Caring for the Enemy

[Cavalry Charger]

Simple, yet remarkable, acts of compassion often accompany the savage acts of war.

'Letter-Writing for the Wounded After Battle

And here I am invited to stay and work. Dr. Rauch assures me that I shall find enough Union soldiers, as the parlor and hall of the large house are full of Yankees. Deciding it the wisest course to remain, the doctor dispatches a note informing Mrs Harris of my whereabouts, and I address myself to the business of doing what I can for our boys in the house, mentally resolute against giving aid or comfort to his enemy. I entered the parlor to find the floor like a huge bed full of soldiers lying on their blankets with a little straw beneath, knapsacks for pillows, and not much room to spare. No chance had been found for time to write home, and as they were as comfortably cared for in other respects as possible, I at once attended to the home letters and messages. I sat on the floor to write from the dictation of those who could not use a pencil, or to take addresses and particulars for those who said, "Oh, you know what to write!"

Going thus in order around the room, I found myself listening to a young Vermont boy who was wounded in the foot, and preferred writing for himself. He described at length and with much enthusiasm his experiences of battle, but as I listened to his words I watched the sad face on an older man lying next to him. Turning to him at length, I said, "Would you like to write home, or shall I do it for you?" The look of pain deepened, as he shook his head, saying, "I can't write home." "Are you then so badly wounded?" He laid back with his left hand the sheet, showing the right shoulder badly shattered. Again I offered to write, but he shook his head. "Surely," I urged, "there must be a dear mother or a wife or sweetheart who is longing to know of your welfare?" "Yes," he said, "my old mother would like to hear from me, but my home is too far off," and turning away his face, he covered his eyes that I should not see the tears. Still unsuspicious, I urged that Uncle sam would send letters to any distance for his boys. "Ah, but not for me, my home is on the other side!"

Not till then did it dawn on me that I was actually sympathizing with a rebel! Just an instant I wavered, and then the good impulse triumphed, and I assured him that a flag of truce would protect even his letter. Ascertaining from Dr. Rauch that this was the fact, I obtained his home address and at once wrote to his mother. He was a lieutenant in a South Carolina regiment, a man of intelligence and always most grateful for any attention or comfort. He never pretended to any loyalty to the old flag, but avoided any discussion of the question, at least in my presence. Letters of one page and unsealed were sent under flag of truce through the lines, and after this experience I wrote a great many of them.'

https://sites.google.com/site/nursingatantietam/

(accessed via https://sites.google.com/view/miscellany-home/home - thanks @John Hartwell )

 

[Northern Light]

Simple, yet remarkable, acts of compassion often accompany the savage acts of war.

'Letter-Writing for the Wounded After Battle

And here I am invited to stay and work. Dr. Rauch assures me that I shall find enough Union soldiers, as the parlor and hall of the large house are full of Yankees. Deciding it the wisest course to remain, the doctor dispatches a note informing Mrs Harris of my whereabouts, and I address myself to the business of doing what I can for our boys in the house, mentally resolute against giving aid or comfort to his enemy. I entered the parlor to find the floor like a huge bed full of soldiers lying on their blankets with a little straw beneath, knapsacks for pillows, and not much room to spare. No chance had been found for time to write home, and as they were as comfortably cared for in other respects as possible, I at once attended to the home letters and messages. I sat on the floor to write from the dictation of those who could not use a pencil, or to take addresses and particulars for those who said, "Oh, you know what to write!"

Going thus in order around the room, I found myself listening to a young Vermont boy who was wounded in the foot, and preferred writing for himself. He described at length and with much enthusiasm his experiences of battle, but as I listened to his words I watched the sad face on an older man lying next to him. Turning to him at length, I said, "Would you like to write home, or shall I do it for you?" The look of pain deepened, as he shook his head, saying, "I can't write home." "Are you then so badly wounded?" He laid back with his left hand the sheet, showing the right shoulder badly shattered. Again I offered to write, but he shook his head. "Surely," I urged, "there must be a dear mother or a wife or sweetheart who is longing to know of your welfare?" "Yes," he said, "my old mother would like to hear from me, but my home is too far off," and turning away his face, he covered his eyes that I should not see the tears. Still unsuspicious, I urged that Uncle sam would send letters to any distance for his boys. "Ah, but not for me, my home is on the other side!"

