At eight o’clock A. M. a dozen or more men came to my door with orders from the ladies for underwear and many comforts. George, who did the work of a chambermaid, having cleared up my reception room (I did my own sleeping room) I then descended into the kitchen and immersed myself in the work of making jellies and other delicacies, while I had four disabled soldiers preparing meats, vegetables, etc.
At ten A. M. came the boat, bringing guests for luncheon, when we had officers, sisters of charity, clergymen, and friends of the patients to entertain, all of whom needed advice or a pleasant word. This caused many interruptions; but was a pleasant break in the monotony of hospital life.
The visitors left on the four P. M. boat. I then inspected the various wards and discovered many delinquencies on the part of the men nurses of which the patients were afraid to complain. Occasionally there was time for a walk around the sea wall, and then came the men’s supper at five P. M.
At six dinner was served in my reception room for my friends and myself, and Andrew insisted upon its being a good one. After that officers and their ladies sometimes called.
When the wind howled and the waves dashed high against the sea wall, we could see the twinkling lights of the city while we sat talking and resting till “taps.” Then came George to attend to his wonderful coal fires in very large open grates, which never burned low or dropped ashes on the bright polished hearth. His greatest reward was a pleasant word about the fires and he would smile in happiness. Then he brought a bucket of salt water fresh from the bay for my nightly bath, after which we retired to our comfortable cots, where we slept restfully till awakened by the usual “Ha’f-a-pas-seex.”
I remember an incident in which human perversity strongly asserted itself. General Wool, then Commander of the Department of the East, sent an order that “No one be allowed to leave the island till further orders.” It was suspected that spies were stealing information from the forts. No one was permitted to go even aboard the boat which brought daily supplies.
At once we felt ourselves prisoners, and an irresistible desire to escape to the city haunted me every hour of the day. I was actually planning to elude the guards and to be rowed in a little boat to the city,—three and one-half miles from the island,—when the order was revoked, and I suddenly discovered that I had no urgent object for making the trip.
The post chaplain drew very few to his services. One patient remarked “We can sleep much better in our cots than in the chapel.” One Sunday afternoon, after considerable effort, I succeeded in raising a quartette among the non-commissioned officers. I then went to all the wards, urging the men to come to our services, promising them some good old-time hymns. The chaplain was much surprised and gratified at this sudden increase in his congregation, and this improvement was maintained till most of the patients had left the island.
At last orders were read for all convalescents to report to their regiments. This quite emptied the wards and took my staff of domestic helpers. I had a busy time supplying the Boys with necessary articles and luxuries, and “comfort bags” containing sewing material were in great demand! In some of these were found letters that led to correspondence and in many cases to romance.
As the “Way” left the wharf, these grateful men expressed their thanks by rousing cheers to the surgeons and nurses who had taken such good care of them. Then came three more cheers for the kind ladies who had given them so many luxuries and comforting words. Being the only lady present I waved a hearty good-bye for all these kindly women.