My Story of the War: A Woman's Narrative of Four Years Personal Experience ... - Mary Ashton Livermore - Google Books

Books

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1. THE MISSISSIPPI STEAMER "FANNY OGDEN" ON HER WAY WITH RELIEF FOR SICK AND WOUNDED SOLDIERS.

2. ON THE WAY TO ANTIETAM WITH HOSPITAL SUPPLIES.

CONTENTS

THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR-THE SPIRIT OF 1861-FIRST

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS - UPRISING OF THE NORTH- EX-

CITING SCENES AND INCIDENTS.

In Boston with my dying Father-His early History - Surrender of Fort

Sumter Uprising of the North President Lincoln's Call for

Seventy-five Thousand Troops - Their Rendezvous in Faneuil Hall

-Departure of the Massachusetts Sixth for Washington-Scenes

at the Boston and Albany Station Interview with Mr. Garrison

and Wendell Phillips-The Massachusetts Sixth attacked in Balti-

more-War Scenes in Auburn, N. Y. - My Return to Chicago-

Impressive Scenes in the Republican Wigwam - Cairo, Ill., a

strategic Point - North and South hasten to seize it-Chicago

Troops arrive first and take Possession - Increased Preparations for

War-Washington carefully guarded-Defeat at Bull Run - The

North nerved to Power and Purpose - The South exultant in Self-

Confidence Lines now sharply drawn between loyal and disloyal

LOYAL WOMEN OF THE NORTH-THEIR PATRIOTISM AND

DEVOTION - HEROINES OF THE BATTLE-FIELD - HOME-

WORK AND RELIEF

SOCIETIES-SCRAPING

ROLLING BANDAGES.

The Patriotism of Men paralleled by that of Women- Notable Exam-

ples-Testimony of President Lincoln-Blunders of Inexperience

-The Havelock Mania - A Woman Soldier in the Nineteenth Illi-

nois-Sent out of Camp, she attempts Suicide - Is rescued and

joins her Husband - Madame Turchin, Wife of the Colonel - Her

Bravery and military Skill-Her Ability as a Nurse She defeats a

Court-Martial-Other military Heroines - Annie Etheridge of the

Third Michigan-Bridget Devens of the First Michigan Cavalry-

Kady Brownell of the Fifth Rhode Island — Georgianna Peterman,

the Wisconsin Drummer-Girl-Army Stories of military Women-

Bandage and Lint Craze-Local Relief Societies - Queer Assort-

ment of Supplies - Cars flooded with fermenting Goodies - Great

Waste and Loss Liberality of the People continues Wiser

Methods are devised.

AT THE FRONT-WRETCHED

ARRANGEMENTS—

THE SANITARY COMMISSION

ITS OBJECT, METHODS,

AND WORK-BATTLE-FIELD RELIEF.

Early Ignorance and Inefficiency of Officers - The Cause of Sickness

and Death in Camp-Letters from the Front in Proof-Fearful

Mortality of British Soldiers in the Crimea, in 1855 - Occasioned by

similar Causes Local Relief Societies organized - New York

Women show practical Wisdom- The Sanitary Commission evolved

from their Methods - Plan of Organization drawn up by Dr. Bel-

lows-Sanctioned by the President and Secretary of War - The

Commission soon conquers all Prejudice - Its Work very extensive

-Inspectors sent to Camps and Hospitals-Monographs prepared

on the Hygiene of the Army-Portable "Soup-Kettles"-"Hos-

pital Cars"- Forty Soldiers' Homes - Claim, Pension, and Back

Pay Agency-"Hospital Directory" "Battle-field Relief Service"

-Ten "Branch Commissions"-Relief rendered at Shiloh and

Antietam - The Supplies, or Money for their Purchase, Made or

Collected by Women

MY FIRST CONNECTION WITH THE SANITARY COMMISSION—.

HOME SUPPLIES FOR THE SOLDIERS-A PEEP INTO THE

BOXES-LETTERS FOUND INSIDE-ODD CONTRIBUTIONS.

Local Societies merged in the Commission - Become identified with the

Chicago Branch-The Secrets of the Boxes of Supplies - Notes

packed in with the Clothing-They are tender, pathetic, heroic,

and comic- A letter-writing Army-"Consecrated Chicken, be

jabers!" "Butter an' Chase, bedad!"-"Comfort-bags"

"Benedictions" in the Murfreesboro' and Vicksburg Boxes-

Box a Month"-Ingenious Wisconsin Farmers' Wives - Women

in the Harvest-field — A Talk with them - Generosity of a "Tail-

CONTENTS.

-The "five-dollar gold Piece" "Matches! Matches!"

