The Blue and the Gray; Or, The Civil War as Seen by a Boy

by Annie Randall White

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  "Well, {242}it won't be very long before you can go. I have no motherto welcome me; you're a lucky boy, Ralph. But we are ordered to UnionSprings, about forty miles or so from here, to do post duty. They arehaving lively times down there between the darkeys and their formerowners, and they need us to adjust matters. The boys are being disbandedas fast as possible, and it will be our turn soon."

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  "I shall not be sorry, but I have had many instructive and usefulexperiences. Life in the army has been to me the best school I everknew. It has taught me the beauty of discipline, the value of freedom,and an insight into military affairs which I never could have had. Ithas left me, too, with a warmer admiration for the blessings of a wise,just and stable government."

  "Well, {243}I never gave these things a thought, but I believe you areright, and I don't know but I'm better prepared to take up the businessof life than I should have been without this training. But to the casein hand. We leave here in a day or two, and shall be compelled to saygood-bye forever to some very nice people we have met."

  "That's true, Steve, and I am sorry it must be so."

  Two days later, and while the daily papers were full of the descriptionsof the gorgeous spectacle the review furnished, they moved on to UnionSprings. Here they found a turbulent element which only the presence ofsoldiers could quell. Remaining here until the middle of July, they hadorders to proceed to Vicksburg, where they were to be mustered out ofthe service of the United States.

  It was August before they reached Vicksburg, where they were dischargedfrom further service. When Ralph stepped on board the steamer which wasto convey them to Cairo, he was overjoyed. His spirits bubbled over likea schoolboy's, and he mingled with the gay crowd of passengers, with alight heart. The water was low, and as they sailed between the banks,the sounds of industry were plainly to be heard, as the blacks worked inthe fields.

  As they glided along, the merry throngs were amusing themselves, somein the cabin, dancing to the music of the piano, some chatting aspleasantly with the soldiers as if their acquaintance had extended overyears, and all light-hearted and careless. A sudden commotion was heard,and the quick, sharp voice of the captain giving orders. Too late--asudden jar, a trembling of the boat, and a crash, over all of which wereheard shrieks of terror and the hoarse shouting of the officers, as theboat, with her hull completely torn away, began to settle into the muddybottom.

  A huge snag, floating down stream, had caught the boat's hull, andcompletely destroyed it, and the steamer was sinking like lead.

  The river was alive with frightened human beings, some of whom {244}hadjumped at the first shock, while others had been hurled into the water.Ralph was among the latter, and his terror was intense, as he wondered,with lightning-like rapidity, whether he had passed through so muchdanger, only to perish miserably just when he felt that he was safe. Hewas overcome but a moment, however, and seeing the gang plank floatinga few yards away, he swam toward it, and seizing one end, he raisedhimself upon it and began to plan what he should do next. The cries ofsome were growing feebler. He saw men on the bank putting boats out fromshore, and as he floated along he called loudly to those within sound ofhis voice, trying to encourage them. He caught a lady by her dress andplaced her on his raft, then a child floated by, whose light form hegrasped firmly, as he laid her on the planks. Thus Ralph managed,by courage and strength, to save fifteen persons on his clumsy butexceedingly useful craft.

  He paddled them to shore, and on his way he saw a young black girl whohad been on board with her mistress. She was being drawn at a rapid pacethrough the water, by hanging to the tail of a mule, who was swimmingvigorously to land. One moment her head would be under the water, asthe mule went along, and the next she would come up to the surface,sputtering and shaking it from her streaming head, but never for aninstant relaxing her hold of the frightened animal, who must havewondered a little why he was being used for a tow boat. Ralph's love offun and the queer spectacle overcame him, even in the midst of danger,and as she went by, he asked her how she was getting along.

  "Fust rate, massa. We'll make de passage, I 'low, sooner dan yo' crewwill."

