Hospital pencillings : being a diary while in Jefferson General Hospital, Jeffersonville, Ind., and others at Nashville, Tennessee, as matron and visitor.

  • Powers, Elvira J.
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hospital pencillings : being a diary while in Jefferson General Hospital, Jeffersonville, Ind., and others at Nashville, Tennessee, as matron and visitor. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material is part of the Elmer Belt Florence Nightingale collection. The original may be consulted at University of California Libraries.

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    tlirow ourselves into the Ohio and thus drown our sorrows, were it not that said river is altogether too muddy just now. The effects of said order upon the soldiers, as appearing in my own ward, are with little variation, no doubt, the same as throughout the hospital. Our patients had been tranferred to Ward 2, to give oppor- tunity for floor-planing and white-washing. But all who could walk, made frequent visits home, indeed, extending to visitations, and two boys, Willie and our little artist, could not sleep a wink the first two nights, and were allowed the privilege of sleeping at home a few times. One morning, while our floor was in process of planing, upon entering the ward, I found the tools thrown aside, and all seated in a group, reading and discussing a Louisville daily. All were jubilant, and eager to tell me the news. Can't work, said one, too much good news for one day! Johnson is taken, and we hospital bummers are to be sent home, said another. It's wicked to work any more, an order has come for all Government work to be stopped, said a third. Gold- smith's Corps will soon be on the wing. Boys let's pile the shavings in the middle of the floor and have a bonfire, suggested the one who bears the name of Gen. Grant. By the way, very few men in camp, or hospital are called by their names. Instead, we have Gen. Thomas, Cavalry, Artillery, Michigan, Connecticut, Georgia, Long- street, Infant, Lengthy, and Bantie, the last four named from their height, or want of the same. Other States have their representatives by name, while occasionally so sug- gestive a title as that of '' The Spread Eagle, is overheard while the owner is at a safe distance.