the sisters were engaged in doing everything possible to ease the pains of their patients On Easter Sunday they had the happiness of hearing mass and receiving the sacraments The sisters of Notre Dame who were present at mass awaited the sisters of mercy at the church doors and knowing they were fasting invited them to come to their convent to breakfast Much as the sisters appreciated their kindness they were obliged to decline as they had to return as quickly as possible to their sick on the hospital boat In the evening the visitation nuns sent a message to invite the sisters of mercy to dine at their convent This invitation was accepted as the sick and wounded had had their wounds dressed and were made as comfortable as possible At the visitation convent they received much kindness and had the happiness of being present at benediction At Mount City the Holy Cross sisters under Mother Angela Gillespie and the sisters of mercy Next day the Empress returned from Pittsburgh landing for another cargo of the sick who were conveyed to St. Louis The boat made many voyages of this kind The sisters strove to get delicacies of all sorts for the sick wherever they landed and in distributing these there were scenes at once amusing and touching The men would gather around the sisters like big children holding out their piece of bread and begging for just one little bit of jam The sisters not having the heart to refuse anyone would give away all they had trusting to kind Providence to send them more The Empress also made a voyage to Louisville where the sisters placed under proper care the last cargo of the sick and wounded from the terrible Battle of Shiloh The end of May, 1862 concluded five weeks service on the hospital boat To this day the sisters of mercy expressed gratitude for the kindness and almost reverential courtesy they experienced during their stay with the invalid soldiers Accustomed to a life of seclusion and tranquility they did not venture on this undertaking without nerving themselves to encounter much that might be repugnant to their nature and profession but none of their gloomy anticipations were realized They always felt that they owed a special tribute to the brave men of both armies for the deference and courtesy they invariably received from Confederate and Federal alike The soldiers under their care showed them a childlike docility and respect and never was a word uttered in their presence by a warrior of either side that could offend the most delicate ear If, writes one of the survivors of the nursing band, the man who knows how to treat a woman with respect is himself worthy of respect then all honor to the soldiers of the war End of Chapter 22 Part 2 Chapter 23 of The Angels of the Battlefield This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Angels of the Battlefield by George Barton The Stanton Hospital In the autumn of 1862 application was made by the authorities in Washington to the mother superior of the Sisters of Mercy for nurses to take charge of the wounded soldiers in the Stanton hospital in Washington City Accordingly, four sisters from the mother house in Pittsburgh were appointed for the work They hastily prepared and departed for the scene of duty arriving in Washington the day before Thanksgiving Finding that the Stanton a long row of one-story frame buildings was not quite ready for occupancy. The sisters remained for a few days with the Sisters of Mercy who were in charge of the Douglas Hospital then in operation in Washington These sisters were members of the Baltimore community founded some years previously from the house at Pittsburgh. In a short time the new hospital was opened and the sisters repaired thither and began their work by caring for 130 wounded soldiers who had just been carried in from an engagement On December 8th the sisters arrived from Pittsburgh making in all, eight which number constituted the staff of sisters engaged in the Stanton hospital Some of these did not remain until the close of the war but were relieved as circumstances required by sisters from home These changes were not made without necessity as the health of several of the original volunteers was hopelessly shattered by the severe duties entailed upon them To the bodily fatigue of so many patients was added much mental anxiety caused by the responsibility attending the charge of grave cases The successful issue in many severe surgical operations depended almost entirely on the vigilance of the nurse Too much praise cannot be given to the officials of the Stanton hospital for their careful supervision and attention to the patients and the unvarying kindness and confidence reposed in the sisters The surgeon in charge Dr. John A. Liddell and his assistant Dr. Philip Davis deserve special mention Abundant supplies of everything needful for the sick were most liberally provided As far as possible no want of the patients was left ungratified. This was a source of great satisfaction to the sisters and lightened their cares considerably. What has been said of the work of sisters in other hospitals has been repeated here Their labors were arduous and unceasing After every battle numbers of wounded were brought in and received unwearyed attention day and night As a rule the soldiers appreciated the work of the sisters and regarded them as their best friends Often patients, when convinced that the hope of recovery was gone confided their last wishes to the sisters They were frequently called upon to send messages to the loved ones far away and