rk of the majority of the women who
had devoted themselves to the care of the soldiers. Her great activity
and inexhaustible energy showed themselves in a sort of roving work, in
seizing upon and gathering up such things as her quick eye saw were
needed. "We called her 'the Raider,'" says this friend, who was also a
warm admirer. "At Fredericksburg she had in some way gained possession
of a wretched-looking pony, and a small cart or farmer's wagon, with
which she was continually on the move, driving about town or country in
search of such provisions or other articles as were needed for the sick
and wounded. The surgeon in charge had on one occasion assigned her the
task of preparing a building, which had been taken for a hospital, for a
large number of wounded who were expected almost immediately. I went
with my daughter to the building. It was empty, containing not the
slightest furniture or preparation for the sufferers, save a large
number of bed-sacks, without straw or other material to fill them.

"On requisition a quantity of straw was obtained, but not nearly enough
for the expected need, and we were standing in a kind of mute despair,
considering if it were indeed possible to secure any comfort for the
poor fellows expected, when Mrs. Barlow came in. 'I'll find some more
straw,' was her cheerful reply, and in another moment she was urging her
tired beast toward another part of the town where she remembered having
seen a bale of the desired article earlier in the day. Half an hour
afterward the straw had been confiscated, loaded upon the little wagon
by willing hands, and brought to the hospital. She then helped to fill
and arrange the sacks, and afterwards drove about the town in search of
articles, which, by the time the ambulances brought in their freight of
misery and pain, had served to furnish the place with some means of
alleviation."

Through all these awful days she labored on unceasingly. Her health
became somewhat impaired, but she paid no heed to the warning. Her
thoughts were not for herself, her cares not for her own sufferings.
Earlier attention to her own condition might perhaps, have arrested the
threatening symptoms, but she was destined to wear the crown of
martyrdom, and lay down the beautiful life upon which so many hopes
clung, her last sacrifice upon the altar of her country. The extracts
which we append describe better the closing scenes of her life than we
can. The first is taken from th