  All the passengers were saved, and those who owed their rescue toRalph's courage, would have made him the hero of the hour, but hemodestly disclaimed any praise, for it was by mere luck, he said, thatthe gang-plank came his way, and any one would have done as much, oreven more. {245}

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  A {246}gunboat was sent to take them up the river, and soon the placidscenery of the Mississippi was exchanged for the ripe fields, thewell-tilled farms of Illinois, as they were whirled on the train towardChicago. The sun poured down his hottest beams, the skies were sultry,and the pavements hot and dusty, when they reached that city, but areception awaited them, which made the heat and dust seem trifles, asthey marched through the lines of people who greeted them on theirreturn from the war. And as the battle flags were borne aloft, some meretattered rags, some with blood dyed folds, carried by maimed and scarredveterans, whose eagle eyes scanned the throngs to find some one whomthey knew and who would clasp them by the hand as in the olden time,there was not a man in those thinned ranks but thanked his heavenlyFather that once more he trod the soil of a clime where peace folded hersnowy wings, and the sounds of war and discord were heard no more.

  When the train rolled into the depot, Ralph heard the shouts and cheersgoing up for the boys in blue, and a six-pounder was fired off, givingthem a salute of thirty-six guns. He felt proud to belong to thatstalwart band of men who had borne the brunt of the battle, and whosehands had helped to rear the massive structure of a reunited nationupon an enduring base--freedom for all. And then cheers broke forth fromthousands of throats, women's faces grew brighter, children caught thecontagion of joy, and men shouted v and hurrahed until they were hoarse.The boys had come home from the war, and their toil and privations werepast. Never again, it was to be hoped, should the wave of dissensionsweep across the land, but the banner of liberty should float from everytower and dome, for all nations to honor.

  The soldiers had caught the glad spirit of welcome, and as they wheeledinto line and kept step to the music of their bands, every nerve tingledand burned, and their hearts beat tumultuously. They were to be shownstill farther attention, for they were escorted to a hall, {247}where,when they had "stacked arms," they clasped hands with old friends, andafter a half hour passed in renewing old friendships and making new,they were invited to an elegant banquet, to which they all did justice.

  To Ralph the scene was a revelation--the brightly lit hall, the perfumeof countless flowers, the kind attentions of beautiful women, and theeloquent speeches--all in turn charmed him, and the home-coming seemed,indeed, a delightful fairy vision.

  But there were yet three weary days of waiting ere the final forms weregone through with, the regiment paid off, the Board of Trade havingassumed the payment, so as to permit the men to return home morespeedily, and to Ralph they were the longest and most tedious he everremembered. But at last his face was turned homeward, and as he sprangfrom the car, and hurried along the one short mile that divided the dearmother from him, his sunburned and speaking face, the erect form andswinging, elastic step, bore no resemblance to the boy who had come hometo die, two years before.

  His mother and sisters stood in the doorway, and as they threw theirarms around him, and pressed him to their hearts, he knew at last thesweet and tender bliss those two simple words conveyed--"Home again!"

  And when, in the years that followed, the simple army boy rose toposition and fame in the field he chose for a life-calling, his dearestmemories were of the toil and pain and sacrifice of the days he spentin the army. His proudest boast was that, humble as were his services,obscure as he was, he gave all he had, youth, energy, enthusiasm andendurance, to the cause of universal freedom, and dearly as he loved hismother and home, he still more dearly loved the land of his birth.

  THE SANITARY COMMISSION.

  I
want to tell the boys and girls who have followed Ralph's simple storyto the end of the war, about a grand body of men and women who workedvaliantly for the soldiers while they were fighting in the field.Indeed, it would be unjust to the wives, mothers {248}and sisters of theboys of the days of the war, did I not say something about this nobleenterprise.

  It has been said that women cannot fight, but even that assertion is notstrictly true, for the records of history have furnished many casesof women going to the front with their husbands, disguised as men. Butthough they did not help swell the quota of soldiers, they did nobledeeds--they cheered and comforted the boys in the field, and tooktender care of them when sick or hungry. And one of the most powerfuloutgrowths of this humane and womanly sympathy was the SanitaryCommission.

