S. Emma E. Edmonds - Nurse and Spy in the Union Army

The Adventures and Experiences of a Woman in Hospitals, Camps, and Battle-Fields

Published by Good Press, 2019

EAN 4057664636768

HOSPITAL TREE AT FAIR OAKS.Page 191.

NURSE AND SPY.

Table of Contents

COMMENCEMENT OF THE WARMY HOME AND MY DUTYI ENLIST IN THE CAUSEEXCITEMENT AT THE WESTTROOPS ON THE MARCHMOBS AT BALTIMORETEMPORARY HOSPITALSUNAVOIDABLE EVILSBEGGING FOR COMFORTSSUPPLIES FOR THE SICKCAMP HOSPITALSTHUNDERS STORMS IN CAMPA DYING OFFICERSOLDIERS IN THE PUBLIC BUILDINGSPREPARATIONS FOR THE ADVANCE.

Early in the spring of 1861, I was returning from the far West, and as I sat waiting for the train which was to bear me to my adopted home in New England, and was meditating upon the events which had transpired during the past few months, the record of which was destined to blacken the fair pages of American history, I was aroused from my reverie by a voice in the street crying New York HeraldFall of Fort SumterPresidents ProclamationCall for seventy-five thousand men! This announcement startled me, while my imagination portrayed the coming struggle in all its fearful magnitude. War, civil war, with all its horrors seemed inevitable, and even then was ready to burst like a volcano upon the most happy and prosperous nation the sun ever shone upon. The contemplation of this sad picture filled my eyes with tears and my heart with sorrow.

It is true, I was not an AmericanI was not obliged to remain here during this terrible strifeI could return to my native land where my parents would welcome me to the home of my childhood, and my brothers and sisters would rejoice at my coming. But these were not the thoughts which occupied my mind. It was not my intention, or desire, to seek my own personal ease and comfort while so much sorrow and distress filled the land. But the great question to be decided, was, what can I do? What part am I to act in this great drama? I was not able to decide for myselfso I carried this question to the Throne of Grace, and found a satisfactory answer there.

Five years previous to the time of which I write, I left my rural home, not far from the banks of the St. Johns River, in the Province of New Brunswick, and made my way to the United States. An insatiable thirst for education led me to do this, for I believed then, as now, that the Foreign Missionary field was the one in which I must labor, sooner or later. I came here a stranger, with but little to recommend me to the favorable notice of the good people, except a letter from the Pastor of the church to which I belonged, and one from my class-leadernotwithstanding, I found kind friends to help me in all my undertakings, and whether in business, education, or spiritual advancement, I have been assisted beyond my highest expectation. I thank God that I am permitted in this hour of my adopted countrys need to express a tithe of the gratitude which I feel toward the people of the Northern States.

Ten days after the Presidents proclamation was issued, I was ready to start for Washington, having been employed by the Government, and furnished with all the necessary equipments. I was not merely to go to Washington and remain there until a battle had been fought and the wounded brought in, and then in some comfortable hospital sit quietly and fan the patients, after the Surgeon had dressed their wounds; but I was to go to the front and participate in all the excitement of the battle scenes, or in other words, be a Field Nurse .

The great West was stirred to its center, and began to look like a vast military camp. Recruiting offices were filled with men eager to enroll their names as defenders of their countryand women were busily engaged in preparing all the comforts that love and patriotism could suggest, for those who were so soon to go forth to victory or to death, while the clash of arms and strains of martial music almost drowned the hum of industry, and war became the theme of every tongue.

About this time I witnessed the departure of the first western troops which started for Washington. The regiments were drawn up in linefully equipped for their journeywith their bright bayonets flashing in the morning sunlight. It was on the principal street of a pleasant little village of about a thousand inhabitants, where there was scarcely a family who had not a father, husband, son, or brother in that little band of soldiers who stood there ready to bid them farewell, perhaps for yearsperhaps forever. A farewell address was delivered by the village Pastor, and a new Testament presented to each soldier, with the following inscription: Put your trust in Godand keep your powder dry. Then came the leave-takingbut it is too painful to dwell uponthe last fond word was spoken, the last embrace given, then came the order marchand amid the cheers of the citizenswith banners proudly floating, and the bands playing The Star Spangled Banner, they moved forward on their way to the Capital. On looking back now upon the scenes of that morning, notwithstanding I have looked upon others much more thrilling since then, yet I cannot recall that hour without feelings of deep emotion. While I stood there and beheld those manly forms convulsed with emotion, and heard the sobs of those whom they were leaving behind, I could only thank God that I was free and could go forward and work, and was not obliged to stay at home and weep. A few hours more, and I, too, was on my way to Washington.

When I reached Baltimore I found the city in an uproarmobs were gathered in the streets and the utmost excitement prevailed: and as the crowded cars moved through the city toward the depot, the infuriated mob threw showers of stones, brickbats, and other missiles, breaking the windows and wounding some of the soldiers. Some of the men could not forbear firing into the crowdnotwithstanding their orders were to the contraryhowever, it had a good effect, for the mob soon dispersed; they probably had not forgotten the Sixth Massachusetts and the Pennsylvania troops which had passed through a short time before. The cars soon reached the depot, and started immediately for Washingtonwhere we arrived in due timeweary, and in great need of food and sleep.

Soon after reaching Washington I commenced visiting the temporary hospitals which were prepared to receive the soldiers who arrived there sick. The troops came pouring in so fast, and the weather being extremely warm, all the general hospitals were soon filled, and it seemed impossible to prepare suitable, or comfortable, accommodations for all who required medical attention.

There are many things in connection with this war that we are disposed to find fault with, and we think the blame rests upon such and such individualsbut after investigating the matter, we find that they are all owing to a combination of circumstances entirely beyond the control of those individualsand it requires time to bring about the desired results. This has been my experience with regard to the hospital department. After walking through the streets for hours on a sultry southern day in search of one of those temporary hospitals, I would find a number of men there delirious with feverothers had been sun-struck and carried therebut no physician to be found in attendance. Then, I would naturally come to the conclusion that the surgeons were all slack concerning their dutybut upon going to the office of the Surgeon in charge of that department, would find that a certain number of surgeons were detailed every morning to visit those hospitals, and were faithfully performing their duty; but that the number of hospitals and patients were increasing so fast that it required all day to make the tour. Consequently the last ones visited were obliged to wait and sufferwithout any blame attaching to the surgeons.