Nurse Hetty Jones, December 21st 1864

Story

1st Lieutenant
Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Location
SE PA
Fifty six years old and she volunteers to serve up near the front.

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Birth: Sep. 12, 1807
Death: Dec. 21, 1864
Civil War Union Nurse. The daughter of Reverend Horatio Gates Jones, a prominent Baptist Minister, and the sister of Colonel John Richter Jones, Colonel of the 58th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.

Years later the Grand Army Republic Post in Roxborough - Post Number 12 - was named in her honor, one of only two such GAR post in Pennsylvania named for a woman.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...s&GSiman=1&GSsr=41&GScid=45934&GRid=22321916&
 
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I don't think we'll ever know how many nurses were lost during the war? Reading journals, diaries, letters and archived books gives you an even huger respect for them- the same disease which decimated rank of soldiers killed the nurses caring for them.

Last paragraph from here Find A Grave bio:

" She returned from her trip, but left again in November for City Point, Virginia, which was the headquarters of Union commander General Ulysses S. Grant. In the latter half of November 1864 she worked hard to help prepared the Thanksgiving dinner for the troops there, and was struck down by sickness. She recovered partially, and resumed her duties the best she could, but in the end, sickness struck her down permanently, and she died in her tent in the field on December 21, 1864. During her funeral, her body was borne by convalescing soldiers that knew her from the Filbert Street Hospital, and she was laid to rest near next to her late father and near her slain brother. Years later the Grand Army Republic Post in Roxborough - Post Number 12 - was named in her honor, one of only two such GAR post in Pennsylvania named for a woman. "
 
I don't think we'll ever know how many nurses were lost during the war? Reading journals, diaries, letters and archived books gives you an even huger respect for them- the same disease which decimated rank of soldiers killed the nurses caring for them.

Exactly why I did what I did, including starting this thread. The local G.A.R. guys thought enough of her to fund that memorial, which if you look closely is impressively detailed.

The TV series 'MERCY STREET' touched on volunteer nurses (see also http://civilwartalk.com/threads/mercy-street-season-2-starts-january-22nd-2017.128546/ ).

Without 'official' acknowledgement, all of these volunteers North & South fall between the pages of history and only by tenacious digging can some evidence of their service be caught by the coat-tails.

I'd encourage anyone else with evidence of yeoman nurses to post in this thread.
 
Exactly why I did what I did, including starting this thread. The local G.A.R. guys thought enough of her to fund that memorial, which if you look closely is impressively detailed.

The TV series 'MERCY STREET' touched on volunteer nurses (see also http://civilwartalk.com/threads/mercy-street-season-2-starts-january-22nd-2017.128546/ ).

Without 'official' acknowledgement, all of these volunteers North & South fall between the pages of history and only by tenacious digging can some evidence of their service be caught by the coat-tails.

I'd encourage anyone else with evidence of yeoman nurses to post in this thread.

It is a little crazy. There are several excellent archives books " Our Army Nurses ", " Women's Work in the Civil War ", ( I'll link as soon as I'm on our house computer ) and a couple with Southern women being noted. Throughout Ladies Tea and the forum there are quite a few threads on them inclusive of the famous names- although I'm afraid our Clara remains off in a class by herself. She marched a little sideways, is the thing- a very good thing for the wounded.

You're quite correct- these women were indeed incredibly appreciated, even feted by the men they cared for and saved. Some stories are awful to read- some women can't bring themselves to write of those days. If you haven't read that era book, gosh, please do? For all the detail from nurses who do speak of their duties, it's the women who write things like ' I find I cannot go back there to the boys we lost " which are most crushing to read. It's more than insane that in 2016 we do not see more of them as feted as they were at the time. Their stories? Simply hair raising.

It's sometimes tough, getting some to speak of their work- we luckily have Cordelia Hancock- who has no problem whatsoever voicing how important she was. Hysterical- and good for her. She was indeed vital- it took that kind of toughness to survive, much less pass on the same spirit to men she was trying to pull back from death's hold. God love her.

Love more Southern nurses- we at least had a few books compiled on Northern. Pensions were awful to receive-few got them. Women couldn't win- they could not get pensions but if they tried to make a few dollars writing of their war experiences were accused of profiting from the war ( while how many generals did? ) Southern nurses had it far worse, no supplies, a war ravaged land. Wish there were more accounts.
 
And ps- not to clutter up this thread, this woman's age sure got to me. I've had all the advantages of life in this century- and am around her age. Been very active all my life, not a big one for hanging around the house or cozy days inside, either. Could not imagine packing up and living the kind of life she did at 56, caring for wounded in the middle of a war. At 36, even 46- not now. What an astonishing woman.
 
Thank you, story, for bringing Hetty Jones to our attention. As JPK Huson has stated, so many of these women came forward to care for the men whom we refer to as "casualties," but who desperately needed the daily attentions that volunteer nurses so willingly provided.
 
And ps- not to clutter up this thread, this woman's age sure got to me. I've had all the advantages of life in this century- and am around her age. Been very active all my life, not a big one for hanging around the house or cozy days inside, either. Could not imagine packing up and living the kind of life she did at 56, caring for wounded in the middle of a war. At 36, even 46- not now. What an astonishing woman.

Just another reason I started this thread. She was old enough to be their mother, perhaps their grandmother.

Did 22 years as a Citizen Soldier. In our studies, it's come up again and again that the dying call out for their mothers.

Some things never change.

In 2014, Ukrainian surgeon Oleksandr Zeleniuk tended to the wounded on a Crimean battlefield. Twelve soldiers died on his operating table. “We struggled for their lives,” he said, “but death won. When soldiers are dying, they all say the same thing: they call for their mother…”
 
The Soldiers & Sailors Committee of Ghosts decided to do something different this year, in lieu of WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA.
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Chicks dig flowers, right?
 
And ps- not to clutter up this thread, this woman's age sure got to me. I've had all the advantages of life in this century- and am around her age. Been very active all my life, not a big one for hanging around the house or cozy days inside, either. Could not imagine packing up and living the kind of life she did at 56, caring for wounded in the middle of a war. At 36, even 46- not now. What an astonishing woman.

@JPK Huson 1863 A burden of the soul, an attitude of servitude presented to the task and trust in Jesus to give the strength and, yes, you too may do this!
 
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