Not till then did it dawn on me that I was actually sympathizing with a rebel! Just an instant I wavered, and then the good impulse triumphed, and I assured him that a flag of truce would protect even his letter. Ascertaining from Dr. Rauch that this was the fact, I obtained his home address and at once wrote to his mother. He was a lieutenant in a South Carolina regiment, a man of intelligence and always most grateful for any attention or comfort. He never pretended to any loyalty to the old flag, but avoided any discussion of the question, at least in my presence. Letters of one page and unsealed were sent under flag of truce through the lines, and after this experience I wrote a great many of them.'

https://sites.google.com/site/nursingatantietam/

(accessed via https://sites.google.com/view/miscellany-home/home - thanks @John Hartwell )

That was Maria Hall of whom I just read in the Civil War Monitor. A fascinating story!

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Great find Deb !

 

[Cavalry Charger]

That was Maria Hall of whom I just read in the Civil War Monitor. A fascinating story!

What a coincidence @Northern Light! She's given as 'Mrs. M. C. Richards of Unionville, Ct.' at the head of the article written for the Springfield Republican, dated Monday, January 3, 1887 which is about nursing the wounded of South Mountain and Antietam. She must have been 'Hall' before she married, and when she was a young nurse.

Synchonicity!

 

[Cavalry Charger]

Great find Deb !

Thanks, When I saw the thread by @JPK Huson 1863 today about nurses, I immediately thought of this story and wanted to share it. We sometimes forget the challenges that war can present to medical staff who are obligated to care for all the sick, not just those on their own side of the fighting.

 

[Cavalry Charger]

Maria calls her sense of compassion the 'good impulse'. I think that impulse overtook people, men and women of all persuasions, at different times during the war.

In my mind, it's like getting a peek behind a heavy curtain that's blocking the light.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

It's a terrific story and I'm so glad she wrote it down for all of us. It's really helpful for a good look at both nurses and how human interactions could be in all that shamble, once the shooting stopped, for you to bring this to CWT, Cavalry Charger. Once in awhile you'll read some ridiculous ' OH no, not them ' nonsense, from a nurse but it lasts 5 minutes or it'll be a hold out from a big crank. Could be wrong- just haven't come across many whose enthusiasm for a side held up when faced with suffering. Try the Christian Commission, sailing into Gettysburg, like a big, color blind, ( blue, gray, black, white ) compassionate vacuum cleaner, sucking up anyone needing help.

As an aside from nurses, you might see docs accused of coldness, in their brusque or seemingly cold handling of enemies, either side? Inclined to feel on both sides of things this is misunderstood, at least mostly. Docs were so wildly, unbelievably overworked they'd be almost asleep on their feet, stretched beyond endurance, post battles. Those brief encounters can't be counted as typical, you know?

 

[Cavalry Charger]

It's a terrific story and I'm so glad she wrote it down for all of us. It's really helpful for a good look at both nurses and how human interactions could be in all that shamble, once the shooting stopped, for you to bring this to CWT, Cavalry Charger. Once in awhile you'll read some ridiculous ' OH no, not them ' nonsense, from a nurse but it lasts 5 minutes or it'll be a hold out from a big crank. Could be wrong- just haven't come across many whose enthusiasm for a side held up when faced with suffering. Try the Christian Commission, sailing into Gettysburg, like a big, color blind, ( blue, gray, black, white ) compassionate vacuum cleaner, sucking up anyone needing help.

As an aside from nurses, you might see docs accused of coldness, in their brusque or seemingly cold handling of enemies, either side? Inclined to feel on both sides of things this is misunderstood, at least mostly. Docs were so wildly, unbelievably overworked they'd be almost asleep on their feet, stretched beyond endurance, post battles. Those brief encounters can't be counted as typical, you know?

They medical staff were only human, as Maria's story seems to indicate, but letting the 'good impulse' or compassion rule made a difference to those affected by it.

'One Sunday morning, Rev. Dr. Karfoot, president of St. James college (since of Trinity college, and later the beloved bishop of Pittsburg), came to hold service at the head-quarters of the 5th army corps -- Gen. Fitz-John Porter's, adjacent to the hospital. He came first with the officers on their inspection of the hospital, and I hoped to follow and join in attending the service. But in a wagon-house nearby lay 12 sufferers whom I had taken as my work for the morning, and if the service for them seemed less divine than that going up from the multitude in the field nearby, it was surely no less merciful. My requisition for changes of clothing and bed-linen for my dozen rebels was filled as it best could be from barrels under the Sanitary Commission tent. The pillows I made by filling pillow-cases with straw and sewing up the ends. But, the poor fellows were washed and combed and cleansed; new straw was put under the blankets of those who could be moved, and all were fed with nourishing food. It was not for long that one North Carolina boy enjoyed the refreshing change, for that night he died. But his last hours were comforted by the promise that his sorrowing mother at home should have his Testament, a lock of his hair, and should know that in the land where he was a prisoner he was cared for with kindly hands.'

