some
confirmed in their worst fears, some reassured and grateful--a constant
succession of bewildering emotions, of hope, fear, sadness and joy.

The six ladies from her own town, were still for a long time busy in
their work of mercy distributing freely, as they had been given, the
supplies with which they had been provided. This was eminently a work of
faith. Often the stores, of one, or of many kinds, would be exhausted,
but in no instance did Providence fail to immediately replenish those
most needed.

During the stay of Mr. and Mrs. Holstein in Sharpsburg, an ambulance was
daily placed at their disposal, and they were continually going about
with it and finding additional cases in need of every comfort. Supplies
were continually sent from friends at home, and they remained until the
wounded had all left save a few who were retained at Smoketown and
Locust Spring Hospitals.

While the army rested in the vicinity of Sharpsburg, scores of fever
patients came pouring in, making a fearful addition to the hospital
patients, and greatly adding to the mortality.

The party, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Holstein and a friend of theirs, a
lady, remained until their services were no longer required, and then,
about the 1st of December, returned home. Busied in arrangement for the
collection and forwarding of stores, and in making trips to Antietam,
Harper's Ferry, and Frederick City, on similar business, the days wore
away until the battle of Fredericksburg. Soon after this they went to
Virginia, and entered the Second Corps Hospital near Falmouth. There in
a Sibley tent whose only floor was of the branches of the pines--in that
little Hospital on the bleak hill-side, the winter wore slowly away. The
needful army movements had rendered the muddy roads impassable. No
chaplain came to the camp until these roads were again in good order.
Men sickened and died with no other religious services performed in
their hearing than the simple reading of Scripture and prayers which
Mrs. Holstein was in the habit of using for them, and which were always
gladly listened to.

Just previous to the battle of Chancellorsville, Mrs. Holstein returned
home for a few days, and was detained on coming back to her post by the
difficulty of getting within the lines. She found the hospital moved
some two miles from its former location, and that many of her former
patients had died, or suffered much in the change. After the battle
there was of cour