JPK Huson 1863
Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2012
- Location
- Central Pennsylvania
Hadn't run into this before- nurses! They belong in ' Gettysburg ', I think as much as Ladies Tea would be honored. Ran into this some time ago, Gettysburg staff writing about the instant influx when the public heard of the need in Adams County. You didn't have to be a nurse, boy did they learn in a big hurry.
The still-casual layout bespeaks somewhat early days post battle. Later photos show tidier tents, rows unattended by clutter, uniformity. This has bears signs of urgency, perhaps randomly collected supplies, people of purpose and hastily erected structures. You shudder to think what lies behind drawn and wan faces our nurses turned towards the photographer who appeared in camp one day- hurrying between tasks, life and death tasks, men either slipping away or tenaciously moving towards life behind those tent flaps we barely see.
Some nurses slipped away with the men they nursed. Too much work, too great a burden, too little care towards themselves.
" No wonder that men who were rushing upon and through and upon it, should be torn to pieces in every way. I worked from ten till half past four, without five minutes cessation, in spreading, cutting and distributing bread and butter. Such thankful eyes and stifled voices, and quivering lips, from poor fellows without legs, or arms, or hands, or terribly wounded otherwise, who had seen nothing but hardtack since they were hurt! "
Eliza W. Farnham, Born in 1815, six months later she was dead from consumption.
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