Kate Cumming: A Journal of Hospital Life in the Confederate Army of Tennessee.

August 12.—We arrived at Cherokee Springs, near Ringgold, Ga., this evening. We are both much fatigued and out of sorts. We are here among strangers and feel very lonely. I can not help looking back with regret on the days we spent at the Newsom Hospital. It seems to me that there was not a person in it, from the lowest to the highest, but greeted us with a smile of pleasure, and they were ready at any moment to do us a favor.

Well, when I went back to Kingston from Chattanooga, I found that Dr. A. had quarreled with Mrs. W.; so I felt I was justified in the step I had taken, as any one who could quarrel with good, patient Mrs. W. would quarrel with any one.

We regretted leaving Dr. H., as a brother could not have been kinder than he has been, and every one of his nurses were as kind as himself. On the cars coming here we met Dr. Quintard, Dr. P. Thornton, and General Hindman; the latter was on his way to rejoin the Tennessee army. He has not been with it in some time, having been in Mississippi, attending the trial of one of our generals. He saw some of the men of his old command at the different stations which we passed, who seemed much pleased at seeing him. He commented a good deal on the state of the country; I could not but think it a pity that a man who could arrange every thing so nicely, should not be at the head of affairs; but then our people are so blind!

He told me he was proud to say he was of Scotch descent; his forefathers had fought at the battle of Culloden, with the ill-fated Prince Charlie, and had been exiled to this country. His name is Thomas Culloden.

Dr. Quintard adverted to our having an order of sisterhood in the church; this he seems to have very much at heart. We had our sun-bonnets with us, and he wished to know if they were our uniform; we have never worn any, as we can not afford any clothes but what we may chance to have. We have always made a rule of wearing the simplest kind of dress, as we think any other kind sadly out of place in a hospital; calico or homespun is the only dress fit to wear, but to get the former is a rare treat.

We got out at Ringgold; Dr. Gamble, the post surgeon, and Dr. Gore, were at the depot to receive us; Dr. Q., being an old acquaintance of Dr. G., he introduced us.

Dr. Gore took us to the Bragg Hospital, of which he is surgeon, and introduced us to two very nice ladies—the matrons, Mrs. Byrom and Miss Burford—who received us very kindly.

We left there in a wagon, in company with Colonel Gaither, from Kentucky, a cousin of Dr. Bemiss, the surgeon of the hospital in which we now are.

From what little we have seen of Dr. Bemiss we think we will like him; we have a room in a house set apart for the officers; our stay here is temporary, as there is a house now being erected for our accommodation. Dr. B. told us we could either have our meals brought to our room or eat at the officers’ table.

A very polite young man came and asked us what we would have for supper, just as they do in hotels. I am afraid I have given him offense, as I could not keep from laughing at such a question, and told him I did not know there was any choice in a hospital. He said he meant whether we would have tea or coffee, as supper was over, and it would have to be prepared; he brought us some tea, without milk, very good bread and butter, and eggs, the latter boiled as hard as a stone.

August 10.—This morning Mrs. C. and myself called on Dr. Stout. He informed me that he could not hear of any hospital that would suit Mrs. W. and myself, with the exception of one, where there was a lady already. She would be head matron, and he did not think we would be willing to go on that account. I told him we did not go into the hospital for position, and if we were only doing something for the cause, cared for little else. We were willing to make the trial.

Dr. S. complimented the women for what they were doing in the hospitals. So we told him that we had always heard that he was opposed to them in that capacity. He replied, he knew how he had received that name. When surgeon of a hospital in Nashville, the ladies had interfered with him so much that he was compelled to forbid them coming to it; but when he saw them having but one aim—that of doing good, and doing it in the right way—no man could think more of them than he did; furthermore, there was no end to the good they could do. I have heard many surgeons remark the same thing.

August 8.—Arrived in Chattanooga last evening, and am now at the Gilmer Hospital.

On the cars coming from Kingston, a gentleman and lady came in at one of the depots. The gentleman had to stand, as the car was very much crowded. 1 offered him part of my seat, which he accepted. He then told me he was a chaplain in a hospital near Ringgold, and that they were in want of some ladies in it. I have called on Dr. Stout, and he has sent down there to make inquiries concerning it.

Last evening I went to the Episcopal Church, and a chaplain preached a most excellent sermon. His text was, “The wind bloweth where it listeth,” etc. He reminded us of how much more frequently the wind blew soft than in a storm, and so with the “still small voice:” it spoke oftener to us in the calm than in the tempest. The church was filled with soldiers. I spent part of to-day at Camp Direction Hospital, where are many of the folks from the Newsom Hospital.

