The Object of this volume is to present in as consecutive and comprehensive form as possible the History of the Catholic Sisterhoods of the Late Civil War. Many books have been written on the work of other women in this war, but aside from fugitive newspaper paragraphs, nothing has ever been published concerning the self-sacrificing labors of these sisterhoods. Whatever may have been the cause of this neglect or indifference, it is evident that the time has arrived to fill this important gap in the literature of the war. The sisters, to quote an army chaplain, do not have reunions or campfires to keep alive the memories of the most bloody lustrum in our history, but their war stories are as heroic and far more edifying than many the veterans tell. That genuine humility so characteristic of the sisters has made the collection of the necessary data for this work very difficult. Most of the stories embodied in the pages that follow have been gathered by personal interviews, through examinations of various archives and records, and by an extensive correspondence with government officials, veterans of the war, and the superior of convents and communities. It is impossible to enumerate all those who have aided in the work, but the writer desires to thank especially the sisters to whom he is indebted for the chapters relating to the Sisters of Mercy who were with the Irish Brigade in the West and to the Sisters of St. Joseph who were at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. While the author has not hesitated to avail himself of every possible source of information, it is only fair to say that the great bulk of the material that goes to make up the volume has been drawn from entirely original sources and is presented in printed form for the first time. In order to form a basis for the work, all of the obtainable literature bearing upon the civil conflict was examined in a thorough and exhaustive manner. It is no exaggeration to say that nearly 1,000 volumes bearing upon the late unpleasantness were searched with the hope of finding some data bearing upon the saintly work of the sisterhoods. The books of reference included the more important histories of the war, the memoirs and recollections of the leading generals of both the Union and Confederate armies, the debates in Congress, the lives of the founders of the several religious orders, the histories of the church and of the sisterhoods, and a score of miscellaneous works too numerous to name in a preface. The official records and correspondence of the war issued by authority of Congress under the supervision and at the expense of the government consists in itself of more than 100 bulky volumes. The return from this immense crop of literature so far as the sisters were concerned was ridiculously small. It did not begin to be commensurate with the amount of time labor and patients involved in the research. A rare letter or document and the occasional mention of a sister in the reports to the war department constituted the sum total. The oft-quoted hunt for the needle in the haystack furnishes the only adequate comparison of the work in this instance. The generals and the officials who had the direction of the awful struggle were, in the main, too busily engaged in making history to pause long enough to mention the modest hands that bound up their wounds, soothed their fevered brows, and performed those other acts of faith and charity that seemed to belong essentially not to the weaker but to the gentler sex. In addition to this the files of the secular and religious newspapers from 1860 to 1865 were minutely examined and the results carefully collated. Magazines and other periodicals including the illustrated weeklies of the time were also searched. The material thus evolved while more promising than in the case of the histories and books of the war was not entirely satisfactory. The paragraphs were not only meager and disconnected but the dates and places were uncertain and at times unreliable. But where these newspaper stories could not be utilized they were useful in furnishing clues upon which complete stories were afterwards built. The general reader may not be deeply interested in these details concerning the making of the book but they are given for the purpose of emphasizing the care and industry involved in the compilation and production of the work. Through it all there has been a conscientious effort to avoid political, sectional, or religious controversy. In short the desire has been to present a modest picture of the grand work done by the sisters for humanity. Of course there has been no intention of presenting a history or even a sketch of the war itself and the nearest thread of its events has been introduced solely for the purpose of making the narrative of the sisters as connected as the scattered data permitted. The aim has been constantly to present facts in an impartial manner. How far the writer has succeeded remains for the reader to judge. The chivalrous men wearing both the blue and the gray who caused American manhood and valor to be known and respected in the world over have on many occasions and in various ways given expression to the esteem and affection in which they hold the women who devoted their lives to the care of the sick and the wounded. The ranks of the war-sisters have been gradually thinned out by death until but a handful of them remain. These survivors rest in their convent homes, tranquilly awaiting the final summons to a land where conflict is unknown. They may die but the story of their patriotic and humane work will live as long as love for loyalty, regard for duty, and admiration for self-sacrifice exist in the hearts of the American people. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Larry Wilson. Angels of the Battlefield by George Barton. The Orders That Participated. On the 12th day of April 1861 the first shot fired upon Fort Sumter formally inaugurated the civil war in the United States. On the 9th of April 1865 Grant and Lee were the principals in the historic meeting at Appomattox Courthouse by which hostilities were virtually terminated. The interval between these two memorable dates presents the greatest ordeal in the history of the Republic. As a result of these four momentous years of conflict the nation was deprived by death and disease of one million men. The total number of enlisted soldiers in the Union Army during the whole of the war amounted to 2,688,523. As many of these men were mustered in twice and as a certain percentage deserted it is reasonable to estimate that 1,500,000 men were actively engaged in the northern armies. Of this number 56,000 died on the field of battle. 35,000 expired in the hospitals from the effects of wounds received in action and 184,000 perished by disease. It is probable that those who died of disease after their discharge from the army was well the total to 300,000. If the effects of inferior hospital service and poor sanitary arrangements are added to the other results of war it is safe to assume that the loss of the south was greater than that of the north. But considering the southern loss equal to that of the north the aggregate is 600,000. Add to this 400,000 men crippled or permanently disabled by disease and the total subtraction from the productive force of the nation reaches this duvendous total of 1,000,000 men. These figures seem almost incredible but they come from what in this particular at least must be regarded as a trustworthy source. The task of caring for such an army of dead and wounded was no light one. In the beginning of the war this feature of military life was conducted in an uncertain and spasmodic manner. As time wore on it became evident that the war was not to consist of a few skirmishes but was likely to be a protracted struggle between two bodies of determined men. Then the necessity of systematic sanitary and hospital service made itself apparent. As a result of the pressing needs of the hour the sanitary commission and the christian commission were organized. The meritorious nature of the work of these great charities has been made known by reports and books published since the war. The details of the good deeds of both organizations and supply nurses and in caring for influence generally are too well known to need repetition. But the story and labors of the catholic sisters is not well known. To begin with the sisters brought to their aid in caring for the sick and wounded soldiers the experienced training and discipline of the religious bodies with which they were identified. Soft Denial was a feature of their daily life and the fact that they had taken vows of poverty chastity and obedience peculiarly fitted them for a duty that demanded personal sacrifices almost every hour of the day and night. From the data obtainable it appears that the members of four catholic sisterhoods participated in the merciful work incident to the war. These included the sisters of charity the sisters of mercy the sisters of saint joseph and the sisters of the holy cross. The soldiers like many people in civil life made no distinction between the orders and to them the dark robed angels of the battlefields were all sisters of charity. There are now three orders of the sisters of charity in the united states the black caps or mother's seat and sisters who have establishments in new york Cincinnati and other places the white caps or cornet sisters of emitsburg maryland and the sisters of charity of nasa earth kentucky there are probably five thousand members of these three orders of sisters of charity in this country today. The nasa earth community was founded in 1812 by a few pious american ladies near nasa earth kentucky under the good bishop david mother katharine spaulding a relative of the late arch bishop of baltimore and of the present bishop of peora illinois was the first superius the members of all these three branches of the sisters of charity did good work during the war. The congregation of the sisters of mercy was founded by miss katharine mccally in dublin ireland september 24th 1827 seven sisters who came from carlo ireland established the order in the united states locating in pittsburgh pennsylvania the sisters of the holy cross have a mother house at notodam indiana and conduct establishments in a large number of dioceses the congregation of the sisters of st joseph was founded in france in 1650 in the general ruin incident to the french revolution near the close of the last century the convents of the order were destroyed the body was subsequently reorganized and six sisters from the mother house at leon came to st louis in 1836 at the request of bishop rosati and founded a house at carin de leth missouri this became the mother house in this country a number of independent houses of the order have since been established notably the one in chestnut hill philadelphia end of chapter one chapter two of angels of the battlefield this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox.org recording by john brandon angels of the battlefield by george barton chapter two archbishop hughes and the sisters the problem of how to provide the necessary nurses for both the union and confederate armies sisters not able to volunteer without the approval of their superiors an interesting epistle from archbishop hughes to archbishop kennrich the new york prelate appointed by president lincoln as a peace commissioner to france a characteristic letter from the martin president to the great archbishop welling the draft riots in new york city very early in the war the question of providing nurses for the sick and wounded soldiers of both armies became a serious problem not only to the civil authorities but also to the church officials in every great emergency questions of this kind generally solve themselves it proved so in this instance the first shot had hardly been fired the first battle fought and