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278 FIERCE LIFE OF THE EIGHTH MICHIGAN.

and yet, always thoughtful for others, he wrote, "Oh, how I pity Guild's poor mother!"

Months passed, and the Eighth Michigan was ordered to Vicksburg to re-enforce Grant, who had beleaguered that doomed city. Battle after battle followed-nineteen of them-in all of which Charlie participated, often escaping death as by a miracle. Something of the fierce life led by this regiment may be inferred from the fact that of fifteen hundred and sixty-three men whose names were on its musterrolls, less than four hundred survived at the close of the war. On marches, on reconnoissances, and throughout campaigns, Charlie kept with the regiment. They crossed the mountains to Knoxville, Tenn., in General Burnside's corps, when they were compelled to subsist on three ears of corn a day. For weeks they were shut up in that city, besieged by Longstreet's forces, where they were put on quarter rations. Yet not one word of complaint ever came from the patient lad, — not one word of regret, only an earnest desire to remain in the service until the end of the war.

At last there came a letter from the surgeon. During the siege of Knoxville Charlie had been wounded for the first time. A chance shot entered the window of the house in which he was sitting, struck him on the shoulder, and, glancing, entered the left lung. "He has been in a very dangerous condition," wrote the surgeon; "but he is now fast recovering. He is a universal pet, and is well cared for in the officers' quarters." The next news was even more comforting. The regiment was on its way to Detroit on a thirty days' furlough, would recruit, return, and remain until the end of the war.

66 CHARLIE DIED IN INDIANAPOLIS."

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Now, a telegram announced that the regiment was in Louisville, then in Indianapolis, in Michigan City, at last in Detroit.

With a happy heart, the glad mother telegraphed her boy to come to her in Chicago, whither she had removed on her husband's death. Then she watched the arrival of the trains. "He will be here tonight! He will be here to-morrow!" she said; and answered every summons of the door-bell herself, expecting to greet her boy. Everything was in readiness for the lad- his room, his clothes, the supper-table spread with the delicacies he loved. Mother, sister, brother, all were waiting him.

A ring at the door. All start, all rush; now it is surely Charlie. No; only a telegram: "The regiment has arrived in Detroit; but Charlie died in Indianapolis." God help the poor mother!

I obeyed the direction sent me to Washington, and went to Indianapolis in search of the lad's dead body. He had not been in that city. I went to Louisville, and consulted the hospital directory of the Sanitary Commission. He had died in Louisville, from hemorrhage of the lungs, occasioned by the chance shot which penetrated them. The lifeless corpse was exhumed from the soldiers' burying-ground, and forwarded to the mother. Ah, the war of the rebellion cost us dearly!

CHAPTER XII.

A TRIP DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI - AMONG THE SICK AND DYING OUR MISSION AND STORES-LOVING MESSAGES FROM HOME-A BRIDE'S SONG FOR A DYING SOLDIER.

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The Army encamped at Young's Point-They cut the Levees Great Sickness results - Special Relief Corps sent down-Mrs. Colt, of Milwaukee, and myself attached to the Corps - Our Programme - Outfit Some of the Messages entrusted me Our wheezy Boat - Disloyal Officers- - Musical Talent on Board - Singing in the Hospitals - Touching Episode - Scene in a Memphis Hospital Mother, don't you know your Boy?"- Our Headquarters in Memphis, at Gayoso House - Women Secessionists-To be sent within Confederate Lines- A stormy Interview" Allows me to be at large!"- We embark on the Tigress for the lower Mississippi - A dreary Journey.

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HE grand passion of the West during the first half of the war was to re-open the Mississippi, which had been closed by the enemy. This great water highway had been wrested from the possession of the rebels as far south as Vicksburg, which frowned down from its unique eyrie, bristling with batteries, and hurling shot and shell at our brave men encamped at Young's Point, opposite. It seemed, from its position, to be thundering forth the mandate, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no farther."

General Sherman's attempt to take the fortifications and batteries which defended Vicksburg on the

CUTTING THE LEVEES.

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north had failed, and, after a triumphant and conquering expedition up the White River into Arkansas, the whole Western army had been moved down the Mississippi in transports. At that time the men were living in boats, or were vainly seeking dry land for their encampments, amid the swamps, lagoons, bayous, and sloughs of the abominable portion of that country, known as the "river-bottoms." The levees of the river had been cut in many places, as a "military necessity," or from sheer wantonness on the part of the "boys," who gloried in any mischief that brought trouble to the "secesh."

But cutting the levees in this case proved a twoedged sword, not only injuring the enemy but drowning out our own men. Those who could, took to the crowded river-boats. The rest remained in their wet encampments in the pestilential swamps and bottom lands, drenched with the protracted spring rains, almost buried in the unfathomable mud, and drinking death from the crystal waters of the Yazoo. Soon sickness and suffering stalked in among them. The death which they had escaped on Southern battle-fields sprang upon them here like a tiger from the jungle. Twelve thousand men lay sick at one time- about thirty-three and one-third per cent of the army at that point- and the wail of agony from the sick and dying was borne to the listening ears of the tender-hearted Northwest. Quick to hear, it was swift to relieve. Surgeons and physicians who had acquired a national reputation for skill in their profession, were despatched to the scene of suffering, to battle with the miasmatic foe which was conquering the conquerors.

Immense shipments of supplies were sent down on

282 QUICK RELIEF SENT FROM THE NORTH.

the sanitary boats, with men and women of executive ability, who attended to their safe transmission and equitable distribution. Accompanying these were special corps of relief accustomed to the work in hospitals, and possessed of physical endurance, able to encounter any horror of army life without blenching.

It was with one of these shipments of sanitary stores, and as one of the relief corps, that I went down the Mississippi in March, 1863. Quartermasters, State Surgeon-Generals, members of the Legislature, representatives of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce, a company of nurses whom I was to locate in hospitals, and some two or three women who had been active in working for our invalid soldiers from the very first, made up the delegation. Two of us only - Mrs. Colt, of Milwaukee, and myself- were connected with the Sanitary Commission. Mrs. Colt was the executive woman at the head of the sanitary work in Wisconsin, whose enthusiasm infected the whole state with patriotism and generosity. The sanitary supplies, about thirty-five hundred boxes and packages in all, were sent by the Commission and Chicago Board of Trade.

The programme marked out for us was this. We were to visit every hospital from Cairo to Young's Point, opposite Vicksburg; relieve such needs as were pressing; make ourselves useful in any way among the sick and wounded, co-operating harmoniously as far as possible with medical and military authorities. From every point we were to report our movements, the result of our observations, what we had accomplished, and what we found needing attention, employing the Chicago Press and the bul

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