write letters to absent friends These and similar acts of kindness with words of comfort and encouragement made the day more than full pressed down and running over with meritorious acts The sisters frequently had the consolation of witnessing happy death bed scenes often of persons who under less favorable surroundings might not have enjoyed this great blessing Entire freedom of conscience was secured to all Each patient being at liberty to summon to his side the spiritual advisor of his choice The Catholics were attended by the Jesuit Fathers, among whom Reverend's father Waggett, Brady, and Rockifort were untiring in their efforts to console the sick and fortify the dying with the consolations of religion The sisters remained at the Stanton until the close of the war when their services being no longer required they returned to Pittsburgh in their usual avocations The western Pennsylvania hospital in Pittsburgh was used by the government for a military hospital at this time principally for Pennsylvania soldiers Such men as were able to bear the fatigue of transportation from Washington or other places were sent to this institution in order to make room at the Stanton for cases direct from the field of battle The sisters of mercy were invited to which they cheerfully complied early in 1863 In this institution the sisters experienced the same courtesy from the officers as was extended to them elsewhere Every arrangement compatible with existing circumstances was made to lighten their duties In both these hospitals a chapel was fitted up and mass was celebrated daily which such convalescent patients as desired were at liberty to attend The sisters continued their work in the Pennsylvania hospital until May 1865 In Washington and Pittsburgh the members of the Sanitary Commission gave very efficient aid towards alleviating the conditions of the patients by providing delicacies and reading matter After each visit supplies were left in the hands of the sisters to be distributed at their discretion The Douglas hospital in Washington had been erected out of three buildings in the then fashionable part of the capital city It was so named from the fact that the most important of these three houses had been the residents of the famous senator of that name Sister Mary Colette O'Connor was in charge of this institution and was revered by all who became acquainted with her She died at the hospital July 16, 1864 and her remains were escorted to Baltimore and buried with President Lincoln visited the Stanton Hospital in Washington Those who were fortunate to be present on this remarkable occasion received impressions that should remain ever fresh in their minds None of the sisters had ever met the chief executive but when a tall, angular man with just the suggestion of a stoop about the shoulders sauntered up the path leading to the main entrance of the hospital they intuitively knew that it was President Lincoln whose face, with its care-worn appearance and the patient, almost pathetic eyes, appealed at once to the tender sensibilities of the sisters They knew little, and were without leisure to inquire, about the merits of either the northern or southern side of the bloody controversy, then raging at its height, but they had a keen appreciation of human suffering and human sympathy, and their hearts went out at once to this plain man who so uncomplainingly carried the face of the nation upon his shoulders The President went from cot to cot, shaking hands with the poor patients, and addressing them in the jocular manner he frequently employed to conceal the anguish caused by the sight of so much suffering On occasions of this character, the very simplicity and naturalness of the President only served to bring his greatness into brighter relief The sisters had a good opportunity of observing the man who had been brought as home in Illinois to become ruler of the Republic at the most serious crisis in its history They saw in him a person who with a single stroke of the pen was destined to liberate nearly four millions of slaves They saw a man who was daily performing the most painful duties under the most trying circumstances, but who did each act with malice toward none, with charity for all They saw in him the one distinctively grand figure of the war They realized, with others, that amid the clash and roar and smoke of battle, amid the perplexities and contentions of legislative halls, and the difficulties and differences of cabinets, there arose preeminent above all the peaceful, pathetic, powerful personality of Abraham Lincoln Mr. Lincoln remained at the hospital for some time of affairs, he observed the cleanliness of the place, and did not fail to notice all that the sisters were doing for the comfort and relief of the patients When he departed, he cordially shook hands with each of the sisters, and congratulated them on the work they were performing in the cause of humanity Reverend J. F. Regis Canavan, rector of St. Paul's Cathedral, Pittsburgh, has paid a high tribute to the work of the sisters of mercy in the late war The passing reference is made to some of the events already detailed in this chapter, but it is such an able presentation of the case that it deserves reproduction in these pages Fr. Canavan said, in part The sisters went forth from their peaceful convent homes to serve their God and country in the Stanton Military Hospital at Washington, and in the Western Pennsylvania Hospital at Pittsburgh. The military physicians regarded them as valuable and oftentimes