the first improvised hospital put into service before volunteers from all sections of the country had placed themselves at the disposal of generals of the contending armies these offers came both from lay women and from members of the various sisterhoods connected with the catholic church in the united states the sisters of course being under certain rules and discipline were not able to volunteer until they had obtained the consent and approval of their superiors in the beginning the nurses for the armies were taken from all walks of life while they were zealous and entered upon their work with the desire of alleviating suffering they did not have the disposition or training necessary to carry on the work with the ease and thoroughness essential to complete success as the war progressed and battles occurred more frequently and the number of sick and wounded became alarmingly large the medical directors in both the union and confederate armies began to recognize and appreciate the real value of the sisters the following letter written by archbishop Hughes of new york to most reverend francis patrick kenrick gd archbishop of the sea of baltimore shows that the subject was a live one in church circles at that time to the archbishop of baltimore may ninth 1861 most reverend and dear sir the superior of the judgments here called upon me more than a week ago to state that their society would be prepared to furnish for spiritual necessities of the army north and south as many as 10 chaplains speaking all the civilized languages of europe or america i heard him but did not make any reply for myself i have sent but one chaplain with the 69th regiment and to him i have already given the faculties which you had the kindness to confer upon me for such an occasion there is also another question growing up and it is about nurses for the sick and wounded our sisters of mercy have volunteered after the example of their sisters toiling in the Crimean war i have signified to them not harshly that they had better mind their own affairs until their services are needed i am now informed indirectly that the sisters of charity and the diocese would be willing to volunteer a force of from 50 to 100 nurses to this last proposition i have very strong objections besides it would seem to me natural and proper that the sisters of charity in emitsberg should occupy the most honorable post of nursing the sick and wounded but on the other hand maryland is a divided community at this moment whereas new york is understood to be all on one side in fact as the question now stands maryland is in america for the moment as belgium has been the battlefield of europe as i mentioned several days ago baltimore must be destroyed or it must succumb to the northern determination on these several points i would like much to know what your grace thinks and would advise sincerely your devoted brother and servant in christ john archbishop of new york while as the archbishop stated in his letter maryland might have been a divided community the same could not be said of the sisters of charity of emitsberg they were united in occupying the very honorable post of nursing the sick and wounded on both sides of the great conflict soon after this the archbishop changed some of his views regarding the sisters as expressed in the above letter both the sisters of charity and the sisters of mercy in the diocese of new york served in the camps and the hospitals to begin with the archbishop withdrew his strong objection to the one hundred sisters of charity who desired to volunteer in the early stages of the war after that all those who were willing to undertake the humane work went into it with his blessing and best wishes the following letter from president lincoln to archbishop hughes is of interest it was the beginning of a warm personal friendship between the two strong men a friendship ended only by death washington dc october 21st 1861 archbishop hughes right reverend sir i am sure you will pardon me if in my ignorance i do not address you with technical correctness i find no law authorizing the appointment of chaplains for our hospitals and yet the services of chaplains are more needed perhaps in hospitals than with healthy soldiers in the field with this view i have given a quasi appointment a copy of which i enclose to each of the three protestant ministers who have accepted and entered upon the duties if you perceive no objection i will thank you to give me the name or names of one or more suitable persons of the catholic church to whom i may with propriety tender the same service many thanks for your kind and judicious letters to governor seward and which he regularly allows me the pleasure and profit of perusing with the highest respect your obedient servant a lincoln there are conflicting opinions regarding the propriety of the war stand taken by the archbishop but it is generally agreed that he was one of the heroic figures of war times he had the absolute confidence of president lincoln and on the 21st of october 1861 was sent abroad with thorough weed on a peace commission the archbishop went to france while mr weed confined his work to england at the same time messes mason and slidel were in europe on a mission in the interest of the confederacy the late bishop mcnerney of albany then a young priest in new york city accompanied the archbishop to france acting in the capacity of private secretary these two rival missions to europe were covered with all sorts of honeyed diplomatic terms but their real purpose was well known messes mason and slidel went to induce one or more of the powerful nations of the old world to throw the weight of their influence with the southern confederacy the mission of the archbishop and mr weed was to prevent that result a letter written by archbishop hues to cardinal barnabow at the time of his appointment by president lincoln goes to show that the archbishop accepted the mission with the very highest motives after explaining that he had refused it once and only reconsidered his refusal at the earnest request of the president he adds my mission was and is a mission of peace between france and england on the one side and the united states on the other the time was so brief between my visit to washington and my departure from new york that i had no opportunity of writing to your eminence upon the subject or of consulting any of the other bishops in regard to it i made it known to the president that if i should come to europe it would not be as a partisan of the north more than of the south that i should represent the interest of the south as well as of the north in short the interests of all the united states just the same as if they were not distracted by the present civil war the people of the south know that i am not opposed to their interests they have even published that in their papers and some say that my coming to europe is with a view of bringing about a reconciliation between the two sections of the country but in fact no one but myself either north or south knows the entire object of my visit to europe archbishop hughes was one of the great men of his day he was on terms of friendship with several of the presidents who preceded mr lincoln and also enjoyed the confidence and respect of the leading statesman of the nation as early as 1847 he preached before congress upon the invitation of such men as john quincy adams john c calhoun and thomas h benton his subject was christianity the only source of moral social and political regeneration in july 1863 archbishop hughes was instrumental in quelling the draft riots in new york city the mob was beyond the control of the local authorities and the archbishop finally consented to say a few words in the interest of law and order the venerable prelate was fast approaching his end he was so weak at this time that he had to be conveyed to the balcony of his residence in an arm chair he spoke briefly and succeeded in inducing the rioters to return to their homes for the time being it was his last public appearance and soon after this he peacefully passed away surrounded by friends and relatives and the ever faithful sisters of charity in the chapters that follow is proposed to deal with the labors of the sisters of charity taking up first the cornet or emitsburg sisters then the sisters of charity of nazareth and finally the black caps or mother's seton sisters the concluding chapters deal with the sisters of mercy the sisters of saint joseph and the sisters of the holy cross in the order named end of chapter two recording by john brandon chapter three of angels of the battlefield this is a labor vox recording all labor vox recordings are in the public domain for more information order volunteer please visit labor vox.org angels of the battlefield by george barton in and around richmond in the early part of june 1861 dr gibson who was in charge of the military hospital at the confederate capital richmond virginia called upon the sisters of charity of emitsburg to come to the relief of the sick and wounded soldiers in that neighborhood the late right reverend john mcgill the bishop of the diocese of richmond did not object to having the sisters engage in a work of mercy but he was opposed to any hospital or infirmary which might prove to be an obstacle to or impair the prosperity of the church hospital of saint francis de sails the civil authorities did not make any impression upon the prelet but when the sisters themselves called at the episcopal palace and begged to be assigned to the work the bishop could not resist and the coveted consent was obtained it was announced that the sisters would begin their work on the following saturday two physicians called at the convent and conducted them to the institution which afterwards became known as saint an's military hospital the structure was in an unfinished state and the walls were not plastered but it was thoroughly ventilated and free from dampness and that meant much in a building designed for the care of the sick the house contained altogether about three hundred patients each ward held from twelve to fourteen men and the rooms opened into one another it was noon when the sisters arrived and they were shocked to find that many of the wounded men had not yet broken their fast the first care of the newcomers was to relieve the hunger of the patients to affect this they went to the kitchen making the acquaintance of nicholas the cook black george his assistant and other occupants of this section of the house while these employees were good men and were doing their very best they succeeded but poorly in having an orderly kitchen or in providing the soldiers with the sort of food adapted to their weakened condition one sister among those who had volunteered to work in the hospital was detained a little later than the others she felt remorseful at the unavoidable delay but determined to compensate for it by unusual activity the first thing that caught her alert eye on her arrival was a pantry with the door wide open burning with zeal to be useful she closed and locked the door suddenly there was a wrapping from the inside the zealous sister was not superstitious nor could she be called nervous but the strong noises frightened her and she became pale as the wrappings continued to grow in volume and number opened the door and let me out came in sepulchral tones from the pantry the key was applied and the door hastily opened and out walked another frightened sister who had been imprisoned while searching for supplies after many little incidents of a trivial character order was restored from chaos some of the soldiers declared that the first meal they received from the sisters was better than anything they had eaten since entering the army the sisters that first night got no sleep for the wants of the sufferers were pressing one of the patients called a sister to his bedside and in a low voice said you