cred in passing
through that city. She insisted upon being permitted to see the wounded,
and with dauntless devotion, in the face of peril, had some of them
removed to her own home, where she gave them the most faithful care for
many weeks. These men were but the first few of thousands who can never
forget the kindness received from her hands, the words of cheer which
came from her lips. Until within ten months of the closing events of the
war, she was constantly engaged in hospital service, and then only left
for Europe because too much exhausted to continue longer in the work.
"Sister Tyler" had supervision of the hospital, and of the fourteen
ladies who had a subdivision of responsibility resting upon each of
them. Their duties consisted in the special care of the wards assigned
them, and particular attention to the diet and stimulants; they supplied
the thousand nameless little wants which occurred every day, furnished
books and amusements, wrote for and read to the men,--did everything, in
fact, which a thoughtful tact could suggest without interfering with
surgeons or stewards.

Dr. Vanderkeift wisely considered nourishing diet of more importance
than medicine. There were three departments for the preparation of low
and special diet, over each of which a lady presided. The cooks and
nurses, throughout the hospital, were furnished from the number of
convalescent patients not fit to go to the front. They made excellent
workers in these positions, learning with a ready intelligence their new
duties, and performing them with cheerful compliance; but they often
regained their strength too rapidly, and the whole order and convenience
of kitchens and wards would be thrown into wild confusion by a stern
mandate from Washington, that every able-bodied man was to go to his
regiment. No matter what the exigency of the case might be, these men
were despatched in haste. Then came a new training of men, some on
crutches, some with one hand, and all far from strong. When the ladies
remonstrated at having such men put on duty, they were told that
feebleness must be made good by numbers, and it was no uncommon thing
for four or five crippled men to be employed in the work of one strong
one. These changes made wild confusion for a few days, but gradually we
began to consider them a part of the fortunes of war, and to find that a
stoical tranquillity was the best way in which to meet them. Though
exceedingly inconvenient, there was