The hospital is an excellent one; every thing about it is entirely new; but I can not look on those things with the same pleasure which I have heretofore, as it is impossible to feel that any thing connected with our army is permanent. The whole place is surrounded with breastworks, some of which are within a stone’s throw of the hospital.

I spent the evening at Mrs. Whitesides, and had a very pleasant time, practicing for the church. Mr. E. Stickney escorted me, to whom I am much indebted for his kindness ever since I have been here. He is from Alabama, and is much of a gentleman.

This afternoon I sent Mr. Massinger’s money by express to Mr. Bolt, in care of Captain Cupplca.

August 7.—I intend leaving to-day for Chattanooga.

This morning I sent for Dr. A., and told him that it was impossible for us to get along without more servants; and I told him further that I knew of some who could be hired, and asked his consent; but he would not give it. So I then told him that Mrs. W. and myself would leave. At this he became quite angry, and said he could not compel us to remain, but since he had hired us ladies, he would pay us for the time we had been there. The latter part he said with emphasis, and then left me. Had he remained longer, I should have informed him that when we “hired” ourselves, we were not aware it was to him, but to the same government which had “hired” him.

I am beginning to think that we were spoiled in the Newsom Hospital; but I should hope that there are not many surgeons in the department such as Dr. A. If there are, it is not much wonder that so few ladies of refinement enter them.

I ask but one thing from any surgeon, and that is, to be treated with the same respect due to men in their own sphere of life. I waive all claim for that due me as a lady, but think I have a right to expect the other. I scarcely think that Dr. A. would dared to have spoken to one of his assistant surgeons as he did to me.

All this has made me feel more for our proud-spirited men, who I know have to endure insults from the petty officers over them. Well, these trials must be endured for a little while; they will soon, I trust, be over with; and then, it is for the cause we have to put up with them.

August 3.—I am beginning to think that we shall not be able to remain here, as Dr. A. has proved himself a real Pharaoh—expecting brick without straw. We have many sick, and much to do. Our servants are still sick, and when we ask Dr. A. for more, he tells us the government will not allow him to grant the request.

The poor government is blamed for every thing. I have many a time heard it charged with faults which I thought were owing to subordinate officers. Dr. H. was constantly telling us about orders he had received from head-quarters: allowing us so much soap and no more, and even regulating how many pieces each person must have washed. I have never been able to ascertain whether head-quarters meant General Bragg, the surgeon-general, or President Davis. I think sometimes it is only a mythical term, merely used to frighten us. If not, I think it is a pity that those worthies have not something of more importance on which to spend their time. I have often thought that they are surely not aware of the price of paper, or they would be a little more sparing of their dispatches. I wish they would send me a few blank sheets, as I find it difficult to get enough for my private use.

We have no wash-house. When I asked Dr. A. for one, he told me that his grandmother and mother never had any but the canopy of heaven for theirs, and he did not intend having any other in the hospital. I argued the case with him as best I could; I told him that a hospital was not a private house, and it was our duty to do all in our power to promote the health of the attendants as well as the patients; and that whoever washed ought to have a covering of some kind; and the clothing, whether dirty or clean, needed to be covered in case of rain. I found him inexorable.

I feel confident that the doctor has never had charge of a hospital before, and it is useless to try and teach any one who has such unbounded faith in his progenitors. I have made up my mind to let things take their course, and if I find I can not get along, will leave.

Numbers of troops are being transported down the road. No one can tell where they are going to.

August 1.—We have a number of patients very sick, and we are kept very busy, as the two girls we brought with us from Chattanooga are both ill, and I suppose will have to leave. Two of our cooks are also down. I asked Dr. A. to let some of the men come and assist in the kitchen, but he refused, saying that such work was degrading to them.

The surgeons have been compelled to find boarding-houses outside of the hospital. Dr. A. found it was against the regulations for them to board in the hospitals; so we have gone back to the plan of having our own table.

July 30.—Yesterday Miss E. and myself visited Rome, for the purpose of doing some shopping for the hospitals and ourselves.

I was very much pleased with the appearance of Rome. Like the renowned city, the name of which it bears, it is built on several hills. It has some very handsome buildings; the principal streets are broad and clean. It resembles ancient Rome in another respect, that of having had a conquering hero march into it in triumph; although not a Caesar in name, yet equal to any of them in bravery.

I am told that when Forrest entered Rome with his prisoners, he was met by the ladies and presented with a wreath of flowers, and the pathway of his gallant army was strewn with them. They were the heartfelt offerings of a truly grateful people to their deliverers for freeing them from the ruthless invader. The people at present are in daily expectation of another raid; and, as there are very few troops there to defend the place, they expect to be left to the mercy of the foe.

Many persons think that a military necessity may force General Bragg down here, and that Kingston will be his head-quarters. No movement astonishes me now, and, like a true soldier, I obey orders, and try to ask no questions.