know the doctors think I may not live overnight therefore I have a great favor to ask that I hope you will not refuse I have a mother here tears checked his utterance the sister said I understand you want me to write to her yes he said say that her child is dead but do not tell her how I have suffered that would break her heart this delicate mission like many similar ones entrusted to the sisters was faithfully fulfilled the wounded men came from the battles and skirmishes that had taken place in the vicinity of Richmond notably Philippi Big Bethel Romney Rich Mountain Carex Ford and Manassas Virginia the last engagement which is also known as the first battle of bull run and a disasterously for the union forces it occurred on the 21st of July 1861 and the sisters silently going the rounds in their infirmary could almost hear the reverberating sound of the shot and shell toward night about 50 wounded soldiers prisoners from Manassas were brought into the hospital some 32 dying and others wounded and until better accommodations could be provided they had to be laid on the floor one of the sisters was called by the doctor who said sister get something for this poor man's head he has just asked for a log of wood the sister went out but where to get a pillow was a mystery everyone was engaged at last a pillow case was found and the bright idea came to the sister I will stuff it with paper she brought it to the man who was a down east Yankee thinking the invention suited the individual for whom it was destined the poor fellow despite his suffering smiled as it was given him it was very late when the sisters finally prepared to retire after a hard day's work they were not settled in their room before sister Blanche remarked I cannot sleep there is such an odor of death about this apartment nevertheless they compose themselves as best they could in the morning the secret of the strong odor was revealed a pair of human limbs amputated the week before had been carelessly thrown in the adjoining room it was a great trial for the sister to visit that room she covered her nose and mouth with her handkerchief and threw open the windows under her directions the limbs were at once interred one of the sisters writing in her diary at this time says yesterday a man was buried with three legs on a Sunday morning an addition of 11 union officers was received to the number of wounded they were given accommodations in the Garrett in the officers quarters were found captains majors lieutenants and sergeants all wounded one fellow blessed with a fine voice had a guitar loaned him and he could always be seen in a corner whiling away as a dull hours sometimes these invalid officers were annoyed by visitors who were untiring in their questions where were you shot at asked one inquisitive individual meaning in what part of the body shot at Manassas was the laconic reply as one of the sisters was crossing the porch a tall brawny soldier cried out you ladies have a sight of work to do but I tell you what you get high pay none at all was the quiet answer what said he starting back with surprise you don't tell me you do all this work for nothing precisely was the quiet response one of the nurses or hands about the place being sadly put out about something that went wrong exclaimed that he was neither an angel nor a sister of charity and that he would not put up with it at all sister Mary Ann and speaking of the very dispositions of the men said that the sisters first got a puff and then a buff five of the union officers who were in the Garrett club together after their departure and sent the sisters a check for fifty dollars for the benefit of the orphanage enrichment the infirmary of st. Francis to sales had been in operation by the sisters for the sick in general when the war commenced but after that it was utilized for the wounded soldiers on May 16 1861 the sisters in this institution were appealed to by the medical authorities very soon the building was too much crowded for the patients the government then took a large house which was transformed into a hospital it was thought that thirty four male nurses would answer the purpose in a few days however the surgeon and officers in charge went to the sisters at the infirmary begging them to come to their assistance at the new hospital as the sick were very much in need of their services the sisters went to this hospital on June 26 1861 other hospitals in and around Richmond were built and as rapidly as they were made ready for use the surgeons applied for sisters to take charge of them all of the sisters outside of the blockade which existed at that time were at military posts except those engaged in caring for the orphans the schools and academies controlled by the sisters had been closed for some time as the sisters were sent to many different hospitals the number that could be assigned for each one was small the hospitals were often without the necessaries of life for the sisters table rough cornbread and strong fat bacon were luxuries as for beverages they could rarely tell what was given to them for tea or coffee for at one time it was sage and at another herbs soon after going to one of the new hospitals in Richmond the surgeon in charge said to one of the sisters I am obliged to make known our difficulties to you that you may enable me to surmount them for you ladies accomplish all you undertake until now we have been supplied with the delicacies necessary for our patients from Louisiana but the blockade prevents this at present and I fear to enter the wards as the poor men are still asking for former refreshments and they cannot be quieted we dislike to inform them of the straight we are in though this state of affairs may be of short duration the sister hardly knew what to do but propose that thirty five wagons be sent among the farmhouses for the purpose of gathering in foul milk butter and fruit this was done but in the meantime complaints had been made to headquarters that since the sisters had come to the hospital all delicacies had been withheld from the poor sick the surgeon and sisters knew nothing of this complaint until a deputy government official arrived to learn the truth of the charges he visited the wards during mealtime after which he entered the room where the sisters dined then he told the surgeon the motive of his visit the surgeon was glad to explain to the deputy the cause of the complaints the deputy informed the soldiers that the nurses were not in any way responsible for their sufferings and that the fare of the sisters was always worse than that furnished to the soldiers the men soon became convinced that they had been too hasty in their judgment of the sisters and that the stoppage of the delicacies was for unavoidable causes they found before long that the angels of the battlefield as they came to call the sisters had but one desire and that was to add to their comfort as much as the limited supplies would permit end of chapter three chapter four of angels of the battlefield this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Angels of the Battlefield by George Barton Harper's Ferry nearly all the sisters that could be spared had been sent from the motherhouse at Emmitsburg and were engaged in performing works of charity on the battlefields and in the various camps and hospitals on June 7th 1861 a telegram was received from the authorities asking that a number of sisters be detailed to serve the sick and wounded soldiers at Harper's Ferry in spite of the severe strain that it entailed upon their available assignments the superiors made the sacrifice of sending three sisters these brave women left Emmitsburg on June 9th for Frederick City mother Anne Simeon cautioned them to act with prudence lest they meet with trouble as they had the northern army in its sentinels to pass in order to reach their destination an orderly had been sent to escort them but the sisters passed their intended guide without knowing it he going by them on the road to Emmitsburg an expected engagement kept villagers and farmers quietly at home men cautiously whispered their fears or opinions and the sight of people bold enough to travel just then was a matter that occasioned mild surprise for this reason the sisters tried to huddle in the rear of the stagecoach hoping to pass unobserved during a brief halt for the mail in one little town the driver opened the stage door and handing in a letter said in a loud voice sisters a gentleman in Emmitsburg desires you to put this letter in a southern post office after you have crossed the line the eyes of the curious and astonished people were on them in a moment the sisters were not aware that the driver knew of their destination but they remained quiet and made the best of the incident the heat was excessive one of the horses gave out on the way and another had to be hastily substituted after some delay the party arrived in Frederick City a few sentinels stood here and there but no one paid much attention to the new arrivals before they started again however a number of men gathered around their carriages saying why ladies where are you going several of the men asked questions at the same time but the sisters stared at them blankly and civilly answered anything except what the gossips most desired to know as hostilities had stopped the railway cars the pilgrims had to continue their journey in the stagecoach almost sick with heat they journeyed on until another horse succumbed this meant more trouble and suspense but it was born with heroic patience the most exciting adventure was yet to come the rocks of the Maryland Heights on one side and the Potomac River on the left came in view just as the carriage was seemingly proceeding smoothly on its way there came a sudden grating sound and then an abrupt stop we're stuck ejaculated the driver with more force than elegance the carriage was so tightly fastened that it was feared the vehicle would have to be abandoned and the remainder of the journey made upon foot the driver swore and stormed about while the sisters meekly looked on in silence fearing to further irritate him with suggestions finally the carriage was extricated and the pilgrims proceeded upon their way about twilight the southern pickets were seen for the south still held a portion of Maryland the first soldier inquired where the sisters were going and with what intent he then passed them on to the next guard and so on until they came to the last who said we have just received such strict orders regarding persons crossing in or out that it is not in my power to pass you on the captain of the guards was sent for however and the sisters were transferred over the Potomac Bridge great cargos of powder had already been placed on this bridge so that in the event of the enemy's approach it might be destroyed Harpers Ferry is at the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers the Potomac separating Maryland and Virginia a summit above the town standing between the two rivers is called Bolivar Heights on this elevation was located the military hospital where the sisters were to labor a neat little Catholic church was located about midways between the valley and the town the hospital was filled with the sick and around the town lay thousands of men just arrived from the most remote southern states a cold wet spell had preceded the present heat and many of the men were ill and lay in their tents until vacancies opened for them in the badly sheltered houses in the town the men in one regiment had contracted measles on their march this spreading among the others with the exposure incidental to army life thinned their numbers before the ball and the sword had begun their quicker work on reaching their lodgings the sisters found supper prepared and after disposing of this they soon retired to rest the stillness and darkness of the town was frightful no sound but the sisters voices or footsteps