the nuns had the entire charge of the patients, administering of medicines and arranging bandages with deft and skillful hands. The sisters had 450 wounded men under their care in the Stanton Hospital at one time, and after the Second Battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862, a number of Confederate wounded were laid side by side with those whom they had wounded. It was a beautiful sight, said one of them, to see how tenderly the convalescent Union soldiers helped to nurse back the health of those whom they had so fiercely fought a short time before. Those who are first in war are also first in peace. The bravest are the tenderest. The loving are the daring. Southern sympathizers in Washington sent large supplies of provisions and delicacies for their Confederate friends. We took all they sent, said the American sister, but we saw that the boys in blue fared as well as their foes. This was wholly simplicity. At the time the sisters were engaged in their work of mercy in the hospitals and on the battlefields of the North, some of their companions who had left their side a few years before were under the shot and shell which were hurled from land and water when Grant besieged Vicksburg, and fear and famine stalked the Confederate camp and city. We took the army through all the hard fortunes of the struggle, nursed the sick, staunched the blood, bound up the wounds of those who fell on the battlefield, and spoke words of consolation and hope to the dying. We can read in military annals how the dying soldier fancied a mother or a sister to be supporting his head, as the black-robed nun made him confide in the Saviour of Calvary, and poured refreshing drops on his lips parched and quivering in the water. It was loyalty to the Divine Master that caused these women to serve on both sides of the line. After the war the Vicksburg community returned to their convent and found their latest golden opportunity in the South in the great yellow fever scourge of 1878 which spread sorrow and gloom over the land until even hope was almost paralyzed. Yes, when fear had dissolved all the ties which hold society together, when succor could not be bought with gold, when the strongest natural affections yield it to the love of life, then a band of sisters of mercy led by the same fearless heroines from Pittsburgh who, fifteen years before, had seen duty on the battlefield, were to be found bending over the plague-stricken couch praying, ever encouraging, and holding up to the last before the expiring patient, the image of the cross. The brave men of both armies had fought out the nation's quarrel, and when the roar of cannon died away and the smoke of battle was lifted from the land, the bright son of peace shown upon a people more united than they had ever been before. Religious bigotry and sectarian hatred had received a deadly stroke. There was more Christianity amid the rough scenes of war than there had been in preceding years of peace. The best blood of the Roman Catholic and of the Protestant co-patriot had read in the same stream and mingled on many a well-fought field. Side by side they met the charge, side by side they repelled the shock, side by side they fell. In the same pit their bodies were deposited. The dew fell from heaven upon their union in the grave. Misfortune had taught them to know and respect and trust and love each other. Those who survived learned to despise the cowards and hypocrites and bigots who at home, in ignorance or malice, had armed man against his brother and in the name of religion kept us in perpetual conflict. The soldier descendant of the New England Puritan and of the papest-hating Orangeman discovered that his Catholic comrade was a brave, generous-hearted man and a consistent Christian that the Roman Catholic Church was not the sworn enemy of free institutions. That the sisters of that church were kind, earnest, hard-working, useful and devoted women in the service of that Christ whose doctrine is that we should love one another. And thus the sisters of mercy returned from war to find the good they and other religious women had done had won the grateful recognition of the whole country. Thoughtful men learned from their deeds that even a covenanter need not fear to offend the Creator in acknowledging that there rested a holy influence in hearts consecrated to God. A sister of mercy at Charleston, under date of September 23rd, 1865, thus writes to a friend concerning the destitution in that city and state. Every phase of life has been so upturned here that the once rich who were want to assist the poor are now wretchedly poor themselves grateful for a little of the common necessaries of life when given them. We have called upon the northern storekeepers here and received some assistance from them, but we cannot call too often. Few of our own people are able to go into business. None can afford to give at present, though the will is good. If, my dear lady, you can do ought in this emergency, you will perform a great act of charity. Could you see these people as we do heart would ache. Sad eyes swimming in tears, little delicate hands skinned from the wash-tub, and hearts without hope for the future. I saw last week a lady, one of the wealthiest a short time ago, lying on a miserable pallet, the room without furniture, where she once had every comfort. The house had been stripped of everything, linen, plate and wines of all kinds. Her limbs were covered with sores, occasioned by anxiety of mind and poverty of blood, the