of the city. The idea was received with favor, and on the 7th of November an editorial appeared in the Cincinnati Gazette, entitled "Who speaks for Cincinnati?" This resulted in a call the next day for a meeting of gentlemen to consider the subject. Committees were appointed, an organization effected and circulars issued on the 13th of November. On the 19th, the ladies met, and Mrs. Mendenhall was unanimously chosen President of the ladies' committee, and subsequently second Vice-President of the General Fair organization, General Rosecrans being President, and the Mayor of the city, first Vice-President. To the furtherance of this work, Mrs. Mendenhall devoted all her energies. Eloquent appeals from her facile pen were addressed to loyal and patriotic men and women all over the country, and a special circular and appeal to the patriotic young ladies of Cincinnati and the Ohio valley for their hearty co-operation in the good work. The correspondence and supervision of that portion of the fair which necessarily came under the direction of the ladies, required all her time and strength, but the results were highly satisfactory. Of the two hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars which was the net product of this Sanitary Fair, a very liberal proportion was called forth by her indefatigable exertions and her extraordinary executive ability.

The aggregate results of the labors of the Women's Aid Society, before and after the fair, are known to have realized about four hundred thousand dollars in money, and nearly one million five hundred thousand in hospital stores and supplies.

The fair closed, she resumed her hospital work and her duties as President of the Women's Soldiers' Aid Society, and continued to perform them to the close of the war. Near the close of 1864,

she exerted her energies in behalf of a Fair for soldiers' families, in which fifty thousand dollars were raised for this deserving object. The testimonies of her associates to the admirable manner in which her hospital work was performed are emphatic, and the thousands

of soldiers who were the recipients of her gentle ministries, give equally earnest testimonies to her kindness and tenderness of heart.

The freedmen and refugees have also shared her kindly ministrations and her open-handed liberality, and since the close of the war her self-sacrificing spirit has found ample employment in endeavoring to lift the fallen of her own sex out of the depths of degradation, to the sure and safe paths of virtue and rectitude.

With the modesty characteristic of a patriotic spirit, Mrs. Mendenhall depreciates her own labors and sacrifices. "What," she says in a letter to a friend, "are my humble efforts for the soldiers, compared with the sacrifice made by the wife or mother of the humblest private who ever shouldered a musket?"

D

R. M. M. MARSH was Medical Inspector of the Department of the Gulf and South, his charge comprising the States of Georgia, South Carolina, and

Florida. He held his appointment in the capacity mentioned from the Sanitary Commission, and from Government, the latter conferring upon him great authority over hospitals and health matters in general throughout his district.

It was in the early part of the year 1863 that Mrs. Marsh left her home in Vermont and joined her husband at Beaufort.

The object of Mrs. Marsh in going thither, was to establish a home with its comforts amidst the unfamiliar scenes and habitudes of the South.

Everything was strange, unnatural, unreal. Beaufort was in conquered territory occupied by its conquerors The former inhabitants had fled, leaving lands, houses and negroes-all that refused to go with them, or could not be removed. Military rule prevailed, and the new population were Northern soldiers, and a few adventurous women. Besides these were blacks, men, women and children, many of them far from the homes they had known, and strange alike to freedom and a life made independent by their own efforts. From order to chaos, that was the transition a Northern woman underwent in coming to this place and state of society.

Mrs. Marsh had no sooner arrived than she found there was work to do and duties to perform in her new home on which she

i

had not calculated. Her husband was frequently absent, sometimes for long periods. To his charge came the immense stores of supplies constantly forwarded by the Sanitary Commission, which were to be received, accounted for, unpacked, dealt out to the parties for whom they were intended. All this must be done by an intelligent person or persons, and by the same, reports of the condition of the hospitals must be made, together with the needful requisitions.

Here was business enough to employ the time, exhaust the strength, and occupy the thoughts of any single individual. It was a "man's work," as Mrs. Marsh often declares. Be that as it may, it was accomplished by a woman, and in the most admirable manner. The Sanitary Commission feels both proud and grateful, whenever the name of Mrs. Marsh is mentioned.

Her services were not of a nature to elicit great applause, or to attract much attention. They were quietly performed, and at a point quite aside from battle-fields, or any great center where thousands of spectators had the opportunity to become cognizant of them. But they were not, on account of these facts, less beneficent or useful.

Mrs. Marsh often visited the hospitals and made the acquaintance of the sick and wounded, becoming frequently, deeply interested in individuals. This was a feeling entirely different from that general interest in the welfare of every Union soldier which arose as much from the instincts of a patriotic heart, as from philanthropy.

She never became a hospital nurse, however, for she was fully occupied in other ways, and her husband, Dr. Marsh did not cordially approve, save in a few particular instances, of the introduction of women to the hospitals in that capacity. But living in the immediate vicinity of the hospitals, her benevolent face was often seen there, and welcomed with grateful smiles from many a bed of suffering.

A young officer from one of the Northern States and regiments,

wounded at the battle of Olustee, was brought to Beaufort Hospital for treatment and care. Long previously there had been a compact between him and a comrade that the one first wounded should be cared for by the other if possible. The exigencies of the service were at that time such that this comrade could not without much difficulty obtain leave of absence. He finally, however, triumphed over all obstacles, and took his place beside his friend. Mrs. Marsh often saw them together, and listened, at one time, to a discussion or comparison of views which revealed the character and motives of both.

The unwounded one was rejoicing that his term of service was nearly expired. It was at a time when many were re-enlisting, but he emphatically declared he would not. "I would, then," replied the wounded man, "if I had the strength to enter upon another term of service, I would do so. When I did enlist it was because of my country's need, and that need is not less imminent now. Yes," he added, with a sigh, "if God would restore me to health, I would remain in the service till the end of the war. The surgeon tells me I shall not recover, that the next hemorrhage will probably be the last. But I am not sorry, I am glad, that I have done what I have done, and would do it again, if possible."

That this was the spirit of many of the wounded men, Mrs. Marsh delights to testify. This man was God's soldier, as well as the Union's. He had learned to think amid the awful scenes of Fort Wagner, and when wounded at Olustee was prepared to live or die, whichever was God's will. Mrs. Marsh was sitting beside his bed, in quiet conversation with him, when without warning, the hemorrhage commenced. The plash of blood was heard, as the life-current burst from his wound, and, "Go now," he said in his low calm voice. "This is the end, and I would not have you witness it.'

The hemorrhage was, however, checked, but he died soon after. Meantime the Sanitary Commission stores were constantly arriving,