University of Virginia Library

MISS A. SHELTON,
AND OTHER NURSES AT CHATTANOOGA.

FEW places in the country are so rich in the historical
associations of our great war as Chattanooga.
Situated at the points where the Tennessee bursts through
the barriers of the Appalachian range, romantic in its site,
and sublime in mountain scenery, it is, at the same time,
a commercial and railroad centre, and a key-point in military
strategy. Its immense importance in the defence of
southern territory is proved by the fact that it is the only
point in America that has as yet been the theatre of two
protracted and bloody battles, each fought for no other
strategical object than the possession or occupation of
this town.

The battles took place in the fall of 1863, and it can
easily be seen that during the winter that followed, there
must have been an untold aggregate of suffering concentrated
there.

More than two hundred miles from Louisville, the base
of supply, with railroad and wagon communication subject
to constant interruption by raids and surprises, it was
crowded with the severely wounded of two bloody battles,
great numbers of whom died for want of sufficient and
proper food, clothing, and the customary hospital supplies.

The heroic army-workers had done something to relieve

this suffering early in the season. Mrs. Harris, whom no
difficulties ever appalled, whom no labors, though they
might prostrate, seemed ever to exhaust, had, with Miss
Tyson, of Baltimore, and Mrs. Beck, of Washington, penetrated
to this point when it was at the front, and the
scene of actual hostilities. But sickness followed the exposures
and hardships to which they were subject, and
they were without facilities for accomplishing much for the
relief of the suffering. In early spring the subject was
taken up by the ladies of the Sanitary Commission of the
West, and a number of zealous workers went to Chattanooga,
arriving there about the middle of April, 1864.

The deputation was mostly from Iowa. There were Miss
Coggill, of Iowa City, Miss Hagan, of Muscatine, and Miss
A. Shelton, the sister of Miss Mary E. Shelton, who acted
as the secretary and hospital assistant of Mrs. Wittenmeyer.
Four others, Mrs. Conrad and her sister, and the Misses
Hanford, went to Knoxville on similar errands of mercy.

The three who remained at Chattanooga were for a few
days lodged at the rooms of the Christian Commission;
but about the 21st an ambulance drove up to the door
to take them to the hospital by the foot of Lookout Mountain,
at the point where Chattanooga Creek empties into
the Tennessee. Their quarters they found rough and
dirty, and the strict discipline of the camp appeared severe
and arbitrary. But these discomforts and annoyances
were soon lost sight of in the absorbing and tragical
scenes of the hospital wards.

One of the first patients that Miss Hagan attended was
raving with the delirium of fever. "Send across the field
for my wife; just across the field there. She'll come as soon

as you tell her; she has no idea how sick I am." When she
laid her cool hand on the hot forehead, and stroked back
the crisp, brown hair, the poor fellow thought "she" had
come, and said, in a tone of satisfaction that was inexpressibly
touching, "There, I thought you would come; I knew
you would, as soon as you knew how much I needed you."

As soon as arrangements were completed, these ladies
had in charge the special diet kitchen, where they prepared
food for about two hundred patients. At first, these
duties were found very exhausting; but they were steadily
persevered in, and contributed greatly to the comfort and
the rapid convalescence of the patients.

Their time was wholly engrossed with these labors of
philanthropy and patriotism; yet the Chattanooga life,
stern and exacting as it was, had its hours of romantic
interest. Above the hospital where they labored towered
the famous historic mountain peak, where the storming
columns of the victorious Union troops had crowded up
the rocky slope till the final volleys and the ringing
cheers of triumph were far above the clouds. Near them
rolled the blue waters of the Tennessee, whose banks had
for three years been echoing to the fierce thunders of the
fratricidal strife; while, from time to time, long columns
of troops, with immense army trains, would file past the
hospital, moving on southward at the command of the
great Marching General, to earn unperishable renown in
a series of bloody battles culminating in the most wonderful
success in all history. The scenery, also, particularly
at night, often realized all they had conceived of
as the wild and romantic scenery of war. A corps or a

division would encamp on Chattanooga or Chickamauga
Creek, and their camp fires extend up the slopes of the
grand old mountain, till it seemed all ablaze with the lurid
glories of war.

In May began active operations against the enemy;
and the hospital was soon filled with wounded men from
the action at Dalton, Tunnel Hill, and numerous other
points on the line of march through Northern Georgia.

Soon it became necessary to establish other special diet
kitchens. On the 26th of May, Miss Hagan and Miss
Shelton went to Hospital No. 1; and though there was
everything to be done, and nothing to do with, by dint
of perseverance, hard work, and Miss Hagan's uncommon
executive ability, order soon came out of confusion, and
an abundance of suitable and well-cooked food was supplied
to all the wards in the hospital.

This was not abated during the month of June, after
which Chattanooga was of less importance as a hospital
centre. Then Miss Shelton went to Nashville, and cooperated
with her sister in labors for the patients in
Hospital No. 1 and Hospital No. 14. An account of
these labors, and some very touching and tragical incidents
that occurred there, will be found in the narrative
and hospital sketches of Miss Mary E. Shelton.

These sisters continued their labors at Nashville, and
afterwards at Wilmington, for months after the war ended,
endeavoring to restore again to useful activity and cheerfulness
the patriots who, during the last year of the
terrible warfare, had made such vast sacrifices of their
own health and life, to give vigor, unity, and permanence
to the life of the nation.