was to be heard not a light gleamed from the fastened windows for fear of discovery by the hidden enemy the whole army had been sleeping or resting on their arms since their arrival expecting an early attack the medical director who had sent for the sisters came early in the morning and took them to the hospital with his assistant he escorted them from room to room introducing them and saying to the patients now you will have no cause to complain of not getting nourishment medicine and attention at the right time for the sisters of charity will see to all these things the town had been by turns in the possession of the north and south and therefore was completely drained of provisions and necessary conveniences for the sick not withstanding these difficulties things were beginning to look more comfortable when a telegram was received from Winchester ordering the whole confederate army to repair to that town immediately the northern army it was announced would attempt to cross the Potomac above and below Harper's Ferry thus surrounding the southern army and cutting off all supplies the soldiers moved at once with the exception of those who served the sick and those who were to collect the tents and finally destroy bridges and tracks provisions were cast into the river by the wholesale in order to deprive the enemy of benefit then came new orders to wait a while but the invalids had already been removed to the depot to await the return of the cars from Winchester arrangements were now being made for the destruction of the bridges and tracks and the sisters were sent to remain with a worthy catholic family far away from these structures during the night one explosion after another shook the grand bridge and seemed to shake the mountains the little catholic church the only one that had not been applied to military purposes was filled and surrounded by the frightened people the worn out pastor was their only consolar the sisters looked at the awful destruction around them and felt encompassed with desolation all the next day they hourly expected to be called to the cars but no word came they now learned that the ladies of Winchester had written to the medical director requesting him not to let the sisters of charity serve the sick as they themselves would wait on them the sisters knew that the ladies had been enthusiastic in caring for the confederate sick and thinking the delay was owing to the embarrassment the doctors might experience in regard to this one sister acting as spokeswoman said to them gentlemen we are aware of the ardor with which the Winchester ladies have labored for your poor men and also know of their desire to serve the men alone that is without any aid of ours therefore be candid enough to allow us to return to our home if you feel any difficulty respecting the ladies of Winchester tell us the sisters consider it reasonable that they should wish to serve their own people and will not be offended but rather feel grateful for your friendly candor the physicians replied that they did not care for the objections that had been made to the sisters that the ladies of Winchester could never do for the sick what the sisters of charity would do and therefore unless the sisters insisted on returning home the doctors would hold them to their undertaking the physicians beg the sisters not to leave the town but to await the signal for departure expecting all day and even until eleven pm to be sent for and feeling that rest was absolutely necessary the sisters were preparing for bed when the kind lady of the house came into their room saying my dear poor sisters a wagon and your baggage are at the door for you they soon left their benevolent hostess who wept to see them pursuing such hardships it was a genuine farm wagon with two Negroes as drivers the worthy pastor of Harper's Ferry who was determined not to leave the sisters entirely to strangers attended to their trunks and found seats for them the heavy spray from both rivers was thick in the air here and there a star appeared between broken clouds giving barely light enough to see the sentinels at their posts one of these advancing as the counter sign which the pastor gave him the wagon running on the high terrace edge of the Potomac River made with the darkness a gloomy prospect for the sisters upon reaching the depot an officer met them and offered to find them a shelter until the cars would arrive he took them across two boards that formed a temporary bridge by the aid of his lantern they could see water on either side of them so that they had to watch carefully and pick their steps lest they slip off the boards at last he opened the door of a little hut which was almost washed by the river here they entered and sat down resting their foreheads on their umbrellas until between three and four o'clock when a rumbling outside announced the arrival of the cars the train reached Winchester five hours later almost the entire town was occupied by soldiers so the accommodations at hotels were not to be had for any consideration the zealous priest who was still with the sisters took them to the church and afterwards went in search of lodgings for them the church which was of stone and was one of the poorest old buildings in the place was located in the suburbs a crowd of ignorant and curious men and children followed the sisters as they walked to the edifice as they entered the church the bystanders crowded in and about the door when the sisters went by turns to the confessional the village men and boys hurried outside and peeped through the cracks of the penitents peering into their very faces soon the priest went out and as he did so he shut and locked the door after him after some time he returned although the sisters fear that it was just possible he had lost his mind and would not come back they knew his hardships had been excessive because besides being sick and without food or sleep he had many other inconveniences to contend with but he returned and took them to a plain worthy Catholic family the following morning being Sunday they walked to the church and just at the gate had to halt to let a company of soldiers on their way to mass enter the church about 20 or 30 Catholics constituted the congregation usually but on this day the soldiers and sisters made quite a crowded assembly after that the sisters waited patiently for the doctors to take them to the scene of their labors the Reverend Dr. Costello had called on them from time to time informing the authorities that the sisters were ready to go to work among the sick the medical director finally asked them if they must remain in one hospital or whether each sister could take charge of a separate one he was informed that their number was too small to divide and they would remain at one of the hospitals the heads of the families in the city of Winchester remained in town while grown up daughters and children were sent to county seats the mothers of these staying at their houses receiving and serving as many sick soldiers as they could the sisters received much kindness from these ladies for they knew that the common rations of the soldiers were very rough indeed one of the greatest distresses of the sisters at this time was that they had not more for the poor sick the sisters began their labors in one of the largest hospitals in Winchester they worked incessantly day and night frequently not pausing long enough to take necessary food and nourishment for themselves such labor began to show on them especially as they were only three in number the doctors said that while more nurses were needed there would be no way of sending for more sisters except by one of them going home and returning with the others affairs had reached such a crisis that only the sisters of charity could travel now one of them finally started off for the mother house going by car then by stage and then crossing the Potomac in a flat canoe then she traveled by foot as fast as possible and after running for a mile reach the railroad car before it left the station the evening of next day she reached st. Joseph's at Emmitsburg where she was received as if from the grave the anxious superiors had heard nothing from or of the sisters except what meager news was published of the movements of the two armies sister Euphemia afterwards mother superior left st. Joseph's at once with three companions for Winchester to relieve the sisters there at the same time a telegram was sent to sister Valentine at st. Louis instructing her to go immediately and replace sister Euphemia in Winchester who was to proceed farther southward for in Richmond Virginia the sisters were almost overcome with continuous duty the sisters now six in number continued their labors in Winchester until very few remained in the hospitals the convalescent members of the army had been leaving Winchester for some days going towards Richmond the sisters themselves finally proceeded towards Richmond end of chapter four chapter five part one of angels of the battlefield this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org angels of the battlefield by George Barton st. Louis military hospital part one in the meantime operations in the great civil conflict were beginning in the southwest the fact that Missouri was a border state made at the scene of some of the most dramatic events of the war thousands of the sick and wounded of both armies were cared for in st. Louis it was on the 12th of august 1861 that major general Fremont commanding the department of the west established a military hospital in the suburbs of st. Louis general Fremont desired that every attention should be paid to the wounded soldiers he visited them frequently and perceiving that there was much neglect on the part of the attendance applied to the sisters of st. filomena school for a sufficient number of them to take charge of the hospital he promised the sisters if they would accept to leave everything to their management there was no delay in exceeding to this request river in james francis berlando the superior of the sisters of charity during a visit made to st. filomena school a few months previous had foreseen the probability of such an occurrence and given the sisters direction to guide them in such a case the sisters had the superintendents of everything relating to the sick in the hospital some of the soldier attendants at first looked with wonder on the strange dress and appearance of the new nurses asking them if they were freemasons the sisters were however treated with the greatest respect so much that not an oath or disrespectful word was heard in the hospital during the three years that they were there the hospital was visited every other day by the ladies of the union aid society who could not help admiring the almost profound silence observed in the wards they could not understand the influence the sisters exercised over the patients both sick and convalescent who were as submissive as children the archbishop of st. louis the late most reverend pr kenrick dd was pleased when he learned that the sisters had been asked for at the hospital the prelate provided a chaplain who said mass every morning in the oratory arranged in their apartment after the mass the chaplain visited every ward instructing baptizing and reconciling sinners to god there were hundreds of baptisms during the time the sisters were in the hospital the greatest number of the persons thus baptized dying in the hospital the institution was closed at the end of the war and the sisters returned to their former homes father berck was one of the priests who did a great deal of work in the hospital and he bears testimony to the fact that the patients thought there were no persons like the sisters they would often say indeed it was not the doctor that cured us it was the sisters when returning to their regiment they would say sisters we may never see you again but be assured you will be