There are many handsome store buildings, and they were pretty well supplied with goods, and cheaper than I have seen any place in the Confederacy. I bought a very pretty calico dress for three dollars per yard, and a pretty gray homespun for one dollar and seventy-five cents per yard.

I searched the whole place for a whitewash brush, but failed in getting one.

I have heard much of the kindness of the people here to strangers, and that the society is of the very best.

We took dinner, and were kindly entertained at the house of a very nice lady, a relative of Miss E. There we met an old lady who had been in the Quintard Hospital, in this place, and to judge from her conversation I should think that the ladies and surgeons did not get along very well together. From what I have experienced and seen, I expect there are faults on both sides.

There are a number of hospitals in Rome, which are being broken up. As they seem to be very fine ones, and it is a healthy locality, I am always suspicious of some new movement taking place in the army when I hear of such things.

Rome is in Floyd County, Georgia, at the confluence of the Etowah and Ostenaola rivers, which forms the Coosa River. Steamboats of moderate size navigate the Coosa River, and can ascend as far as this place. Thousands of bales of cotton are annually exported from this point.

July 27.—We are getting along pretty well; we have moved into the building in which is the kitchen and dining-room. The house is a very small one, and although this part of Georgia abounds in lime, it seems to be little used in the houses; the walls are generally boarded. This house has the addition of paper on its walls, which we have been compelled to take down, owing to its being in tatters.

All our cooks are negroes, and I find I have much more to do than when we had our soldiers in that capacity. A negro is a negro at best, and nothing more. They have to be told the same thing every day, and watched to see if they do it then.

I see by the Mobile papers that General Buckner, who is in command of that post, is making great preparations for a siege, as there is an attack expected there soon. I hope the city will be able to stand as nobly as Charleston is doing, and that we will have no more Vicksburg disasters.

Many of the returned prisoners are blaming Pemberton alone for the fall of Vicksburg, saying that the place was not properly provisioned, and that that was the cause of its surrender. The suffering of our men, both there and at Port Hudson, was terrible, poor fellows! it does seem hard to have had to endure so much from the incompetency of their commander.

If the people have to leave Mobile, I do not see what is to become of them. I have seen enough of refugeeing to prove that it is not the best thing in the world. But Mobilians will have to do as others have done before them—the best they can under the circumstances—knowing it a the fortune of war, and all for the cause.

July 23, 1863.—We arrived in Kingston, Georgia, last evening, and put up at one of the hotels; we paid three dollars each for breakfast and a night’s lodging; paying it out of the donation money, of which we have still some on hand. Dr. A. called early this morning; he is post surgeon, a fine-looking old gentleman, and a man highly respected for his surgical abilities. He was left in charge of our wounded at Murfreesboro, and, I am told, has written a valuable book on surgery, from his experience at that place. He is a man of sterling principle, but a little eccentric. The first information we received from him was, that he did not approve of ladies in hospitals; that was nothing now from a doctor, but we were a little taken aback to hear it said so bluntly. Ho then told us his principal objection was, that the accommodations in hospitals were not fit for ladies. We assured him he need give himself no uneasiness on that score, as we were all good soldiers, and had been accustomed to hardships.

He then said the two girls we brought from Chattanooga could not remain as servants, as he intended having a number of negroes on the place, and that would be putting them on equality; and if we could not retain them in some other capacity, they would have to be dismissed. There is always plenty of sewing to be done in the hospital, and we knew we could give them employment in that department.

He also told us that he wished us all to eat at the officers’ table, with himself and the assistant surgeon, as he thought a table was not fit to eat at where there were no ladies. We did not object to that plan till we had given it a trial.

We were escorted to the house which we now occupy. It consists of two small rooms on the ground floor. We are about a square and a half from the dining-room and kitchen; so when Drs. A. and H. called to take us to dinner, we made quite a procession. On the way, Dr. A. informed me that he was a strict disciplinarian, and as I had charge of every thing in the domestic line, if there was not a good dinner that day, he would call me to account. I laughed and told him, if he talked in that way, I should think him a real Pharaoh, as 1 had not even had time to look around me.

We had an excellent dinner—a much better one than we had eaten in many a day. The two girls looked as if they felt themselves sadly out of place, but we are in the army, and must obey orders.

This is quite a small place, and there does not seem to be a large building in it, with the exception of the churches and hotels. Of the latter there are no less than four. It is in Cass County; is on the Western and Atlantic railroad, sixty-two miles north-west of Atlanta, and at the junction of the Rome branch railroad; it is not quite twenty miles from the latter city.

Dr. A. has been here for some time, and has converted some old stores into very nice wards, which will do very well for winter, but are entirely too close for summer.