There was scarcely a time from the opening of the war until its close that some of the Sisters of Charity were not located at Richmond. This was a sort of unofficial Southern headquarters for them, whence they were sent for duty on the various Southern battlefields. The section of country in which the Mother House was located was in possession of the union army most of the time. But the house was looked upon as sacred property by the generals of both armies and was never molested1 by the soldiers.
Late in August, 1862, Dr. Williams, the medical director of the army of the Potomac, made a hasty summons for a detachment of Sisters to wait upon the sick and 110 wounded at Manassas, where a severe battle had just taken place. Five of the Sisters immediately left Richmond for the scene of the conflict.
When they arrived at Manassas they found five hundred patients, including the men of both armies, awaiting them. The mortality was very great, as the wounded men had been very much neglected. The wards2 of the temporary hospital were in a most deplorable condition and strongly resisted all efforts of the broom, to which they had long been strangers. It was finally discovered that the aid of a shovel3 was necessary. One small room was set aside as a dormitory for the Sisters. They were also provided with a chaplain and Mass was said every day in one corner of the little room. Fresh difficulties and annoyances4 presented themselves later in the season. The kitchen, to which what was called the refectory was attached, was a quarter of a mile from the Sisters’ room, and often it was found more prudent5 to be satisfied with two meals than to trudge6 through the snow and sleet7 for the third. These meals at the best were not very inviting8, for the culinary department was under the care of negroes who had a decided9 aversion to cleanliness. On an average ten of the patients died every day. Most of these poor unfortunates were attended by either Father Smoulders, Father Tuling or the Sisters.
After spending a long while at Manassas the Sisters received orders from General Johnston to pack up quietly and prepare to leave on six hours’ notice, as it had been found necessary to retreat from that quarter. They had scarcely left their posts when the whole camp was one mass of flames and the bodies of those who died that day were consumed. 111
The next field of labor10 for the Sisters was the military hospital at Gordonsville. There were but three Sisters, and they had two hundred patients under their charge. The sick were very poorly provided for, although the mortality was not as great as at Manassas. The Sisters had a small room, which served for all purposes. One week they lay on the floor without beds, their habits and a shawl loaned by the doctor serving for covering. The trunk of a tree was their table and the rusty11 tin cups and plates, which were used in turn by doctors, Sisters and negroes, were very far from exciting a relish12 for what they contained. The approach of the Federal troops compelled the Sisters to leave Gordonsville on Easter Sunday.
They retreated in good order toward Danville. Having been obliged to stop at Richmond some time they did not enter on this new field of labor until much later in the year. At Danville they found four hundred sick, all of whom were much better provided for than at Manassas or Gordonsville. The Sisters had a nice little house, which would have been a kind of luxury had it not been the abode13 of innumerable rats, of which they stood in no little dread14. During the night the Sisters’ stockings were carried off, and on awakening15 in the morning the meek16 religious frequently found their fingers and toes locked in the teeth of the bold visitors.
In November the medical director removed the hospital to Lynchburg, as there was no means of heating the one in Danville. The number of the Sisters had increased to five, as the hospital was large and contained one thousand patients, most of whom were in a pitiable condition. When the Sisters arrived they found that most of the unfortunate patients were half-starved, owing to the mismanagement 112 of the institution. As a Sister passed through the wards for the first time, accompanied by the doctor, a man from the lower end cried out:
“Lady, lady, for God’s sake give me a piece of bread!”
The doctors soon placed everything under the control of the Sisters, and with a little economy the patients were provided for and order began to prevail. Father L. H. Gache, S. J.8, a zealous18 and brave priest, effected much good among the patients. During the three years that the Sisters remained in Lynchburg he baptized one hundred persons. The approach of the Federal troops placed the hospital in imminent20 danger, and it was decided to remove the sick and the hospital stores to Richmond. The surgeon general of the Confederate army begged that the Sisters would take charge of the Stuart Hospital in that city, which they did on the 13th of February, 1865.
Father Gache accompanied them and continued his mission of zeal19 and charity. The Sisters were then ten in number, and, as usual, found plenty to do to place the sick in a comfortable situation. They had just accomplished21 113 this when the city was evacuated22, and on the 13th of April they left Richmond for the Mother House at Emmittsburg.
BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.
