October 27.—Patients from Bragg’s army are coming in daily; the hospital is full of them. I never saw such exhausted and worn-out men; they are in rags, and many of them barefooted. It is said the whole army suffered much; that many a time they had nothing to eat but parched corn.
Mrs. W. is much worse; has typhoid fever. There is a negro girl waiting on her, which to me is a relief.
I thought I had found a treasure in a white woman whom I have made my head cook; but, on going into the kitchen this morning, found her in such a state of intoxication I had to dismiss her, and fall back on the convalescent men as cooks. They do pretty well, but it seems hard to make them understand the importance of cooking properly.
There are many things, if not correctly prepared, are very injurious to the sick. Even mush, simple as it is, is seldom properly made. It should be boiled at least an hour, otherwise it is very unwholesome.
