DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH.
r. M. M. Marsh was Medical Inspector of the Department of the Gulf and South, his charge comprising the States of Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. He held his appointment in the capacity mentioned from the Sanitary Commission, and from Government, the latter conferring upon him great authority over hospitals and health matters in general throughout his district.
It was in the early part of the year 1863 that Mrs. Marsh left her home in Vermont and joined her husband at Beaufort.
The object of Mrs. Marsh in going thither, was to establish a home with its comforts amidst the unfamiliar scenes and habitudes of the South.
Everything was strange, unnatural, unreal. Beaufort was in conquered territory occupied by its conquerors. The former inhabitants had fled, leaving lands, houses and negroes—all that refused to go with them, or could not be removed. Military rule prevailed, and the new population were Northern soldiers, and a few adventurous women. Besides these were blacks, men, women and children, many of them far from the homes they had known, and strange alike to freedom and a life made independent by their own efforts. From order to chaos, that was the transition a Northern woman underwent in coming to this place and state of society.
Mrs. Marsh had no sooner arrived than she found there was work to do and duties to perform in her new home on which she had not calculated. Her husband was frequently absent, sometimes for long periods. To his charge came the immense stores of supplies constantly forwarded by the Sanitary Commission, which were to be received, accounted for, unpacked, dealt out to the parties for whom they were intended. All this must be done by an intelligent person or persons, and by the same, reports of the condition of the hospitals must be made, together with the needful requisitions.
Here was business enough to employ the time, exhaust the strength, and occupy the thoughts of any single individual. It was a "man's work," as Mrs. Marsh often declares. Be that as it may, it was accomplished by a woman, and in the most admirable manner. The Sanitary Commission feels both proud and grateful, whenever the name of Mrs. Marsh is mentioned.