result of almost starvation. Were this an isolated case it could be relieved, but, unfortunately, the city abounds in them. The planters, for miles around, are homeless, and are compelled to take refuge in the city without any means of subsistence. Sister Desales and Deschantel and some five other sisters of the Sisters of Mercy, arrived in New York in the latter part of 1865, from White Sulphur Springs, Montgomery County, Virginia, where they were engaged attending the sick and wounded soldiers in the hospital for the last four years. They were accompanied by the Reverend Mr. Krogan of Charleston, who was also engaged during the wars chaplain in the same hospital. According to the New York News, at the time of Lee's surrender there were over three hundred sick and wounded at this particular hospital. It adds, over sixty of these were federal soldiers and not more than two days rations to meet their wants. The sisters were among strangers, having neither money nor worldly influence, but compelled by the spirit of their holy calling, they devised means to procure provisions enough to suffice for more than six weeks for the patients and remained with them until all had either convalesced or died. About the twenty-second of May they proceeded to Lynchburg. General Gregg received them at this port most courteously and offered them every means in his power to prosecute their journey to Washington, where they again applied to General Hardy for transportation to Charleston. In this they were not successful. General Hardy refused to send them on the ground that, being non-combatants, no provision had been made by the authorities in Washington for such persons. The only thing they could do was to ask for a deal through the kindness of some private gentlemen in Washington. Father Krogan was enabled to procure transportation to New York where they found themselves strangers and penniless and with hardly sufficient wearing apparel to enable them to appear in public. On hearing of their embarrassing circumstances, the Reverend William Quinn of St. Peter's Barkley Street called a few of his parishioners these good sisters to return to their homes. The result was that, aided by Judge Andrew Clark, Esquire, and a few other gentlemen, the sum of $1,148 was collected in a few days. On Saturday last this amount was presented to Sister DeSales at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in 17th Street by a committee consisting of the Reverend William Quinn, Dennis Quinn, and Andrew Clark. On receiving the amount Sister DeSales, on behalf of herself and the community she represented, expressed her earnest thanks to the donors, promising that their kindness should never be forgotten by their community. The convent at Charleston belonging to these sisters was burned to the ground, having caught fire from the shells thrown into the city during the bombardment of the federal forces. End of Chapter 23 Chapter 24 of Angels of the Battlefield This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Angels of the Battlefield by George Barton Sisters of St. Joseph In January 1862 Dr. Henry H. Smith, Surgeon General of the State of Pennsylvania, applied to Reverend Mother St. John at the Mount St. Joseph Convent, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia for sisters to serve as nurses of the six soldiers in Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, saying he had had experience of the sisters' efficiency in nursing while he attended at St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia, and felt they would be able to do good work at the State Capitol. Bishop Wood, to whom the doctor had spoken of the matter, gave ready assent, and writing on the 22nd of the same month the doctor speaks of the arrangements for the sisters' journey as having been affected and adds, The doctors hope the sisters will not disappoint him. Whilst to be set by applicants, every female nurse has been refused, Dr. Smith being unwilling to trust any but his old friends, the sisters of St. Joseph. There is a large field of usefulness, but it is to be properly cultivated only by those whose sense of duty will induce them to sacrifice personal comfort. The living is rough, the pay poor, and nothing but the sentiments of religion can render the nurses contented. On January 23rd three sisters, under the direction of Mother Monica Pugh, went to Harrisburg, and on the following day the Surgeon General took them to Camp Curtin Hospital, which he placed under their charge. At the camp there were then about three thousand militia. The hospital was merely a temporary frame building, roughly put together, and to make the apartments all habitable, blankets and other such improvised tapestry had to be hung over the boards. The sisters arrived at the hospital towards evening. They found that three matrons had been in charge, and with them a number of the soldiers acting as nurses. The reception accorded the sisters was not at all cordial. One man had been given the charge of seeing to the sisters wants, and, coming to them, he asked what they wished to have for supper, saying, I know that the discipline is red in water, but I do not know what you ladies may want to have. The sisters replied that anything would do, and were shortly afterwards summoned to the table the nurses had just left in a most uninviting condition. The vions were left untasted, and the sisters began to see what work was before them and to arrange matters accordingly. It was not long before the six soldiers, as well as