very gratefully remembered others would say sisters i wish we could do something for you but you do not seem to want anything besides it is not in the power of any poor soldier to make you anything like recompense all that we can do for you is fight for you and that we will do until our last breath they preferred applying to the sisters in the cases where they could do so than to the doctors and as a result the sisters had a difficult task in encouraging them to have confidence in the doctors every evening the sisters were accustomed to visit a tent a few yards distant from the hospital where the badly wounded cases were detained one night a sister found a poor man whose hand had been amputated from the wrist suffering very much the arm being terribly inflamed he complained that the doctor had that morning ordered a hot poultice and that he had not received it the sister called the nurse and wound dresser and inquired why the doctor's orders had not been attended to they told her that there were no hops in the hospital that the steward had gone to town that morning before they knew it and they had no other opportunity of sending to obtain any that day the sisters immediately sent across the yard to a bakery and got some hops and had the poultice put on the poor man was gratified and surprised the sisters he said find ways and means to relieve everyone but others who make a profession of the work do not even know how to begin it when a new doctor came to the hospital it was from the patients that he would learn to appreciate the value of the sisters when the patients return to their regiments they would say to their sick companions if you go to st. louis try to get to the house of refuge hospital the sisters are there and they will soon make you well late one evening a sister went to see that nothing was wanting for the sick she found a man suffering from intense pain in his forehead and temples he had taken cold in camp and the inflammation went to his eyes so that he became entirely blind the pain in his forehead was so intense that he thought he could not live until morning the sister asked him to let her bind up his forehead with a wide bandage oh sister he said it is no use the doctor has been bathing my forehead with spirits of ether and other liquids and nothing will do me any good I cannot live until morning my head is splitting open but you may do what you like she took a wide bandage which unknown to him was saturated in chloroform bound up his head and left him early in the morning she went to ask him how he spent the night he said oh sister I've rested well from the moment you put your hands on my forehead I felt no pain he never thought of attributing the relief to the chloroform because he did not know of it and the sister feeling that in this case ignorance was bliss did not enlighten him the patients had the best of feeling toward the sisters and when the medical doctor visited the hospital he would stand in the middle of the ward and tell the patients to whom they owed their comfort the good order cleanliness and regularity that reigned there he told them that all these things came through the sisters it is a notable fact that the respect with which they were treated in the beginning never diminished but went on increasing while the hospital lasted two of the prisoners of war as a result of a court-martial were to be executed but the worthy chaplain who daily attended the prison obtained the pardon of one while the sisters obtained that of the other on one occasion a soldier who was accused of desertion was sentenced to be hanged and the sisters attended him until it was all over there was an elderly man confined in the prison hospital who always found great pleasure in seeing to the wants of his companions he told the sisters it made him happy to see them get what they most desired toward the close of the war he obtained his release and afterwards set fifty dollars to the sisters to supply the wants of the suffering sick his son soon after this was charged with some military offense tried by court-martial sentenced and executed the young man became a catholic and in his last moments received the consolations of the church his remains were given up to his family and his father requested the clergyman who attended him before his execution to preach the funeral sermon which the priest did in a baptist church where his hearers were all baptists one of the priests who was untiring in his work among the soldiers in st. louis during those heartbreaking days was father patrick john ryan now the archbishop of the great arch diocese of philadelphia early in the war he was appointed a chaplain by the government but resigned his position feeling that he could do better work among the southern prisoners of war if he appeared among them simply as a priest the rector of one of the protestant Episcopal churches in st. louis succeeded him as chaplain father ryan is authority for the statement that there were probably more baptisms in this military hospital than on any of the battlefields or in any other hospital of the civil war he was a witness to many pathetic and humorous incidents in the daily routine of hospital service on one occasion he was attending a poor drummer boy who was only too surely approaching the end of his life of warfare he spoke to him gently of the things necessary to do under such circumstances instructed him to glance over his past life and try and feel a genuine sorrow for all of his sins and for anything he had done against his fellow man the boy listened meekly for a while but when he was told to be sorry for all his wrongdoings a new light flashed upon him he half rose in bed and defiantly declare that if this contemplated the severing of his allegiance to the southern confederacy and an admission that the Yankees were right he would have none of it half amused at the outburst and not entirely unmoved at this flash of spirit in what the lad no doubt deemed a righteous cause the good priest soon assured him that his mission was not of the north or the south but of God the young sufferer died soon after this with most edifying sentiments upon his lips sister juliana a sister of bishop shatard of vincennes who did good service in this and other hospitals was the witness of many affecting deathbed scenes and many wonderful deathbed conversions fervent aspirations to heaven went up from the lips of men who had never prayed before soldiers from the backwoods who had known no religion and no god were in a few hours almost transformed it is estimated that priests and sisters baptized between five and six hundred persons at this one hospital archbishop ryan tells of the following incident that came under his personal observation in which john francis maguire member of parliament from cork has incorporated in one of his works footnote the irish in america and footnote a sister was passing through the streets of boston with downcast eyes and noiseless steps when she was suddenly addressed in a language that made her pale cheeks flush the insult came from a young man standing on a street corner the sister uttered no word of protest but raising her eyes gave one swift penetrating look at the brutal offender time passed on the war intervened the scene changed to award in a military hospital in missouri a wounded soldier once powerful but now as helpless as an infant was brought in and placed under the care of the sisters of charity it was soon evident that the man's hour had arrived that he was not long for this world the sister urged the man to die in the friendship of god to ask pardon for his sins and to be sorry for whatever evil he might have done i have committed many sins in my life he said to the sister and i am sorry for them all and hope to be forgiven but there is one thing that weighs heavy on my mind at this moment i once insulted a sister of charity in the streets of boston her glance of reproach has haunted me ever since i knew nothing of the sisters then but now i know how good and disinterested you are and how mean i was oh if that sister were only here we can dine as i am i would go down upon my knees and ask her pardon the sister turned to him with a look of tenderness and compassion saying if that is all you desire to set your mind at ease you can have it i am the sister you insulted and i grant you pardon freely and from my heart what are you the sister i met in boston oh yes you are i know you now and how could you have attended on me with greater care than on any of the other patients me who insulted you so it is our lord's way replied the sister gently i did it for his sake because he loved his enemies and blessed those who persecuted him i knew you from the moment you entered the hospital i recognized you from the scar over your forehead and i have prayed for you unceasingly send for the priest exclaimed the dying soldier the religion that teaches such charity must be from god and he died in the sister's faith holding in his failing grasp the emblem of man's redemption and murmuring prayers taught him by her whose glance of mild rebuke had long filled him with remorse through every scene of revelry or of peril end of chapter five part one chapter five part two of angels of the battlefield this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org angels of the battlefield by George Barton st louis military hospital part two reverend john bannon sj was one of the priests who performed efficient service as a chaplain during the war father bannon is now spending the autumn of his life in performing the works of mercy and charity which go to make up the life of a good priest at st patrick's cathedral dublin ireland writing of his wartime experience in a letter dated december 10th 1897 he says twice only did i come into relations with the sister's hospitals the first time was at Corinth mississippi after my arrival with the Missouri troops from arkansas there i found the sisters of charity bonnet blanc from mobile alabama in possession of a hospital located in a large brick building situated on a hill overlooking a railroad crossing for the town of corinth was little more at that time during the temporary illness of father coyle who was chaplain of the nuns i visited the hospital for him a few times on one occasion a sister indicated to me a cot in a distant corner of the ward were on lay a large burly man heavily bearded and of uncompromising aspect he had been questioning the sister about her religion and desired further explanations so i was asked to go see him and give him satisfaction after a few questions about his home and family and wounds and personal comfort i asked him about the nursing and treatment of the hospital a question which brought him to attention for he sat upright in bed looking at me sternly and almost fiercely said see now mister if you come here to spy after the sisters you're in the wrong shop there's not a man wouldn't rise again if you said a word again them don't do it don't do it or all and he fell back exhausted but my friend i said i'm a friend of theirs i'm a priest a priest he repeated and then sitting up again he called out sister sister this man says he's a priest is he to which the sister answered yes and he fell back saying all right mister now i want to know if any man ever believes such things as the sister told me i assured him that i believed them all and had come at the sister's request to explain them to him all right mister go ahead now so i proceeded to speak of god and the trinity and principal mysteries he demured to every word i said especially to the mystery of the blessed trinity and to each new installment of doctrine would sit up in bed and call to the sister at the other end of the ward repeat to her my statement and ask her was that true to which when she answered yes he would fall back on his pillow and with a sigh of resignation say all right mister go ahead now i believe it and so on