Meanwhile Sister Painter had sent for her orderly and ambulance, into which I quickly sprang while she called out with cheery significance, “Good luck! Good luck!” and the impatient pair of grey horses dashed off through camp to the Cavalry Corps Hospital nearly a mile distant, to secure the services of Chaplain Mines, the only Episcopal clergyman in that department.
An unusually cold air chilled us as we drove up to the tasteful little office of the Chaplain. His orderly saluted, and awaited my order. “Please ask the Chaplain to step here as quickly as possible.”
To my consternation he replied “Chaplain Mines went North this morning!”
Dumbfounded at this news, and greatly distressed, I hardly knew what to do next. The driver was shivering, and evidently in doubt too, as he asked “Where shall I drive now?”
“To—to—O, I don’t know—that is, drive back.”
What could be done? Away we sped and my perplexity increased, for I well knew that none but the Church of England service could give sanction to this pair in matrimony. “O, I have it, drive to the Christian Commission.”
In fifteen minutes we found Mr. Houghton, head of this commission. “Do you know,” I cried breathlessly, “you are to be best man at a wedding this afternoon, and I’m to be first bridesmaid, and—well—there is no Episcopalian clergyman in this camp? You must help us out of this dilemma. Will you not ask one of your ministers to perform the service by the Episcopal form?”
With a twinkle in his keen gray eye he remarked “I think I shall order a straight jacket, and—”
“Never mind! Order what you like, but not a word in camp, or we shall have more assistance than we desire. Though this must not be done in a corner, yet one from each post will suffice. If it gets out we might have hundreds. We ladies will represent the States, Mr. Peek the Sanitary Commission, and you, Mr. Houghton, the Christian Commission, and—at five P. M. you’ll know the rest, for there is yet much to do. I’m off now for General Patrick.”
Again we dashed off over the rough frozen roads, this time in the direction of General Grant’s Headquarters, near the James side of the Point. The day was intensely cold, and only a guard was visible, marking his frozen beat. As we approached he called an orderly, who immediately appeared and received the message “Ask General Patrick if he can be seen.”