Afraid of a Kiss - Children's sanitary Fairs-Gift of a five-year

AT THE ROOMS OF THE SANITARY COMMISSION-ITS WORK-

ERS AND ITS VISITORS - HEART-RENDING SCENES AND

INCIDENTS-THE RECORD OF A DAY.

Rooms of the Chicago Commission - The Din of Draymen and Packers

-Sewing-Rooms for Soldiers' Families -"The Perfume of the

Sanitary" The dingy little Office - Immense Work performed in

it-Judge Skinner, the President - Mr. Blatchford, Treasurer —

The "Quartette" of the Office- John Freeman, the "Man of all

Work"-William Goodsmith, our "Sheet-Anchor"- Mrs. Hoge,

my Friend and Co-Worker - Volunteer and transient Help -

Women, Girls, and Soldiers - Drayloads of Boxes - Ladies seeking

Information-Express Messengers - The Morning Mail - The aged

Father and his dead Son-"What ails the little Fellow?" - A

Bevy of Nurses- - A sorrow-stricken Mother-Soldiers from the

City Hospitals-More loaded Drays-More Men and Women come

and go- The Day declines Return to my Home- "A Suburb of

A CAMPAIGN PLANNED BY A WOMAN

DESPERATE BATTLES

-TERRIBLE SCENES ON THE BATTLE-FIELD-TERRIFIC

FIGHTING AND APPALLING SUFFERING-THE AGONIES

General McClellan supersedes General Scott - Missouri becomes the

Field of Battle-General Grant wins a Victory at Belmont - Fleet

of "Ironclads" for Service on Southern Rivers-The "Tennessee

Campaign" planned by Anna Ella Carroll, of Maryland- Plan

adopted by President Lincoln and Secretary Stanton - Carried out

by General Grant-The "Court of Claims," in 1885, decides in her

Favor-Fort Henry on the Tennessee captured by Gunboats — They

fail to take Fort Donelson on the Cumberland - General Grant

attacks by Land - The Fort surrenders, after Three Days' Fighting

"Unconditional Surrender Grant!"-Joy of the Northwest

Frightful Suffering of the Wounded - Many frozen to Death on

both Sides-The People move to succor the Wounded - Immense

Quantities of Supplies forwarded -Seven thousand Prisoners sent

to Camp Douglas - Five hundred die

AFTER THE BATTLE-MY FIRST EXPERIENCE IN A MILITARY

HOSPITAL-A DEATHLY FAINTNESS COMES OVER ME-

NERVING MYSELF FOR THE WORK — TOUCHING SCENES.

Mrs. Hoge and myself visit the Hospitals of St. Louis- Our first Expe-

rience-Boisterousness of new Recruits - The grim Silence of Men

who had been under fire" - Our remarkable Hostess - Conspicu-

ous and unflinching Loyalty - Her "Hospital Kitchen" and "Hos-

pital Wagon" "Eleven Hundred Soldiers' Letters !"- The Don-

elson Wards― Their sickening Odor and ghastly Sights — Horrible

Mutilation of the Men - A deathly Faintness came over me — - The

Wounded and Dead robbed on the Field of Battle - Plucky Fellow

"They couldn't be bothering with us" "Afraid to die!".

"Send for a Methodist Minister!" -The Magic of Song - The

mental Conflict of the Night that followed-St. Louis sitting in

Gloom-Sad Wedding in the Hospital - Death of the Bridegroom . 184

I BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO HOSPITAL WORK-FILTH AND

DISCOMFORT, NEGLECT AND SUFFERING-LEAVES FROM

MY EXPERIENCE - MESSAGES FROM THE DYING TO LOVED

Cairo an immense Basin, partially filled-Skilful Pilotage needed -

Comfortless Hospitals—"My Wife came this Morning". Bring

me a drink from the Spring"-The "Brick Hospital a Marvel

of Excellence - "Sisters of the Holy Cross" its Nurses - The

young rebel Prisoner - Longing for his Mother—“Philip Sid-

neys " in every Hospital - Mary Safford my Companion the second

Time- Her Method of Work-Her Memorandum Book and Bas-

kets - Something for every one "You are the good Fairy of the

Hospitals" Men crying for Milk - Mourning the Loss of

"Mother Bickerdyke" - Wounded Soldier from "Island No.

Ten" - Noble Letter from his Wife-"The Children needed

him more than I"-Eulogy of Mary Safford - Her Career since

the War - Professor in the Boston University School of Medicine. 201

AWAITING THE BATTLE OF SHILOH

PREPARATIONS FOR

THE WOUNDED - AWFUL SLAUGHTER-VARIED' PHASES

OF HOSPITAL LIFE -"MISSING."

A Perfect Military Hospital-"Mother Angela," the Lady "Supéri-

eure"-"White-winged Sun-bonnets" - Battle of Shiloh-Ap-

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