LETTER XVIII.
Benton Barracks Hospital.
May 4, 1863.
I am busy now overseeing and teaching new nurses.
Dr. Russell was speaking to me of my work, the other
day, and said how great the responsibility was; it is
something I have to answer for very humbly and carefully.
The Doctor is very good, and very much beloved
here. I like his strictness; it is right; but it obliges
one to walk very carefully, and that is what we ought
to do.
Yesterday, I sat down by a dying man, dying of
consumption, and read to him a beautiful Psalm. He
enjoyed it very much; he always does; he wanted me
to stay with him. I had promised to go with one of
my new nurses to the afternoon meeting here, so I
went back to him after it; as I sat by him, fanning
him, he said: "I wish I could go to meeting, I always
liked it." He will soon go to a meeting from which no
bodily infirmities will keep him.
My cares and duties gather daily. Every day I see
more and more to be done or done better by myself,
more duties towards others.
The men are some of them very pleasant, giving me
a kindly welcome as I go, the hand put out to take
mine as I come to them. There is something that
goes to your heart in those rough, worn hands, that
have carried their guns through many a hard fight for
our country, and are right ready to carry them again.
Now they are worn with disease, fighting with pain
and sorrow, surely we ought to help them in all ways.
I am going now on my evening rounds; I find things
to attend to always.
Evening. I have been round the wards, reading to
some, fixing pillows for others, seeing that nurses are
in their places. I went into one large ward, of which
the ward-master is a very nice old man, and found the
men on their knees, for the most part, and the ward-master
offering up prayer. I wish you had been there.
A sick ward is at all times of night a peculiar scene—
this was very impressive. I shall always feel better in
that ward; they have prayer every night. This morning
was very sultry and hot; to-night it has cooled off,
and the men are better. . . .
I have resumed my white caps, they are very convenient.
I heard to-day that one of the German
soldiers was inquiring who that lady was,—"she wore
a little white cap, looked like a German, and spoke to
him in German." I am afraid he was disappointed
when he found I was not a country-woman.
