A journal of hospital life in the Confederate army of Tennessee : from the battle of Shiloh to the end of the war : with sketches of life and character, and brief notices of current events during that period / by Kate Cumming.

  • Kate Cumming
Date:
[1866]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A journal of hospital life in the Confederate army of Tennessee : from the battle of Shiloh to the end of the war : with sketches of life and character, and brief notices of current events during that period / by Kate Cumming. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    many times, have we all assembled, in the happy days of yore, when camping and soldiering were looked on as a grand frolic, and danced, and partaken of their generous hospitality. The fathers of many of the young men who now com- pose these companies had been members of them for years. I believe they were the first Alabamians who tendered their services to the Confederate government. ]Milton BouUmett, but a few years ago, was an officer, along with my brother, in a boy's company, the Mobile Blues. I think I see his handsome face yet, at a party we gave them on a Fourth of July. All of the volunteer military companies had left the city on excursions. A young lady tried to quiz them; she told them the ladies of Mobile tendered them their heartfelt thanks for remaining to protect them in case of the city being attacked by an enemy. One of them answered her, that he thought if the ladies depended on tliem for protection, they would fare badly. She told him he did not compliment his company. He answered, that truth was before compliment. We little thought then that the life of nearly every boy in that company would be offered up in our defense. Nearly every state in the Confederacy has to mourn, as Alabama does, over the loss of their bravest and best. The banks of the Chickahominy are now sacred, washed by the blood of martyrs. May their blood prove a talisman to keep back the foe from ever desecrating it with their unhallowed tread! 0, thy soft-rolling flood, Chickahominy River, In thy flowing disturbeth my inmost soul; All unlike is thy gliding, so calm, to the horrors Of carnage and bloodshed that round thee did roll. If thy tale could be told, Chickahominy River; Of the heart-rending pangs of the young and the brave; Of the husband and father, whose soul, in de- parting, AY rung with agony, prayed for a home in the grave. And yet this is not all, Chickahominy River; The sad hearts that are breaking are far from thy shore; But their slain they have left thee, in trust, to thy keeping— Chickahominy River, take care of thy store. Let thy banks guard them well, Chickahominy River; Let the dust of the hero lie calmly at rest. Till the trump of the dead shall awake them to glory, Immortal to live in the realms of the blest. Mrs. Judge Hopkins of this place is attending to the wounded. We hear much about the good she is doing; for which she has the blessings of all. The state of Alabama has appropriated thirty thousand dollars for the benefit of her wounded; out of it ten thousand dollars have been given to Mrs. H. Mr. Titcomb and others have gone from here with sup- plies of all kinds, and we are told that the people in dear old Virginia are doing all in their power to benefit the sufferers. It is rumored that Bragg's army is leaving Mississippi and going to East Tennessee. There is also a report that General Hindman has gained a victory in Arkansas, and has captured Curtis's whole army. July 27.—Captain Curtis has just called to see me. He is en route for the army. He informed me that General Price has gone to Richmond to try and get an inde- pendent command, with which to free Mis- souri. Captain C. was very hopeful as to his receiving it, and drew a glowing picture of the army's triumphal entry into St. Louis, with General P. at its head. I do hope and pray he will not be disappointed. I have been told by many that if the president will not accede to General P.'s proposal he intends resigning; but I trust he is more of a patriot than that. If we can not have faith in President Davis, and fully trust that what he is doing is for the good of the cause, it is no reason why we should not do our duty. Atipist 4.—Paid a visit with Mrs. G. to the General Hospital; she took the patients some buttermilk, and nice wheat and corn bread. We offered our services, but there were enough ladies in attendance already, and we were not needed. We walked around and saw the patients; one man was dying, but the others seemed to be doing well. We then went down town; there we met Mr. Candelish and Mr. Goddard, members of the Twenty-first Alabama Regiment. It has come from Tupelo to recruit. They informed us the army had left for Ten- nessee. August 8.—Rev. Dr. Pierce, Mrs. S., and myself paid a visit to the Garner Hospital, which is near the depot. Every thing in it is in perfect order, and much credft is due to the surgeon in charge. It was a perfect treat to go through the din- ing-room and kitchen; they were so clean
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