he accepted my teaching only on the word of the sister and on his faith in the sister i baptized him and left him happy i had not reached the door of the ward when he called me back say mister do you reckon i'll get better yes i think so at least i hope so his countenance fell visibly but after a few seconds he looked up and said whisper down nearer to me and so pulling my head quite close to his mouth he whispered if i get well i'll have to leave the sisters i'd rather stay and die than leave them goodbye god bless you pray for me and so we parted subsequently i heard dr lynch late bishop of charleston narrate a very like experience the only other occasion that i remember visiting a sister's hospital was before the siege of vicksburg at jacksonville mississippi the hospital was located in a large hotel downtown as i entered the door i found the hallway occupied for its length by two rows of sick soldiers stretched out on the floor each wrapped in his old worn blanket with his small bundle for a pillow a tall gaunt poor fellow had just come in and was spreading his blanket preparing to lie down a sister approached and asked him for his ticket he made no answer but having finished his preparations lay down and then proceeded to search for the paper when found after a long search he handed it to the sister who glancing at it said my good man this is not for us it is for the hospital in the capital that might be he answered and i reckon it is but that don't matter anyhow this is my hospital and i'll stay here whatever the tickets for think i'm going anywhere but the sisters and so he was tolerated and adopted by the sisters for though inconvenient to the nuns it was consoling and encouraging to them when they found their services so appreciated by their patients from jacksonville i went to port gibson and then to vicksburg there were not any sisters at either place after the fall of vicksburg i went to mobile where i visited the sister's hospital but was not on duty there or elsewhere up to my departure for europe by the steamer r e lee via wilmington north carolina and halifax many of the episodes of the war with which the sisters were associated would in their intensity and uniqueness furnish the basis for stories and dramas more wonderful than anything yet written by the novelists or constructed by the playwrights here was frequently illustrated the poet's contention that truth is stranger than fiction one instance containing all of the elements that go to make up a romance comes to mind the two principal figures in it were a sweet sister of charity burning with love for her fellow creatures and willing to lay down life itself in the cause of suffering humanity and a brave soldier filled with patriotism for his country brought to the point of death by a malignant fever nursed back to life and finally twenty-five years after the war giving an exhibition of gratitude as rare as it is beautiful thomas tray he was born in detroit michigan in 1844 and was the only son of devoted parents when the war began he was about 17 years of age flushed with the vigor and energy of youth he desired to enlist at once he did not succeed in carrying out his wish however until august 1862 when he enlisted in company age 16th michigan volunteer infantry when he was mustered out at the close of the war it was a sergeant of his command he was commended many times by his superiors for gallantry in action in the battle of Fredericksburg December 13th 1862 he was struck by the fragment of a shell and severely wounded in the left breast he was left on the battlefield all night but finally received attention at the hands of Dr. R. F. Weir who was in charge of the hospital at Frederick City tray he recovered from this and went to the front again with his regiment after the battle of Gettysburg he was taken with typhoid fever which soon assumed a malignant form Dr. Gray of Philadelphia who was in charge of Barracks H. in the United States General Hospital at Frederick City made a careful diagnosis of the case and said that tray he who was weakened from the effects of his previous wounds and suffering could not possibly recover it was at this juncture that sister Louise appeared upon the scene she inquired if careful nursing would not save the man's life the physician said that it was one chance in a thousand but that if anything could prolong the soldier's existence it was the patient and persistent care and watchfulness of a sister of charity then she exclaimed I will undertake the case sister Louise had been detailed from the motherhouse at Emmitsburg and though young in years had acquired considerable experience which added to her marvelous devotedness to duty and self-forgetfulness had made her phenomenally successful in the hospitals and camps she was born a French Canadian parents in Toronto she was a devout child and early gave evidence of a desire to embrace the religious state consequently the whole of her early childhood was a preparation for the life she was to enter at an early age she came to the United States and took the vows of chastity poverty and obedience and became a daughter of st. Vincent at the time she was performing her labors at Frederick City she was only nineteen years of age and was moreover possessed of an unusual beauty day and night she remained at the bedside of her patient frequently depriving herself of food and rest in order to minister to his slightest wish finally he recovered only to have a relapse which resulted in a severe case of smallpox this did not dismay the devoted nurse she renewed her energies for three weeks after he became convalescent the sister fed him with a spoon just as the patient was pronounced out of danger the sister was ordered away to another station where her pious attentions were given to other cases as serious and as dangerous as the ordeal she had just gone through Sergeant Trehey returned to the front from his hospital cot and was wounded once again at White Oak Road, Virginia on March 29th, 1865 he recovered and soon after at the termination of the war returned to his home for several years he was unable by reason of his weakened physical condition to perform any of the ordinary duties of life after he had recovered he determined to seek the whereabouts of the sister in order to thank her for the self-sacrificing care she had taken of him during the most critical period of his life as he expressed it at the time he was willing to travel from Maine to California merely to get a glimpse of her holy face Sergeant Trehey first wrote to the mother house of the order at Emmitsburg, Maryland and received a reply that sister Louise had been ordered to St. Louis soon after the war and had died there in 1867 of malignant typhoid fever the same disease that had so nearly ended the life of the soldier she expired at the ninth in Madison Streets Hospital, St. Louis and was buried in Calvary Cemetery in that city the grateful soldier had the grave cared for and decorated it with religious regularity on each recurring memorial day frequently he would visit the grave in company with his wife and family performing a pious pilgrimage at once picturesque and edifying the desire to render the memory of sister Louise some service took a strong hold on him at this time he determined that the good sister should have a better tombstone than the modest little headpiece that occupied a place over her grave that there could possibly be any objection to such an act of devotion and gratitude never once occurred to the old soldier he had the stone cut at a nearby marble yard but when the matter was brought to the attention of the superintendent of the cemetery the latter sent a communication to the church authorities recommending that the request be refused as the grave was already provided with such a headstone as marked the resting places of other members of the order at last the veteran called on sister Magdalena the local superior and gave her a full account of the case he recited in detail the unusual service that had been rendered him by the deceased sister the superior questioned him very closely regarding the character of the stone that he desired to erect and was particularly anxious to know its exact dimensions she was very much impressed with his story and expressed a desire to exceed to his wishes if it could be done without ostentation or the appearance of any unnecessary show in the sisters section of the cemetery she took his request under advisement and early in 1895 he was given permission to erect the stone the simple monument of a sister's devotion to duty and an old soldier's gratitude is in the shape of a rustic cross beautifully engraved on it is inscribed the following to sister Regina Laquois died March 1867 in this city erected is a tribute of gratitude from an old soldier TT the grave is regularly decorated with choice plants and flowers and on Memorial Day especially it attracts hundreds of visitors the old soldier with a show of pardonable pride says there is nothing like it that has been erected over the grave of a sister of charity by any old soldier during or since the war in this country the name upon the cross over the grave was the name of the sister in the world she was known in religion by the title of Sister Louise speaking of the services rendered to him by Sister Louise Sergeant Trey he says she was my only attendant and no mother could have been more tender or faithful she brought me dainties which I knew were almost priceless at the time and books that were as rare as gold and in a thousand ways did she add to my obligations naturally I became greatly attached to her and there is nothing in reason that I could do to perpetuate her memory that I would not do her beautiful face and kind attentions have ever remained to me is one of the most precious memories of my existence I have not the slightest doubt but that she saved my life a glass of water given me from her hand seemed to infuse new life and strength into me whenever she approached my humble cot she brought sunshine and holiness with her every time I meet a sister of charity upon the street I am reminded of my ever faithful nurse I say and I repeat with all reverence and fervency God bless her I believe she is now praying for me in heaven this is one of the romances of the war illustrating in a high degree the heroism of self-sacrifice and the beauty of gratitude there are no doubt many other similar incidents on record differing somewhat in detail but all tending to show the love and reverence that invariably followed the noble self- sacrifices of the sisters and of chapter five part two chapter six of angels of the battlefield this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org angels of the battlefield by George Barton in and around Washington when the fratricidal conflict between the sections began very few persons paused to consider its extent and consequence but as each week passed it grew in intensity and volume in the beginning of the year 1862 at least 450,000 union troops were in the field and half of that number were under the command of general McClellan in and around Washington upon the breaking out of hostilities old Virginia had at once become the principal arena of the contending armies of the east the Confederate capital being at Richmond and the union seat of government at Washington DC only a short stretch of country south of the Potomac River separated the armies a disastrous defeat at Bull Run on the 21st of July 1861 caused the Union Army to retreat to Washington there were various minor engagements both before and after this date but nothing of unusual consequence occurred until February 1862 when general US Grant commanding the land forces and Commodore Foote the gun boats captured Fort Henry on the Tennessee and Fort Donaldson on the Cumberland River in Kentucky it was on this occasion when the commander of Fort Donaldson asked for terms