g how our Fifty-Fourth, spent with three
sleepless nights, a day's fast, and a march under the July sun, stormed
the fort as night fell, facing death in many shapes, following their
brave leaders through a fiery rain of shot and shell, fighting
valiantly for God and Governor Andrew,--how the regiment that went into
action seven hundred strong came out having had nearly half its number
captured, killed, or wounded, leaving their young commander to be
buried, like a chief of earlier times, with his body-guard around him,
faithful to the death. Surely, the insult turns to honor, and the wide
grave needs no monument but the heroism that consecrates it in our
sight; surely, the hearts that held him nearest see through their tears
a noble victory in the seeming sad defeat; and surely, God's
benediction was bestowed, when this loyal soul answered, as Death
called the roll, "Lord, here I am, with the brothers Thou hast given
me!"

The future must show how well that fight was fought; for though Fort
Wagner still defies us, public prejudice is down; and through the
cannon smoke of that black night the manhood of the colored race shines
before many eyes that would not see, rings in many ears that would not
hear, wins many hearts that would not hitherto believe.

When the news came that we were needed, there was none so glad as I to
leave teaching contrabands, the new work I had taken up, and go to
nurse "our boys," as my dusky flock so proudly called the wounded of
the Fifty-Fourth. Feeling more satisfaction, as I assumed my big apron
and turned up my cuffs, than if dressing for the President's levee, I
fell to work on board the hospital-ship in Hilton-Head harbor. The
scene was most familiar, and yet strange; for only dark faces looked up
at me from the pallets so thickly laid along the floor, and I missed
the sharp accent of my Yankee boys in the slower, softer voices calling
cheerily to one another, or answering my questions with a stout, "We'll
never give it up, Ma'am, till the last Reb's dead," or, "If our
people's free, we can afford to die."

Passing from bed to bed, intent on making one pair of hands do the work
of three, at least, I gradually washed, fed, and bandaged my way down
the long line of sable heroes, and coming to the very last, found that
he was my contraband. So old, so worn, so deathly weak and wan, I never
should have known him but for the deep scar on his cheek. That side
lay uppermost, and caught my e