CONTENTS.

Argument The Results that followed-An Iowa Sanitary Fair is

planned and carried out

-

Aggregates nearly $60,000. .

81

601

CHAPTER XXXIII.

REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR-TOUCHING STORY OF A RING

-THE MAJOR WHO CRIED FOR MILK-CAPTURE OF GEN-

ERAL GRANT—“OLD ABE," THE WISCONSIN WAR EAGLE,

AND HIS WONDERFUL CAREER.

-

-

Confronted by one of my own Letters - The widowed Mother tells her

Story Puts her dead Daughter's Ring on my Finger-Officers'

Hospital at Memphis - Its wretched Condition - Is made com-

fortable by the Commission Incident at the Fabyan House,

White Mountains-"Do you remember the Major who cried for

Milk?". Second Sanitary Fair in Chicago - Held after the War

ended - Regiments, Soldiers, and Officers received there - An

Ovation to General Grant - Executes a flank Movement on the

People - Is captured by young Ladies "This beats Vicksburg

all out of Sight!"—"Old Abe," the Eagle of the Eighth Wis-

consin His military Behavior - Children sell his Pictures for the

Soldiers' Fair - Make $16,308.93 by the Sales

-

-

613

CHAPTER XXXIV.

SOLDIERS' LETTERS FROM THE FRONT DURING THE FIRST

YEAR OF THE WAR-VIVID PICTURES OF LIFE IN CAMP

-DESOLATION - AMUSEMENTS MARCHING - FORAGING

- PICKET DUTY - LETTERS FROM HOME.

-

Authors of the Letters-Life in Camp-Exploits of the First Iowa

"A bully Boy" - Hardships of a Chaplain — Fight at Conrad's

Ferry-The Desolation of War - Impatient to be led into Action

—“Little Mack”- President's Reception - The Picture of Weari-

ness and Despair - Amusements - Morals - Without the Com-

forts of Civilization - Secession Literature-Hutchinsons sing in

Camp-Soldiers wild with Delight-Dying from Camp Diseases—

The poor Horses - Depression of the Men - Picturesque Scenes -

Breaking up Camp, and starting off-Going into Camp for the

Night-Foraging-Difficulty of Moving a large Army-Longing

for Letters from Home - Their blessed Influence-"The musty

Crackers and rusty Bacon are better"-Fatigues of Picket Duty

-In Pursuit of Something to eat-"Somebody had been frying

Chickens" - Battle of Pea Ridge - As good as Dead the last half

of the Battle

629

CHAPTER XXXV.

SOLDIERS' LETTERS FROM THE FRONT DURING THE SECOND

YEAR OF THE WAR-HOW A SOLDIER FEELS IN BATTLE

-SWAMPS OF THE CHICKAHOMINY A BABY ON THE

BATTLE-FIELD-"OLD ROSY."

-

-

-

Letter from a Nurse on a Hospital Boat - - After the Battle of Shiloh

-Battle Scenes “Marching all Day, and fighting all Night”.

Fearful Condition of the Sick and Wounded - Intimidating Effect

of the howling Shells- Burning commissary Stores -"It is all

over! I am to be killed!"— Hard Lot of the Sick—Wading through

the villanous Mud of Virginia General Howard wounded -

"Hereafter let's buy our Gloves together!" - Letters from Home

-"A Means of Grace"-Negro Friendliness - Splendid Foraging

-Surprised at the good-looking Yankees - Life in a Rebel Prison

- The Counterpart of Jeffreys and Haynau - Putrid Mule-Beef —

Soup swarming with Bugs and Maggots —“ A Baby on the Battle-

Field "The Army of the Cumberland - "Old Rosy". Nation-

alities represented in the Army-"Schpike dem new Guns! No,

Sheneral, it vould schpoil dem!"

650

CHAPTER XXXVI.

SOLDIERS' LETTERS FROM THE FRONT DURING THE THIRD

YEAR OF THE WAR-HOUSEKEEPING IN CAMP-RIDING

"CRITTER-BACK”—DARING DEEDS - REBEL PICKETS.

Battle of Chickamauga - Remarkable Presentiment - Housekeeping in

Camp- Ignorance of the Enemy - "The walking Regiments"

"Cannon Soldiers"-Wept over his lifeless Body - Ignorance of

secesh Soldiers-Yet they fight bravely - Have plenty of Hay, but

no Impunity-Greater Loss by Sickness than on Fields of Battle

- Evidence that the Enemy are near-"Riding Critter-back".

After the Battle of the Wilderness -"Any Commander but Grant

would have retreated" - Recklessness of the Cavalry - Daring of

the Soldiers-"Divide is the word, or you are a dead Johnny!".

Ten thousand Men sing "Rally round the Flag, Boys!"-“One

vast, exultant Roar!"- Talking with rebel Pickets.

672

CONTENTS.

83

CHAPTER XXXVII.

SOLDIERS' LETTERS FROM THE FRONT DURING THE LAST

YEAR OF THE WAR-LIFE IN REBEL PRISONS - DREAD-

FUL SCENES - HORRORS OF ANDERSONVILLE - LAST DAYS

OF THE GREAT REBELLION - PEACE.

A Hospital Picnic - "The Stump Squad"-Strawberries for the Army

—“Virginia a vast Blackberry Field"—"Old Hundred" in Camp

-Hunting Bloodhounds — Letter from a Hospital Nurse in Annap-

olis-Thirty thousand Prisoners cooped up at Andersonville, in

ten Acres - Their Hands and Feet rot off-Swarming with Vermin

-Bones protrude through the Flesh — The Men become Idiots and

Lunatics-Different Treatment of Southern Prisoners by the North

-"The Yankees take good Care of us" - Last Days of Sherman's

"March to the Sea"-The Army reaches the Atlantic Coast

Columbia, S. C., is burned-Destitution of the South-"At the

Mercy of a General more powerful than Grant or Sherman, Gen-

eral Starvation"

-

682

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 Seventyfive Thousand Troops - Their Rendezvous in Faneuil Hall - Departure of the Masachusetts Sixth for Washington-Scenes at the Boston and Albany Station-Interview with Mr. Garrison and Wendell PhillipsThe Massachusetts Sixth attacked in Baltimore-War Scenes in Auburn, N. Y.-My Return to Chicago - Impressive Scenes in the Republican Wigwam - Cairo, Ill., a strategic Point- North and South nasten to seize it-Chicago Troops arrive first and take PossessionIncreased Preparations for War-Washington carefully guarded Defeat at Bull Run-The North nerved to Power and PurposeThe South exultant in Self-Confidence - Lines now sharply drawn between loyal and disloyal States.

HE opening of the War of the Rebellion. found me in Boston, my native city. My own home had been in Chicago for years, but my aged father was thought to be dying, and the stern speech of the telegram had summoned me to his bedside. It was a time of extreme and unconcealed anxiety. The daily papers teemed with the dreary records of secession. Southern press blazed with hatred of the North, and with fierce contempt for her patience and her avowed desire for peace. Northern men and women were driven from Southern homes, leaving behind all their possessions, and thankful to escape with life.

The