A terrible engagement took place near the Antietam River, in Maryland, not far from the Potomac, on the 17th of September, 1862. Not only were thousands on both sides killed, but as many more were left wounded on the battlefield, with the farmhouses23 and barns their only prospective24 shelter. As the fighting had been from twelve to fifteen miles in space, the towns of Boonsboro and Sharpsburg were selected for hospital purposes. The general in charge of the Maryland division requested the people to aid the fallen prisoners, as the Government provided for the Northern soldiers and would have cared for all if it had enough for that purpose.
The Superior of the Sisters of Charity, with the people of Emmittsburg, collected a quantity of clothing, provisions, remedies, delicacies25 and money for these poor men. The overseer of the community drove in a carriage to the place, with Father Smith, C. M., and two of the Sisters. Boonsboro is about thirty miles from Emmittsburg, and the wagon26 containing the supplies reached the town by twilight27. Two officers of the Northern army saw the cornettes by the aid of the lighted lamps, and, pointing to the carriage, one said to the other:
“Ah, there come the Sisters of Charity; now the poor men will be equally cared for.”
The Sisters were kindly28 received at the house of a worthy29 physician, whose only daughter had previously30 been their pupil. There were in the town four hospitals. The morning after their arrival they set out for the battlefield, having Miss Janette, their kind hostess, as a pilot. They passed houses and barns occupied as hospitals, fences 114 strewn with bloody31 clothing, and further on came to the wounded of both armies. The poor men were only separated from the ground by some straw for beds, with here and there a blanket stretched above them by sticks driven into the earth at their head and feet to protect them from the burning sun. The Sisters distributed their little stores among the men, although their wretched condition seemed to destroy all relish for food or drinks.
Bullets could be gathered from the small spaces that separated the men. They were consoled as much as possible, but the Sisters scarcely knew where to begin or what to do. If they stopped at one place, a messenger would come to hastily call them elsewhere. In a wagon shed lay a group of men, one of whom was mortally wounded.
An officer called the Sisters to him, telling them how the mortally wounded man had become a hero as a flag-bearer in the bloody struggle just ended. The poor fellow seemed to gain new strength while the Sisters were near him.
They were about to move away when the officer recalled them, saying: “I fear the man is dying rapidly; come to him. He has been so valiant32 that I wish to let his wife know that the Sisters of Charity were with him in his last moments.”
Father Smith was summoned and hastily prepared the man for death. The thought of having the Sisters near him seemed to fill the poor man with joy and gave him the confidence and courage to die with a smile upon his lips.
Two wounded Protestant ministers lay among the wounded soldiers, and with one of these Father Smith spoke33 for a long time while preparing the man for his end. 115 The steward34, who seemed delighted to see the Sisters, informed them that he had met members of their order during the Crimean War.
A Northern steward and a Southern surgeon became involved in a personal dispute, which ended by one challenging the other to meet him in mortal combat in a retired35 spot near the battlefield. Both withdrew towards an old shed, at the same time talking in a loud voice, threatening each other in angry tones. No one interfered36 and the duel37 would have taken place had not one of the Sisters followed them. She spoke to both of them firmly and reproachfully, taking their pistols from them, and the affair ended by their separating like docile38 children, each retiring to his post.
Nightfall drove the Sisters to their lodgings39 in the town, but they returned early in the morning. The medical director met the Sisters, saying: “You dine with me to-day,” and added: “If you will remain I shall make arrangements for your accommodations.” But he was ordered elsewhere a few hours later and the Sisters saw no more of him.
The Sisters were requested by one of the officers to attend the funeral of the brave flag-bearer. It was about dusk and eight or ten persons followed the body to the grave, besides Rev17. Father Smith and the Sisters. Presently they saw about two hundred soldiers on horseback galloping40 towards them. A few of the horsemen approached the group of mourners and taking off their caps and bowing one of them said:
“I am General McClellan and I am happy and proud to see the Sisters of Charity with these poor men. How many are here?” 116
“Two,” was the reply. “We came here to bring relief to the suffering, and we return in a day or so.”
“Oh,” he replied, “why can we not have more here? I would like to see fifty Sisters ministering to the poor sufferers. Whom shall I address for this purpose?”
Father Smith gave him the address of the Superior Emmitsburg. Then he asked:
“Do you know how the brave standard-bearer is doing?”
He was informed that the flag-bearer was just about to be buried, whereupon he joined the procession and remained until after the interment.
General McClellan at this time was in the full flush of a vigorous manhood, with the added prestige of a West Point education. His command was considered the finest body of men in either the union or the Confederate army. Just prior to the battle of Antietam General McClellan had ordered a review of his troops before the President and the members of his Cabinet. It was a magnificent sight to see 70,000 well-drilled and well-dressed soldiers keeping step to the tune41 of martial42 music. What a difference between then and now. The finest blood in the nation lay spilled upon the field of Antietam; the dread hand of death had broken up and demoralized the Army of the Potomac.