  When the war broke out, in 1861, the women of the North met at once inmany places to confer with each other as to the best means for takingproper care of the sick and wounded. They commenced to form societies,and chief among their objects was the wise one of bringing the sick homewherever it was possible, purchasing warm clothes, provisions and littleadditions to their comfort which the Government could not supply, thesending of books and papers to the camps, and keeping informed as to thecondition and needs of the soldiers, by corresponding with officers ofregiments, thus learning all they could about individuals.

  Such efforts were lofty and patriotic, and coming to the notice of Dr.Henry Bellows and Dr. Elisha Harris, they talked the matter over, andproposed to call a meeting, to get things into shape. They saw thevalue of the aid which women could give, so selecting Cooper Union.New York City, for a gathering-place, they invited all the societies ofwomen whose aims were similar to meet with them, and this hall, oneof the largest at that time, could scarce contain those who came, soearnest was the interest taken in the matter. A permanent associationwas formed, and a constitution was framed by Dr. Bellows.

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  The next step they took was to send a committee to Washington, offeringthe Government their services. General Scott received it kindly, but didnot see that it was right to give the members {250}any authority. Butthey were not discouraged, though it is sad to say that the first daysof the Commission were very dark, for they found army officials full ofjealousy, for they could not see that anything which could be practicaland useful could exist outside of the regulations.

  The Government itself had just gone through the hard task of makingmatters straight between the regular army and the volunteer, and verynaturally dreaded any further agitation, or the opening up of any newtopic. But after trying so hard to accomplish something, they were gladof even the permission given them to form a commission, which shouldconsult with the government as to the sanitary condition of the people.This was a small concession, but it was the beginning of an immenseundertaking.

  Still, they were distrusted and suspected, and at this unfortunatejuncture, their friend, Surgeon-General Lawson, died, and was succeededby Dr. Clement Finley, who was bitterly opposed to the movement. Anotherlong struggle ensued, which was ended by permission being given them toform a commission that should act only in connection with officers ofthe volunteer army, and have no authority whatever. This was permittingthem to do good only on their own responsibility. Even Mr. Lincoln,whose heart was ever in the right place, seemed to consider theirplans and aims as of small account, but he, with Secretary of War SimonCameron, yielded, and the association was, on June 13, 1861, made real.

  One of its first steps was to obtain the discharge of boys (of whomthere were a large number in the army) who were too young for hardservice, and sickly men who had been mustered in through careless andhasty examinations.

  From this time the Commission grew, until it had so many, avenues ofusefulness that it became too vast to attempt to carry out its designsunder one head, and so women everywhere were called upon to help in thegreat work by forming local societies, to carry on their labors. Morethan 7,000 such sprang into {251}existence, all of whom raised suppliesof food and clothes and money to bestow on the brave boys in hospitaland field. It is estimated that in the course of the war the SanitaryCommission provided 4,500,000 meals for sick and hungry soldiers. Theyalso had ambulances, and were often found on the field with supplies,and at the very front, rescuing those who were wounded. It had hospitalsand depots for the objects of its care. It had camps for soldiers whowere convalescent, and not only looked after the physical needs ofthe boys in blue, but in connection with the Young Men's ChristianAssociation measures were taken looking to their souls' needs, also, andreligious reading matter was given them, prayers and addresses were hadat the recruiting offices, and a hymn book was compiled, which seemed tobe exactly what a soldier needed.

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  The Sanitary Commission had a ready assistant in the ChristianCommission, which came into existence as a working body on November 14,1861. These two organizations worked harmoniously together, and it cannever be told how much good they did.

  Among the many women who gave their whole strength with sincerity, wehave space for but a few names, although the list might lengthen outindefinitely, for to woman is due the credit of unselfishness andpatriotism and earnestness in whatever project she engages. She nevergives her efforts grudgingly, but puts her whole soul forth. The womenof the North and of the South gave all they had---their dear ones whosegoing away clouded the light of home, their services in ministering tothe sick, their patient skill in furnishing articles for their personaluse. All these things women did for the cause, and much more.

