Report concerning the aid and comfort given by the Sanitary Commission to sick soldiers found at the railroad station / by Frederick N. Knapp.

  • Knapp, Frederick Newman, 1821-1889.
Date:
[1861?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report concerning the aid and comfort given by the Sanitary Commission to sick soldiers found at the railroad station / by Frederick N. Knapp. 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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    were only supplying to them some of the very comforts which their own friends, perhaps, in Maine had sent on for the soldiers, (for Maine has not been unmindful of the call made upon her;) T fancied that they rested better that night for the assurance; they did not feel so far away from home. Sept. 13th. Last night we sheltered thirty-eight men, and fur- nished fresh clothes to some who were sorely in need. Among those to whom we gave comfort was one man whose earnest tone peculiarly impressed me; so I note the particulars. When I went to the recep- tion house in the evening I found there this man who looked tired and worn. I asked him if he was one of the men to be discharged. He said no, but that he had walked over twenty miles, and had hur- ried most of the way. Some two weeks ago, he received the news of his mother's death and his father's sickness, but he could not obtain leave of absence ; yesterday it was telegraphed to him that his father had died ; he now obtained a furlough for six days; but he had twenty-two miles to walk before he could reach the cars; he started early, but arrived here a half hour too late for the train, and conse quently would not be in Philadelphia in time for the funeral of his father. « His wife was not living, but he had a little girl, three years old. in aid of whose support the city of Philadelphia paid fifty cents per week. He showed to me some of his letters from what was once his home. Realizing, as I thought, in my own heart the sad loneliness and weariness and disappointment which I knew he must, experience, I said to him, Now, tell me honestly, for I want to know, just how a man feels when he is situated as you are; do you not wish you had never enlisted, and so were not obliged to start fi«r camp again in three days after you reach your child ? He answered. No, sir ; you can't make me say that. I enlisted because I loved my country, and T was determined to fisrht for her. and if every friend I have got in the world dies while T am away. I will not wish [' had sta'd at home This man had borrowed of his captain bare'v money enough to pay his railroad fare both ways. I added something to this, hut he was unwilling to take it till T told him it was for his little girl.