_ can fill the
place. Come, _now_; with me: we have no time to lose." I hesitated no
longer, but entered the carriage. We were at once driven down-town,
stopping to order cots, mattresses, etc., then to the corner of ----
and ---- Streets, where stood an immense tobacco factory, owned by
Messrs. Turpin & Yarborough.

Arrived here, a pitiful sight met our eyes. Perhaps fifty sick men had
arrived unexpectedly, and were sitting or lying about in every
conceivable position expressive of feebleness, extreme illness, utter
exhaustion. Mr. Yarborough, having given up the keys to Mrs. Hopkins,
was impatiently pacing in and out among the prostrate men. Coming upon
this scene, both Mrs. Hopkins and myself at once realized all that lay
before us, and braced our nerves to meet the emergency.

The men were soon under shelter, but no beds had yet arrived. Mrs.
Hopkins led me into the factory, introduced me to Dr. Clark, who had
come to take charge as surgeon, and placed me under him at the head of
affairs as her deputy. A corps of nurses, hastily summoned, were
ordered to report to me.

Meantime immense boxes arrived from the depot, sent by the people of
Alabama. These contained pillows, comforts, sheets, as well as wines,
cordials, and every delicacy for the sick, also quantities of shirts,
drawers, and socks, old and new. The boxes were wrenched open, pillows
placed quickly under the heads of the sickest, and cordials
administered. As the beds came in they were placed, made up, and the
worst cases first, others afterward, were transferred to them, until
all were lying comfortably between clean sheets and clad in clean
shirts and drawers. There was no lack of food, both substantial and of
a kind proper for the very sick.

I do not believe that a squad of sick soldiers arrived in Richmond, at
least during the first year of the war, who were not discovered and
bountifully fed shortly after their arrival. In this case waiter after
waiter of food was sent in, first from the house of Mr. Yarborough and
afterward by all the neighborhood. Hospital supplies having been
ordered as soon as it was known the sick men were expected, all
necessaries were soon at hand, while the boxes referred to supplied
many luxuries. The large room into which all these were huddled
presented for days a scene of "confusion worse confounded." The
contents of two of the largest boxes were dumped upon the floor, the
boxes themselves serving, one as a table for