 

[J. Horace]

Found this article in my grandfather's papers on the Battle of Bentonville. A little hard to read but relevant I think to this thread in that the minister was indeed "caring for the enemy.":

 

[Cavalry Charger]

Found this article in my grandfather's papers on the Battle of Bentonville. A little hard to read but relevant I think to this thread in that the minister was indeed "caring for the enemy.":

View attachment 175248

Thanks for sharing @J. Horace . That is a very touching story, and it's obvious compassion was shown by those on both sides of the war at different times. Some we know, but this one may not have been heard of before, and I'm so glad you shared it here.

 

[Northern Light]

What a coincidence @Northern Light! She's given as 'Mrs. M. C. Richards of Unionville, Ct.' at the head of the article written for the Springfield Republican, dated Monday, January 3, 1887 which is about nursing the wounded of South Mountain and Antietam. She must have been 'Hall' before she married, and when she was a young nurse.

Synchonicity!

You are correct, CC. Here is more about her. http://john-banks.blogspot.ca/2013/10/remembering-their-ancestor-civil-war.html

 

[Equestriangirl93]

Thank you for sharing!

 

[major bill]

There are examples of kindness and examples or cruelty. People seen to react to war in different ways.

 

[Cavalry Charger]

You are correct, CC. Here is more about her. http://john-banks.blogspot.ca/2013/10/remembering-their-ancestor-civil-war.html

What an amazing article, and loaded with information. Thanks so much for sharing @Northern Light

 

[Cavalry Charger]

There are examples of kindness and examples or cruelty. People seen to react to war in different ways.

I think examples of kindness are elicited when people no longer feel under threat, and are capable of showing that side of themselves. There is a levelling, so to speak, where a more normal human interaction can take place. I think the wounded soldiers themselves may have experienced this.

'Here we found wounded from both armies lying side by side as amicably as though they had never been called enemies. When we commented upon this fact one of our boys sagely remarked, "It wasn't the privates that brought on the war," and a rebel soldier, "Ah, we are good friends as soon as the fighting is over."'

And they probably had more in common than not in the circumstances of the CW.

 

[Cavalry Charger]

Thanks, JPK, for this interesting snippet. Even in the midst of battle soldiers sometimes found an opportunity to show compassion.

Expired Image Removed

 

[Cavalry Charger]

Friends or enemies? Once the fighting was over it seems the men made their own decisions about such things.

Expired Image Removed

 

[lelliott19]

Really outstanding examples posted by all!

I really enjoy reading these kinds of stories - especially the ones written by the participants.

Thanks so much for sharing these!

 

[Burning Billy]

Good thread. The original post reminded me of a portion of a letter written by a Union lieutenant about his experiences at Gettysburg:

"I went over a part of the battle-field that night, and did what I could to make the wounded comfortable; but very soon this seemed a hopeless undertaking; our wounded were removed in ambulances as fast as possible, but the rebel wounded, who were almost all of them in our hands, received extremely little attention, and lay scattered over the field in groups of twenty, fifty, or even a hundred, trying to help each other a little.

Our men could not help it; most of them were too much worn out to raise a hand, and the regular Ambulance Corps could not begin to attend to our own wounded boys. I was glad to do a little something for them, even if it were only to turn them on their side, and give them a glass of water. Utterly as I detest a living active rebel, as soon as he becomes wounded and a prisoner I don't perceive any difference in my feelings towards him and towards one of our own wounded heroes. I suppose this is very heterodox, but I can't help it. I found a Colonel of a Mississippi Regiment shot through the breast, a man of stately bearing, and a soldier of his regiment told me that he was judge of the Supreme Court of that State. Now here was a man, evidently one of the real old original Secesh; but I forgot that, took him into a barn, made him a straw bed, fixed a pillow for him, got him a cup of coffee, and ignored the fact that he gave me no word of thanks or farewell when I left him."

The full letter here:

William Wheeler Letter

 

[Cavalry Charger]

I suppose this is very heterodox, but I can't help it.

It seems the 'good impulse' overtook him as well. And I'm sure it did feel like heterodoxy in many ways when hard fighting had probably taught the men to despise the enemy. Thanks for sharing another great story @Burning Billy .

It also appears the Colonel was a proud man, but willing to allow himself to be helped. There was an odd man who chose not to accept the aid of the enemy, and probably died because of it.

'One man to whom I had ministered was seized with hemorrhage in the night. The attendant in the barn begged permission to call me in to help him, but he said no! He would die rather than have any more help from a Union woman and in the morning I heard the pitiful tale of how he had bled to death refusing help.'

Help had to be accepted as well as offered and, as much as there were those willing to give, not everyone was willing to receive. It may have seemed like heterodoxy to some of those on the receiving end as well.