General McClellan was the idol43 of his men and was affectionately styled “Little Mac.” Upon his staff were two volunteers from France, the Compte de Paris and the Duc de Chartres. They were grandsons of King Louis Philippe, were commissioned in the union army and served without pay as aides-de-camp to General McClellan. The Compte de Paris has written what is considered 117 to be the best and most impartial44 history of the civil war extant. Both of these distinguished45 volunteers were with General McClellan at the time of his conversation with the Sisters.
About this time the work of removing the wounded soldiers to Frederick City and Hagerstown began. During the time the Sisters remained on the battlefield they went from farm to farm trying to find those who were in most danger. The Sisters were in constant danger from bomb shells which had not exploded and which only required a slight jar to burst. The ground was covered with these and it was hard to distinguish them while the carriage wheels were rolling over straw and dry leaves. The farms in the vicinity were laid waste. Unthreshed wheat was used for roofing of tents or pillows for the men. A few fences that had been spared by the cannon46 balls were used for fuel. The quiet farmhouses contained none of their former inhabitants. Stock in the shape of cattle and fowl47 seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth. Even the dogs were either killed or had fled from the appalling48 scene. It was very remarkable49 also that on none of the battlefields during the war were there any carrion50 birds, not even a crow, though piles of dead horses lay here and there. Some of these animals were half burned from the efforts made to consume them by lighting51 fence rails over them, but this seemed rather to add to the foulness52 of the atmosphere than help to purify it. Long ridges53 of earth with sticks here and there told “so many of the Northern army lie here” or “so many of the Southern army lie there.” General McClellan’s army was encamped in the neighborhood, with arms stacked, shining in the sun like spears of silver.
A Northern soldier was rebuking54 a sympathizing lady for her partiality towards the fallen Southerners and said: “How I admire the Sisters of Charity in this matter. When I was in Portsmouth, Va., they were called over from Norfolk to serve their own men, the Southerners, in their hospitals and labored55 in untiring charity. When, a few weeks later, our men took the place and the same hospital was filled with the Northern soldiers, these good Sisters were called on again, when they resumed their kind attention the same as if there was no sectional change in the men.” “This,” he continued, “was true Christian56 charity, and I would not fear for any human misery57 when the Sisters have control. This, young lady, is what all you young ladies ought to do.”
The following day Father Smith celebrated58 two Masses in the parlor59 of the house at which he was stopping. The Sisters left this place on the 8th of October, having spent six days among the wounded soldiers, who had nearly all been removed at this time from the neighborhood.
GENERAL BENJAMIN BUTLER.
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1
molested
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| v.骚扰( molest的过去式和过去分词 )；干扰；调戏；猥亵 | |
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wards
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| 区( ward的名词复数 )； 病房； 受监护的未成年者； 被人照顾或控制的状态 | |
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3
shovel
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| n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出 | |
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4
annoyances
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| n.恼怒( annoyance的名词复数 )；烦恼；打扰；使人烦恼的事 | |
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5
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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trudge
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| v.步履艰难地走；n.跋涉，费力艰难的步行 | |
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7
sleet
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| n.雨雪；v.下雨雪，下冰雹 | |
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8
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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9
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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10
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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11
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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12
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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13
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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14
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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15
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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16
meek
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| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
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rev
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| v.发动机旋转，加快速度 | |
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18
zealous
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| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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20
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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21
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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22
evacuated
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| 撤退者的 | |
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23
farmhouses
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| n.农舍，农场的主要住房( farmhouse的名词复数 ) | |
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24
prospective
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| adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的 | |
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25
delicacies
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| n.棘手( delicacy的名词复数 )；精致；精美的食物；周到 | |
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26
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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27
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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28
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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29
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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30
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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31
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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32
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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33
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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34
steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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35
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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36
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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37
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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38
docile
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| adj.驯服的，易控制的，容易教的 | |
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39
lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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40
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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41
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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42
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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43
idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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44
impartial
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| adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的 | |
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45
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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46
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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47
fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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48
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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49
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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50
carrion
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| n.腐肉 | |
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51
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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52
foulness
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| n. 纠缠, 卑鄙 | |
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53
ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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54
rebuking
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的现在分词 ) | |
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55
labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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56
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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57
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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58
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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59
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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