when the erysipelas developed in my wound,
and August 9th I was taken to the erysipelas ward. This ward was under the
charge of a Dr. Bates, of Worcester, Mass. Dr. Bates and his assistants
had no trouble in quieting down that erysipelas, and on August 30th, I was
taken back to Ward 4 again. What horrible care my wound received! It was
dressed only once a day and then so badly. September 16, gangrene broke
out in it and I was taken to the gangrene ward.

This ward was under the charge of the same physician as the erysipelas
ward--Dr. Henry Green Bates of Worcester, Mass. Dr. Bates' wife was a
Brookfield Stone, and she, seeing my diagnosis card, discovered that my
mother's name and her maiden name were identical. Although no near
relationship could be established, it created a friendly interest, and Dr.
Bates took care of my wound himself, dressing it twice a day until the
gangrene was out, which was in just six days. But I was not then sent back
to Ward 4. I was made comfortable in a private tent and remained under his
care until February, 1865, during which time the Doctor and Mrs. Bates
kept me supplied with newspapers and books to read and delicacies to eat.

Early in February, Dr. Bates left Emory Hospital, going to Newport News to
take charge of a hospital being built to take care of the wounded expected
when the campaign should open at Petersburg, and I was sent back to Ward
4.

The critical period of three months with me, from August to December,
1864, I was cared for by Dr. Bates, and to him I owe my life. Had I been
obliged to remain in Ward 4, through those three critical months, I should
not have survived. The work of the wound dresser, I always thought, was
very inferior. The food was fairly good and we had plenty of it. We also
had plenty of stimulants--a little bottle of brandy and a bottle of
porter every day.

There must have been a large number of badly wounded men on the boat that
took me to Washington. For a while the long roll was heard so often at
that hospital carrying out the dead, it was abolished, the effect was so
depressing.

When I was taken back to Ward 4, at the time Dr. Bates left, Dr. Ensign
learned that Dr. Bates and his wife had formed something of an attachment
for me and that I had been a sort of special patient over there. I was,
consequently, ever afterward treated with a good deal of kindness by him
and so got through the rest of the time I was in the hospital very
comfortably