those employed in the hospital, began to feel the beneficial effects of the men and their efficiency in hospital administration, and the respectful attentions and military salutes of the men became almost oppressive. Bishop Wood paid several visits to the sisters at the camp and also to the church hospital, Harrisburg, where three sisters, under the charge of Sister Mary John, afterward the reverend mother of the community, took charge of the sick, who, among the arriving militia, were unable to proceed as far as the camp. Finding themselves always addressed by the physicians as Sisters of Charity or Mercy, the sisters drew the Surgeon General's attention to the misnomer, but he replied that the name accorded with their work, and it would be no use in trying to explain to the doctors about the different orders. Hence, in all newspaper reports and in various accounts of their work given at the time, the sisters were always mentioned as the Sisters of Charity or Mercy, which they took as another sign that their sister, Saint Joseph, desired them to labor as he had done, in silence and obscurity, unknown and unnoticed by the world. On the second of February the Surgeon General, after visiting the hospitals, wrote to Mother Saint John, I have found all the sisters perfectly well and with no complaints after their trial of the inconveniences and exposure attendant on military life. Already each hospital shows the blessing attended on their presence. Everything is now neat, orderly and comfortable. Sister Pease, captain of the ward in the camp hospital, and has a drummer boy to attend her. Sister C. in the kitchen is also in authority and has a sentry at the kitchen door. Sister M. is the major and commands the Surgeons, keeping them in good humor by her kind acts. All seem happy and contented, and the Governor and others speak frequently of the good move made in bringing them there. At the church hospital Sister C. shines in the refectory and everything is in excellent order. On the 18th of the same month, the doctor called for more sisters, adding, however, matters are so unsettled by the recent victories I am at a loss whether to send for extra help. There are rumors of closing the camp or rather of giving it up to the United States. What Dr. Smith had anticipated came to pass. The soldiers at Camp Curtin were called to the front, and the sisters left the church hospital March 27th, and Camp Curtin April 8th, 62. It was indeed touching to see the difference between the reception the men had given the sisters on their coming and the feeling of sorrow that marked their parting with them. Many of the men sobbed aloud and the sisters themselves were deeply moved at the thought of how many who were starting off in health and strength would air long meet a sad and painful death. On the 14th of April by order of Governor Curtin the following letter was sent by Dr. Smith to Madam St. John superior of the sisters of St. Joseph. Madam, during a period of several weeks amidst the confusion of a constantly changing camp and amidst an epidemic of measles with typhoid fever, etc., Six of the sisters of St. Joseph sacrificing all personal comfort ministered faithfully and truly to the comfort and welfare of the sick. Neatness, order, and efficient ministration immediately followed their arrival in the camp. Highly appreciating their valuable services and Christian devotion to the relief of human suffering the state authorities desired to express to them and your order high appreciation of the blessing spirit which they exhibited among the six soldiers both at Camp Curtin and at the church hospital in Harrisburg by order of A. G. Curtin Governor of Pennsylvania Dr. Smith himself wrote it affords me pleasure to transmit the accompanying order acknowledging the valuable services of the sisters recently engaged at Harrisburg In the event of a fight at Yorktown I shall go there with a party vote and stop at Fortress Monroe If some hearty sisters will volunteer for duty with me I will perhaps be able to take them The notice will not be more than six hours I will share the exposure with them and will do all that is possible to make them comfortable bringing them back with the wounded unless you allow them to stay Your order is, I believe the only one that is doing duty with the army. I think they can do much good under my care Sister will be especially useful in cooking for the wounded in the boat I shall take at the Fortress On the 18th the orders came and under the escort of Captain Bankson, U.S.A. three sisters went to Baltimore and thence to Fortress Monroe On the 26th the doctor sent a request for six more sisters promising plenty of occupation In a letter dated April 27th, 1862 Archbishop Wood after naming the sisters detailed for attendance on the wounded and six soldiers under the direction of Dr. Henry Smith, Surgeon General of the Pennsylvania Volunteers adds, we commend them to the kind care and protection of the Surgeon General and to the attention of all persons ecclesiastical and civil with whom they may be in any way associated, holding it as a special and personal favor bestowed on ourselves On April 21st writing from Fortress Monroe the doctor informs Mother St. John that the sisters, on their arrival had been put at once on hospital duty and were doing much needed work especially in the preparation of sick diet, etc. He adds, they are sure to be appreciated they come into friendly competition with a party of nurses under the direction of Miss Dix they will win the goodwill