Getting a Bath

NH Civil War Gal

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Regtl. Quartermaster Antietam 2021
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Feb 5, 2017
.......Promptly at ten o'clock Friday, the little soldier and his two negroes were waiting the doctor's pleasure. Soon he was ready, and they proceeded to the capitol. The little fellow knocked at the door where the same guard was on duty. "Are you here again?" he asked. "Yes," answered Dr. Devine, "and he is going in, too." The guard moved his chair. Dr. Devine passed into an adjoining room where he introduced the Little Confederate; Uncle Freeman and Matt standing close behind. Mr. Sedden was dressed in dark clothes; his spectacles were tied back of his head, the rim resting on his nose. He resembled D.H. Hill, and did not seem to need the glasses, for he looked over them. He opned the large envelope, and questioned the boy about where he lived, his father's name and address. The secretary and Dr. Devine passed into another room, and when they returned, he said, "Have you no better clothin than those you have on?" "No, sir," answered the boy. "Well," said Mr. Sedden, "you go with these gentlemen" (referring to Dr. Devine and a man from his office) "and they will try to get you a better suit. After you do so, come back to see me; by that time I will have your papers ready." As they left the room, Mr. Sedden said, "Have his hair cut also." There is no doubt that he was about as "onery" looking a chap as ever entered the Confederate capitol. He might have had "cockle-burs" in his hair, but didn't, and that was the only thing wanting to complete the awkwardness of his appearance. Nor was he an exception. The army for the past five months had been very actively engaged, and nothing in the way of clothing could reach the men.

Our party passed several streets, finally went into a clothing store, where tailors were busy making uniforms. The gentleman from Mr. Sedden's office selected a suit of underwear, shoes and socks, and a suit of clothes. He had them wrapped up in a bundle and left the store. Soon they passed down into a cellar; it was a barber-shop and bath-room.

The gentleman said to the negro attendant, "Get a bar of good soap, and give this young man a through cleaning," then turning to the barber, said, "You cut his hair." He left the bundle of clothes and said to the boy, "Throw your old ones away and put the new ones on." After the boy had stripped, the negro walked in was a bar of home-made lye soap; one side of it had the coarse salt sticking out. He evidently thought it was a case which needed heroic treatment. The boy had stood insults from the clerk at the hotel, and from the guard at the door of the Secretary of War's office but when he told that negro not to rub him so hard with that old rough soap, he meant it! It required Uncle Freeman and Matt, also the barber, to pull the boy loose from that negro! He yelled like a goat! Uncle Freeman had to finish the job....."
 
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