CHAPTER VII.

CENTRAL HOSPITAL.

Court House of Paducah — Its Appearance - Wounded of Donelson — Kissing the Little Blossom My First Day's Work-A Call from Twenty-second Regiment — Worst — A Load of Wounded — Patients Re-fight their Battles - Executioners' Task-"This seems like Italy and my Home" - Innumerable Duties-Citizen Nurses- Qualities of a good Nurse — Confessional of Central — “Lock and Letter - A Slave's Accomplishments -- Hurry from the Master-"Sure You ken have Me?" — Negro-Hunting up Chimney - Mattie's Escape.

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No WOMAN had yet made her appearance here, and in the very hot-bed of secession none were likely to. The clean steps, the scoured doors, and the well-limed floors that met my gaze, as the polite orderly bowed and let me pass, were a pleasant introduction to what was within.

A wide, remarkably-clean hall, was lined on either side with long, white, pine tables, sparkling with bright tin dishes; and the light biscuit, corn-bread, potatoes, choice steak, and other good plain food, were already being placed upon the table for breakfast. Detailed nurses and assistant surgeons were passing to and fro, intent upon their duty; but as for my husband, I could not catch a glimpse of him, and I was introduced, at the door of a very large room, as the lady fresh from the field of Donelson. But, alas! the words were drowned by the exclamations of pain that almost deafened me. At first I shrank with

timidity from the appalling sufferings around. On taking a survey, there lay fifteen in one ward, all minus an arm, and one entirely armless; seventeen in the next ward, each with an amputated limb; others wanting a tongue, a nose, an eye-or a jaw shot as neatly away as though cut by the surgeon's knife. Many were perforated with shot through the arms, the chest, the brow, the head, the limbs, the lungs; as if, tampering at the door before entering the citadel, the ball had struck every blow but the merciful one at the heart, which would have ended suffering by immediately bringing that death which was sure to come. Five immense wards of each floor in the five-story building, were said to contain between two and three thousand patients. I am sure that number of voices mingled in piteous tones of pain. These noble fellows, yesterday so strong, so daring, now so prostrate, so helpless! I felt that I could not serve them enough, but set earnestly to work, according to my best ability. I passed from one to another, bathing the fevered brow, cooling the parched lips with suitable drinks, changing the tiresome position of head and shoulders, and, where I truthfully could, giving encouraging hopes of life. There was a most efficient corps of male nurses and professional dressers, to dress and attend to the wounds, but the weariness consequent upon such confinement of strong, athletic, able men, to the bed of a long, tedious convalescence, was something pitiable. Each patient seemed a monument of affliction; and the sufferings grew no less, for

as fast as the patients had passed the point of danger they were taken to branch hospitals, to make room for the worst cases again from the transports. Hence, for many weeks the sufferings increased. In freshly amputated cases, though weaker, and the chances for life more uncertain, yet ten days after the oc currence, the patient seemed to suffer more and be vastly worse to attend than when he was nearer death.

I had visited almost every cot in one ward, leaving some means of comfort to all, and was about to pass to the next room, when a call from several voices arrested my steps. "Come this way, lady;" "Yes, serve us all alike;" "And its refreshin' to see the like ov ye;" "That's so, an' it will do us a heap more good nor all the medicine we're taking," etc., etc.; all in the most respectful terms, and to me the first knowledge I had that they were conscious of my presence.

I obeyed the call, doing what I could for each one, and attributing their kindness to their partiality for my husband, which I knew to be very great. When they became assured that I was a visitant from the battle-ground since their fall, their eager inquiries were overwhelming. Some were stricken down in the early fight to be trodden over many times, by friend and foe, ere they were carried from the spot contested, and were too weak to realize whether they had fought and fell to good purpose.

I assured them that I had seen the stars and stripes spreading their folds in peace above the Fort

and General Grant's headquarters.

On the enemy's grounds he had given me a personal account of the victory. If added proof were wanting, the wild flower plucked by my own fingers from the victorious field should be ample proof, for fond as I was of these old friends I would hardly stop to gather them in the face of the enemy's cannon. Many kissed the little blossom, and shed tears of joy over it, as though plucked from the grave of some cherished friend. As the day As the day passed on, the Medical Director came to me and said, "I have, for a few moments, got through with prescribing for the sick, and I now prescribe for the well."

I inquired the cause of his remark.

"Why, it is now five P.M., and you have not left the sick, even for dinner, since an early hour before their breakfast. You are as pale as a sprite, and I advise you to take some dinner, for this is work that can not be done in a day."

In my haste and anxiety to take care of the sick, I had almost forgotten to deliver the following letter committed to my care:

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT,

CAMP LYON, February 26th, 1862.

DR. GEORGE COATSWORTH:

Dear Sir:- I am glad to be able to serve my country so well as to spare your valuable services for a short time to the post where you are so much needed; but as I expect to have orders soon to move from here with my regiment, you can not be surprised at my desiring to have you with us. I do assure you I should not want to go into battle without a surgeon, leaving behind such an one as your honor. I hope it

will be your pleasure to return to your many confiding friends in the old Twenty-second, when you will receive such notice.

Your sincere friend,

HENRY DOUGHERTY,

Col. 22nd Regt. Ill. Vols.

The next day the worst load was yet to arrive, and the physicians wished me to absent myself until they should be placed in their cots. Most impatiently did I watch from the window of our quarters the wounded carried through the rain that seemed never to cease. My heart ached to do something. I could await orders no longer, and donning hat and shawl I slipped in, determined to lend my aid. Dr. Coatsworth stood chief operator, while the assistants, nerved to the highest capability, were rendering efficient aid. The cry of scores of voices was that their turn should come next. Fresh from the field, and fresh from the surgeon's knife, the suffering was truly appalling. Among the many cases we mention a few representative ones.

One young man, whose fine Grecian head and face had been laid open with a ball, fought all his battles over. "Forward, march! The enemy comes; our homes, our friends; charge, and give them death!" And with clenched hands he would tear the sheets in shreds.

"Come this way, sister, if you please," said a low voice, as I passed one of the cots. It was from a man who was shot in the side, and was compelled to lie upon his face. I had many times ministered to him, but he was too low to bear conversation.