  Miss Taylor was born in New York, but lived at the breaking out of thewar in {252}New Orleans. She was ever ready to work in the hospitals,and gave liberally of her means to the boys in the army.

  It is told of her that it was well known that she loved the old flag,and this caused bitter feelings, a mob once even surrounding herhouse, and demanding to know her sentiments. She was watching her dyinghusband. They gave her five minutes to say whether she was for the Northor South, and threatened her that if she was for the North, they wouldtear down her house. Her brave answer was, that she was and ever shouldbe, "Tear my house down if you choose!" she said To their honor, be itsaid, although very angry with her, they dispersed without doing her anyinjury.

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  A young lady who volunteered as a nurse just after the first battleof Bull Run was Miss Hattie A. Dada, also of New York. She workedincessantly through the entire war, part of the time in the Eastern andpart in the Western armies. She was taken prisoner by the Confederatesafter the retreat of General Banks in the Shenandoah Valley, andwas held three months. After her release she spent two years in thehospitals at Murfreesboro, a very arduous field of labor.

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  Philadelphia was a point which received Hi a large number of soldierswho passed through that city, either going to the front or going home onfurlough--often disabled. Several ladies established an eating-house fortheir benefit, where they could obtain meals free.

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  One of the most tireless workers in this direction was Mrs. Mary B.Wade, who, in spite of her being over seventy years of age, never lefther post save {254}for necessary sleep, but waited on them night andday, during the four years of the conflict.

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  There were many other opportunities for women to work in the cause.Bazars were held, materials were solicited and manufactured for sale,speeches were made, arousing patriotic sentiments, and societies wereformed to assist formed to assist the families of soldiers. There was noend to the calls for kindly offices.

  Among the foremost of those who turned their talents to this use, wasMrs. Mary A. Livermore, of Boston, the celebrated pulpit orator. Herefforts were given freely to making the Northwestern Sanitary Fair, heldat Chicago, an immense success.

  Perhaps no woman's name is so widely known, after FlorenceNightingale's, of the Old World, as having labored long and unceasinglyin the cause of humanity, as is that of Clara Barton. Her arduousser
vices in field and hospital, her untiring devotion to the welfareof the soldier, her efforts to find the dead and missing, so as to sendword to their kindred, her weary search in Southern prisons for newsof the absent, and her formation of a corps of nurses to work for thehelpless in the present war, have endeared her to every humane heartin our land. She knows no distinction--all are alike the objects of herbounteous care. And when the names of those who love their kind godown into history, Clara Barton's will be honored and revered amongthe first killed at Cold Harbor; it unnerved her so that her own deathfollowed soon, and on the 27th of July, 1864, she passed away to aheavenly shore.

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  The famous author, Louisa M. Alcott, whose "Little Women" almost everygirl in the land has read, was a most devoted nurse in the hospitals,and afterward embodied her experiences in a book entitled "HospitalSketches."

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  There were women on both sides of the contest Margaret {256}E.Breckenridge, a relative of the celebrated Breckenridge family ofKentucky, served constantly in the hospitals, until she was prostratedby illness. Her pure face and lovely manners made the boys regard andcall her "The Angel." She was very ill, but determined to continue her"labor of love," when the death of her brother-in-law, Colonel Porter,who was who {257}did effective work as spies, for the cause theyespoused. Among the most noted of these was Pauline Cushman, a Unionspy, who was wounded twice while in the service, and was made a major byGeneral Garfield, and Belle Boyd, who was famous throughout the war asone of the most daring and successful spies the Confederacy had.

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  The life of spies is one of incessant danger, and demands rare qualitiesof mind to carry out their designs. Whatever opinion may be formedof their vocation, it is a historic truth that spies are absolutelynecessary in time of war.