I saw large cavalry camps off the road. At Aquia creek landing
were numbers of wounded going north. While I waited some three hours,
I went around among them. Several wanted word sent home to parents,
brothers, wives, &c., which I did for them, (by mail the next day from
Washington.) On the boat I had my hands full. One poor fellow died
going up.
I am now remaining in and around Washington, daily visiting the
hospitals. Am much in Patent-office, Eighth street, H street,
Armory-square, and others. Am now able to do a little good, having
money, (as almoner of others home,) and getting experience. To-day,
Sunday afternoon and till nine in the evening, visited Campbell
hospital; attended specially to one case in ward I, very sick with
pleurisy and typhoid fever, young man, farmer's son, D. F. Russell,
company E, 60th New York, downhearted and feeble; a long time before
he would take any interest; wrote a letter home to his mother, in
Malone, Franklin county, N. Y., at his request; gave him some fruit
and one or two other gifts; envelop'd and directed his letter, &c.
Then went thoroughly through ward 6, observ'd every case in the ward,
without, I think, missing one; gave perhaps from twenty to thirty
persons, each one some little gift, such as oranges, apples, sweet
crackers, figs, &c.
_Thursday, Jan. 21._--Devoted the main part of the day to
Armory-square hospital; went pretty thoroughly through wards F, G,
H, and I; some fifty cases in each ward. In ward F supplied the men
throughout with writing paper and stamp'd envelope each; distributed
in small portions, to proper subjects, a large jar of first-rate
preserv'd berries, which had been donated to me by a lady--her own
cooking.
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