that Grant gave the now historic reply no terms except immediate and unconditional surrender can be accepted I propose to move immediately upon your works sometime before this the Confederate and Union forces realized that they were insufficiently provided with trained nurses in the early part of 1862 the government made a formal request upon the sisterhoods for nurses the sisters of charity were requested to send a deputation to attend the sick and wounded in the temporary hospitals at Washington these hospitals consisted of a number of rather dilapidated frame buildings and various tents which had been improvised into structures for hospital purposes the sisters were promptly assigned from the motherhouse at Emmitsburg Maryland when they arrived at the national capital they found the buildings and tents crowded with patients the majority of these have been brought in from battlefields in the vicinity of Washington the sisters endeavored to look after the temporal needs of the men in many instances acting in the dual capacity of doctor and nurse there were many incidents some of them of a humorous most of them of a decidedly serious character while the nurses were rushing from one cot to another a poor man who was in a dying state cried out at the top of his voice I want a clergyman one of the sisters hastened to him and asked what clergyman do you want he replied a white bonnet clergyman the one you ladies have but you are not a Catholic said the sister I know that but I want to see a Catholic priest after a slight delay a clergyman reached his bedside the poor patient reached his skeleton like hand to the priest and began as follows in the Bible we read as the father has sent me I also send you and whose sins you shall forgive are forgiven now tell me has that order ever been countermanded in any part of the Bible the priest replied with a smile no my son it is the same now as it ever was and never shall be well said the sick man I have never disobeyed an order when one who gave that order had authority to command therefore being a good soldier I wish to fulfill that order in every respect as he was not an immediate danger and a man of considerable intelligence the priest told him he would come and see him again the soldier asked for a catechism or any book that would instruct him in the white bonnet religion later he made a confession of his whole life and was baptized on the following Sunday morning in the chapel in the presence of the entire congregation he said he did not wish to be baptized behind closed doors but wished all to know that he was a Catholic while he remained in the hospital he would go from one patient to another reading and explaining what had been explained to him several of the soldiers argued with him upon the subject of religion but with the Bible in one hand and the little catechism in the other he would put them all to silence one dreary night a score of ambulances drove up to the hospital grounds with 64 wounded men of this number 56 had been shot in such a manner as to necessitate amputation of either a leg or an arm indeed a few of the unfortunate's were deprived of both legs some died in the short while it took to remove them from the ambulance to the ward the sisters went from bed to bed doing all they could to minimize the sufferings of the soldiers two of the patients were very disrespectful to one of the sisters showing anger and telling them to be gone the nurse in charge quietly walked away after a little while another sister went to them and asked if they wished her to write to anyone for them they did and she wrote as they dictated then read it to them and left by this time they began to reflect on the kindness that had been shown them and soon appreciated the fact that the sisters were indeed their friends of the 64 wounded men eight died the next day there were 30 bodies in the dead house although it was the custom to bury two a day for a while the patients suffered from small pox which added very much to the labors of the sisters since such patients had to be separated and quarantined from the others several died from the disease one of the sisters who waited upon them took it but recovered many of the patients who seem to dislike and fear the sisters found that they had been mistaken in the opinions they had formed of them they often showed their confidence by wanting to place their money in the custody of the sisters one day a poor fellow obtained a pass and spent the entire day in the city and returned it twilight looking sad and fatigued a sister of his ward asked him if he was suffering and he replied no sister but I am tired and vexed I received my pass early today and walked through every street in Washington trying to buy one of those white bonnets for you and did not find a single one for sale there are amusing stories of life in the hospitals and on the field and the following one is vouched for by mother Mary Alphonse Butler every union soldier wore a belt with the initials USA United States Army when a wounded man was brought to the hospital notice was given to the sister and she would at once prepare to dress the wound one day a man was brought in on a litter pale and unconscious and the sister rushed to give him attention by degrees he became conscious and the sister asked him where he was wounded he seemed bewildered at first but gradually his mind returned again the sister asked him where he was wounded a smile spread over his face it is all right sister he said don't disturb yourself oh no she said they tell me you were shot yes he answered I was shot but shot in the USA the sister understood at once the bullet had struck the initials on his belt and they had saved his life the sisters were the witnesses of some very pathetic incidents the battlefield of bull run supplied its full share of these one of the brave union men who was killed in that disastrous engagement was Lieutenant Colonel Haggerty of the 69th New York regiment it appears that Haggerty had interred the remains of a child on the field and had enclosed it with an improvised railing at the head of the little mound was a narrow bit of board upon which was inscribed with small capitals in ink the following strangers please do not injure this enclosure here lies the remains of Harriet Osborne aged eight years beneath this is written in pencil the following lines when the storm clouds around us gather and this world seems dark and drear let us look beyond the darkness which hovers o'er our pathway here look beyond this world of sorrow to the regions of the blessed where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest Haggerty Company B 69th regiment Haggerty must have been killed soon after performing this touching act for beneath the inscription is appended this brief mortuary record Haggerty was killed at Bull Run July 21st 1861 a correspondent of one of the northern newspapers writing to his journal at the time said this little memorial of one of the most conspicuous men of the Union cause among the New York troops over whose fall one of his brother soldiers Thomas Francis Maeger delivered at Jones Wood's so heart-rending eulogy will be read with interest by hundreds of those who remember him proving as it does that the stern fierce devoted soldier found time in the very moment of danger to consider the fate of others at a meeting of the board of officers of the 69th regiment held at their armory on April 3rd 1862 Captain Theodore Kelly Lieutenant T. M. Canton and Lieutenant Fahey were appointed a committee to proceed to the battlefield of Bull Run and bring back to New York the remains of their lamented brother officer who had fallen while gallantly leading a charge of the regiment in the memorable conflict of July 21st the officers indicated performed their mission and the body was re-interred near the brave Haggerty's home in New York City a letter received by the sisters from Huntsville Alabama dated May 26th 1862 contains the following touching passage a few days ago a prisoner in the hands of General Mitchell named Cobb a relative of Howell Cobb died in the hospital at this place a federal officer visited the prison as was his daily want and learning the facts asked the other prisoners if they would not like to attend the funeral the reply was yes but they could not hope to have such a boon accorded to them in view of their peculiar situation the officer at once repaired to the quarters of General Mitchell stated the case and received an order for their permission to accompany the remains of their comrade to their last resting place he returned to the prison with the order exacted a promise that they should not seek to escape and put the party in charge of Father Tracy the resident Catholic pastor at Huntsville the procession wended its way to the cemetery when the young ladies of the town strewed the coffin and the grave of the young soldier with the rarest flowers of the garden and evinced in the most unmistakable manner their sympathy and their ardent love for the cause of the south the scene was at once solemn grand and affecting there lay the earthly remains of the devoted soldier in the narrow house of clay and there assembled hundreds of the fairest daughters of Huntsville to shed the parting tear over the corpse of the hero of their cause and garland the grave of the young rebel with the choicest products of their sunny bowers there stood the minister of religion chanting the office of his church for the repose of the soul of the departed surrounded by the witching forms of angelic traitors who made the air fragrant with the odor of their treason and co-mingling their anethemas of the union with the prayers of the priest the sermon over the prisoners returned to their gloomy quarters where they passed a series of resolutions thanking the officer for his kindness and general Mitchell for the courtesy he extended and closing with the hope that the day might not be far distant when the defenders of the south and the defenders of the union could shake hands and fight by each other's side for a common cause today the men and officers of the 15th Kentucky followed to the same spot the remains of Bernard McGuinness who died from a wound received at Winchester and over whose grave the same father Tracy performed similar services to those which he had done before for young Cobb how beautiful it seemed to the beholder to look upon the same minister amid the tumult of war contending passions in the fearful exurbations of the public mind lift up his voice to the throne of the most high and solicit the pledges of faith for the soul of the young Georgian and the faithful Irishmen without a prejudice for one or a partiality for the other end of chapter six chapter seven part one of angels of the battlefield this is the LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org angels of the battlefield by George Barton chapter seven sister Anthony at Shiloh the battle of Shiloh Tennessee sometimes known as the battle of Pittsburgh landing was one of the great combats of the war Shiloh cost the Union army in killed wounded and prisoners 14 000 men while the Confederates lost 10 700 men including general Albert Sydney Johnston who fell in the first day's fight the battles were fought on the 6th and 7th of April 1862 the morning of the 6th was clear and beautiful with no indications of a storm but the day's terrific battle was followed by a night of drenching rain the battle of the next day was also succeeded by a fearful storm which in this case consisted of rain hail and sleet an eyewitness writing of this says quote and to add to the horrors of the scene the elements of heaven marshaled their forces a fitting accompaniment to the tempest of human devastation and passion that was raging a cold drizzling rain commenced about nightfall and soon came harder and faster then turned to pitiless blinding hail this storm raged with unrelenting violence