and opinion of all The three sisters first sent were again under the direction of Mother Monica Pugh they were kindly and eagerly welcomed by Dr. Smith who, with the aid of a spy-glass saw the boat approaching and hurried to meet them there were then some sick and wounded on board the Floating Hospital, the Wilden Other sisters went down later under charge of one of the hospital surgeons who, poor man was anything but pleased with being detailed to act as escort to five ladies but all his fears, as he afterwards declared were speedily dispelled when he found his office rather a sinecure since the sisters did not call on him for the thousand and one attentions it had been his fortune to have been called on to give while attending secular ladies at Fortress Monroe they went aboard the two floating hospitals the Wilden and the Commodore on May 3rd they had the great consolation of receiving the sacraments from Reverend Father Dillon of the Congregation of the Holy Cross who drove up and down the camp by Fortress Monroe hearing the confessions of the soldiers he set mass on board the Commodore May 3rd and 4th on May 6th, in company with the Surgeon General and his assistants three of the sisters went down the James River in the Commodore to bring up the wounded from the battlefield of Yorktown all night from 5pm till 2am the wounded were being carried to the vessels on stretchers harrowing indeed were the scenes that there met their eye and sad it was to find how inadequate were their efforts to fully assuage the terrible sufferings of the victims but all that could be done was done and the supply of coffee and stimulants was thankfully received by those who for days had languished without any attentions a company of Pennsylvania and the commanding had not had any food for two and some for three days the steamer laden with provisions having been unaccountably delayed on their way up the river the Commodore passed the vessel with the longed for supply of food on its way down to the men among the wounded were many of the southern soldiers who had been taken prisoners and they seemed particularly grateful for the attentions of the religious the wounded lay in rows along the decks of the steamers and the state rooms so close together that it was almost impossible to pass along without treading on them on May 16th Dr. Smith wrote to Mother St. John the sisters have given universal satisfaction and have done much good it will be acknowledged hereafter in proper form in the meantime I should like to take six of them with me again ending perhaps at Richmond six of the sisters came up with the wounded on the Commodore to the port of Philadelphia and stayed with them till they had all been removed to the different hospitals of the city after a few days rest they returned to receive the wounded from the battle fought near Richmond meanwhile the camp at Harrisburg had been reopened and three sisters were again called to attend the hospital one of them relates that on her rounds about the place on their return she saw an isolated tent by the door of which lay a coffin to her inquiries an officer replied that in the tent there was a man dying of camp fever she inquired whether it was possible to save the man and on hearing that it was not known declared her intention of going to sea the officer refused to allow her to go in saying it would be suicide as she could not go without contracting the fever she however persisted and entering the tent an apparently a state of collapse for days it would seem he had received very little attention and the filth of the bed and floor were indescribable that day the poor patient had had nothing but a drink of water the sister at once prepared and gave him a bowl of stimulating broth he became sufficiently strong to tell her he was from St. Paul's parish, Philadelphia the priest, Reverend Father of Harrisburg, was sent for in the meantime by dint of warnings and entreaties the sister got two of the male nurses to lift the man from the bed to which parts of his body adhered the floor was cleansed the man washed his sores attended to and then the priest came heard his confession and gave him the last sacraments and immediately his recovery seemed to set in his gratitude was touching the sisters had sent word to his wife in Philadelphia that she might be able to have him removed home but before she came they themselves had been recalled from what was to them a blessed field of labor on June 9th, 1862 Dr. Smith wrote to Mother St. John saying, the United States have agreed to take charge of all of the state hospitals I have requested the sisters at Harrisburg to return to you and I hope I shall have again to trouble you until the war has ended the sisters did great good, were very kind and useful all will be acknowledged in due time several of the sisters who attended the soldiers have already entered on their reward and rest in the beautiful cemetery of Mount St. Joseph were on decoration day the sisters and children loved to pay special attention to the graves of those departed ones of the soldiers of Christ who went out to attend on the soldiers of war no words could adequately express the gratitude of the sisters for the delicate and fatherly attentions they received from Surgeon General Smith in his core of assistance Dr. Smith was truly one of nature's noblemen with a soul free from every taint of prejudice with a heart open to every phase of human suffering and a charity that never wearied in alleviating the horrors of war End of Chapter 24