for three hours I passed long wagon trains filled with wounded and dying soldiers without even a blanket to shield them from the driving sleet and hail which fell in stones as large as partridge eggs until it lay on the ground two inches deep end quote it was by the work that she did at and after this battle that sister anthony a notable member of the sisters of charity won enduring laurels she left syncynati for shillow accompanied by two other sisters of charity dr black man of syncynati mrs hedge and daughter ms muck hue mrs or shonesty and some charitable ladies of the queen city this trip was made on captain ross boat under the care of dr black man sister anthony whose mind is unimpaired and whose memory is excellent thus tells of her experience at shillow at shillow we ministered to the men on board what were popularly known as the floating hospitals we were often obliged to move further up the river being unable to bear the terrific stench from the bodies of the dead on the battlefield this was bad enough but what we endured on the field of battle while gathering up the wounded is simply beyond description at one time there were 700 of the poor soldiers crowded in one boat many were sent to our hospital in syncynati others were so far restored to health as to return to the scene of war many died good holy death although everything seemed dark and gloomy some amusing incidents occurred some days after the battle of shillow the young surgeons went off on a kind of lark and dr black man took me as assistant in surgical operations and i must acknowledge i was much pleased to be able to assist in alleviating the sufferings of these noble men the soldiers were remarkably kind to one another they went around the battlefield giving what assistance they could placing the wounded in comfortable places administering cordials etc until such time as the nurses could attend to the wounded and sick i remember one poor soldier whose nose had been shot off who had almost bled to death and would have been missed had we not discovered him in a pen where some kind comrade had placed him before he left the field every other place of refuge being occupied his removal from the pen caused great pain loss of blood etc the blood ran down his shirt and coat sleeves down his pantaloons and into his very boots he was very patient in the boat up the river on arriving in syncynati he was placed in a ward in our hospital shortly after his arrival in the city a gentleman came to syncynati and called at the burnet house which was then used as a military hospital inquiring for his son after searching everywhere else he called at st john's hospital i met this sorrowing father just as i was leaving the hospital to attend some business from the description he gave i concluded that the boy without the nose must be his son i took him to the ward when we reached the bed where the man lay the father did not know him well said he if he is my child i shall know him by his head running his fingers through the boy's hair he exclaimed my son my dear boy there was one young man under the care of sister the sales this sister spoke to him of heaven of god and of his soul of god he knew nothing of heaven he never heard and he was absolutely ignorant of a supreme being he became much interested in what the sister said and was anxious to know something more of this good god of whom the sister spoke this good sister of charity instructed him and no priest being near she baptized him and soon his soul took its flight to that god whom he so late learned to know and love were i to enumerate all the good done conversions made souls saved columns would not suffice often have i gazed at sister the sales as she bent over the cots of those poor boys ministering to their every want in the stillness of the night ah here is one to whom she gives a cool drink here another who's amputated and aching limbs need attention they're an old man dying in whose ear she whispers the request to repeat those beautiful words lord have mercy on my soul i asked myself do angels marvel at this walk they often dawned on us only to renew the work of the preceding day without a moment's rest often the decks of the vessels resemble the slaughterhouse filled as they wear with the dead and dying the following is what an eyewitness says of sister anthony amid this sea of blood she performed the most revolting duties for those poor soldiers let us follow her as she gropes her way among the wounded dead and dying she seemed to me like a ministering angel and many a young soldier owes his life to her care and charity let us gaze at her again as she stands attentive kindness and assists dr blackman while the surgeon is amputating limbs and consigning them to a watery grave or as she picks her steps in the blood of these brave boys administering cordial or dressing wounds a sister relates a sad story of a young man who was shot in the neck the wound was very deep from the effect of this and the scorching rays of the sun he suffered a burning thirst he was too weak to move when suddenly the rain fell down in torrents holding out his weak hands he caught a few drops which sustained life until he was found among the dead and dying on the battlefield cordials were given which relieved him his looks of gratitude were reward enough many other soldiers who were thought to be dying eventually recovered after the sisters had finished their work at shillow they followed the army to corins where the confederates had retreated the river was blocked by obstacles in the stream and progress by boat was necessarily slow finally the impediments became so thick that the boat was stopped altogether the vessel was crowded and the situation was a critical one the captain finally said that it was a matter of life and death and that the sisters would have to flee for their lives to do this it would have been necessary to abandon their patients who were enduring the greatest misery on the boat this the sisters heroically refused to do all expressed their willingness to remain with the wounded boys until the end and to share their fate whatever it might be such heroes melted the hearts of hardened men the sisters fell on their knees and called on the star of the sea to intercede for them that the bark might be guarded from all harm and their prayer was answered two brave pilots came who steered the boat to their destination and to a place of safety after the war dr blackman became an active member of the medical staff of the good samaritan hospital in syncynaty and ever proved a sincere friend of sister anthony the sisters unite in praising the services of mrs hatch and her daughter mrs hatch was a most estimable lady who bestowed upon the soldiers the greatest of charity and kindness many of them called her sister jenny a rare compliment for one who was not a religious the grounds of the soldiers on the battlefield of shillow still linger in the memories of many of the sisters sister anthony and her colleagues frequently picked their way through the files of the dead and wounded and on many occasions assisted in carrying the sufferers to the boats these floating hospitals were unique in many ways but they will ever remain memorable as the scenes of the sisters greatest triumphs where they did so much for the cause of humanity and where so many unwarranted prejudices were removed from the minds of a brave man amongst the war sisters none was regarded with more affection and reverence than this same sister anthony who spent her last years near syncynaty surrounded with all the loving attentions and comforts that should go with honorable old age her work for humanity was spread over a long series for years and the heroic labors she performed during the war formed but an episode in a busy and useful career but it was a brilliant episode one that deserves to be handed down to history and that brought faithless laurels to a modest and unpretending woman sister anthony o'connell was born in limerick ireland of pious catholic parents she came with them to this country at an early age and in pursuance of a long cherished idea pronounced the world and was vested with the familiar habit of the sisters of charity her novitiate and the earlier years in the order were spent at emitsborg mariland finally she was placed in charge of a community at syncynaty according to good people in that city who carefully watched her career she displayed unusual devotion business talent and self-sacrifice through her exertions an orphan asylum was founded at commonsville where large numbers of friendless and homeless children were cared for and reared to a sense of their responsibility to god and man when the civil war broke out governor david taught issued a call for volunteer nurses alive to the necessities of the occasion sister anthony relinquished the care of her asylum to other hands and taking a band of sisters with her offered their services their work was in the south most of it being in and around national she law rich morned new creek and cumberland colonel john s billings md know of the surgeon general's office at washington is one of the physicians having personal knowledge of sister anthony and he speaks of her in the very highest terms i first knew sister anthony he said to the writer in 1859 when she was in charge of the old st john's hospital on fourth street sincenity in which i was resident physician and i have known her ever since i can say very cordially that she was a competent hospital manager and that i have always had the greatest respect and affection for her sister anthony and her brave assistants spent many months in nashville the care and attention that was bestowed upon the sick and wounded soldiers of both the union and confederate armies did much to dispel the thoughtless prejudices that had previously existed against the sisters they went about like good angels easing many a troubled spirit and showering love upon all with whom they came in contact sister anthony stood out in bold relief from all the others and one who has knowledge of those times says happy was the soldier who wounded and leading had her near him to whisper words of consolation and courage her person was reverenced by blue and gray protestant and catholic alike and the love for her became so strong that the title of the florans nightingale of america was conferred upon her and soon her name became a household ward in every section of the north and south many of the sisters with whom she worked fell upon the field of honor but sister anthony lived and survived to enjoy a peaceful old age and the sweet thought and consolation of work well done the ending of the war however did not end her work after the white wings of peace had been spread over the battlefields she returned to syncynaty and made an effort to found an asylum that should be larger and greater than old st. john's where she had labored before the war for a time it looked as if this noble intention was to be frustrated funds were not available and the usual charitable people of the city seem to be indifferent they only seemed however for just when the effort was about to be given up in despair john c butler and louis worthington two of the wealthy men of the city came forward with sufficient money to build and equip a magnificent institution the result of this was the establishment of the good samaritan hospital sister anthony was placed in charge and the work she did there equaled if it did not exceed her war experiences already a model nurse she became a model hospital manager in the hospital she increased her great knowledge and made a science of nursing the sick she remained in executive control of the institution until 1882 when devoted friends finally prevailed upon her to relinquish her task and live in peace and quiet the remainder of her life she has had several successors the one now in charge being sister sebastian end of chapter seven part one