Reminiscences 
...of THE... 
Hospitals of 
Columbia, s. c. 
By 
Mrs. Campbell Bryce REMINISCENCES 
OF THE HOSPITALS 
OF COLUMBIA, S. C. 
DURING 
THE FOUR YEARS 
OF THE CIVIL WAR 
MRS. CAMPBELL BRYCE 
PHILADELPHIA PRINTED BY 
J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 
1897 REMINISCENCES 
BY request of some of the officers of the Wade 
Hampton Chapter of the United Daughters of 
the Confederacy, I undertake to recall and 
record some of the work accomplished not only by 
myself but by others who were equally willing and 
anxious to do all in their power for our beloved cause 
and our soldiers in the field, who bore our standards 
in battle, giving their lives for our country and our 
homes. It is useless here to attempt to recall the 
reasons for our vain efforts to bring about a separation 
of the States. We were unsuccessful; “we were over- 
powered, not conquered.” 
Many of us still remember the dull and solemn roar 
of the cannon on the 12th of April, 1861, the day on 
which General Beauregard opened fire on Fort Sum- 
ter, and can we ever forget the three anxious days we 
spent awaiting the result of the first guns of the war! 
On the third day there appeared on the bulletin board 
the joyful news, “White flag waved over Sumter.” 
We hoped this would be the end. Mr. Lincoln said 
we had learned a new mode of warfare ; we had ex- 
3 Reminiscences of the 
changed fire for three days “and nobody hurt.” Our 
joy, however, was of short duration. 
The war had just begun, for soon we were told that 
our troops would be sent to Virginia, which meant 
parting with our loved ones for who knew how long. 
Then the women were asked to lend their aid, by 
moulding bullets and making cartridges. My eldest 
daughter had been taught by her father to run bullets, 
and soon had a large and enthusiastic class, some 
moulding and the others tying up cartridges, many 
other households being engaged in similar work. One 
day she accidentally burned her wrist with a hot bul- 
let, leaving a deep scar, and triumphantly declared 
that she was “ the first soldier wounded by a bullet in 
the cause. ’ ’ 
My husband and my young son, upon whom I 
buckled his sword (he was just seventeen), went with 
the first company of mounted men, called “The Con- 
garee Cavaliers, ” commanded by Major Alex. Taylor. 
I gave my carriage horses to assist in mounting this 
troop. 
Colonel Gregg, in command of the First Regiment 
of South Carolina Volunteers, was then ordered to 
Virginia, the State was called on for more troops, and 
soon there were three thousand collected and camped 
a few miles from Columbia, where, during the sum- 
mer, they were drilled and trained for service. In Sep- 
tember measles broke out in the camp, just as the Sep- 
4 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
tember gales set in. The tents were blown down, and 
the men who were ill with the measles were exposed to 
the rain ; as a consequence, pneumonia (the sequence 
to measles) followed. The officers of the regiment 
tried in vain to provide shelter for them in the city, but 
the mayor refused to allow them to be brought in. 
The Rev. Mr. Anderson then wrote to me, begging 
that I use my influence to find shelter for them, saying 
he knew the women of Columbia would not allow our 
soldiers to suffer. I, too, knew this, and took his 
letter to my dear friend Mrs. Howe, the wife of the 
Rev. George Howe, D.D., who was president of our 
Hospital Association. We started at once to seek a 
place where the soldiers could be protected and nursed. 
The wind was blowing a gale, the trees bending, and 
the limbs crashing and breaking, but we heeded not 
the storm. Fortunately, we were in my pony-carriage, 
and could control our movements. On our way to the 
main street we met the Rev. Dr. Adger hurrying home ; 
he exclaimed, “Ladies, are you crazy? Go home at 
once, for you are in danger of your lives.” We told 
him that there were other lives, more valuable than 
ours, exposed to the storm, and that, moreover, they 
were ill. We stated what we were going to do, if pos- 
sible, whereupon he said, “You will need money,” 
immediately handing me a twenty-dollar bill. We 
then drove on to the Commercial Bank, and were 
again met with the advice to “go home, go home,” 
5 Reminiscences of the 
from the president, Mr. John Crawford. Again we had 
to assert, “We will not go home until we have found 
shelter for our sick soldiers, and you, Mr. Crawford, 
are the very man to suggest a place for the purpose.” 
He demanded, almost angrily, “ Why don’t the officers 
attend to this?” We told him that they had tried 
and failed, and now we had taken it up and did not 
mean to fail. After a good deal of grumbling on his 
part and a good deal of flattery on ours, he succumbed 
(men will succumb to flattery), and suggested the build- 
ings at the Fair Grounds. We both exclaimed, “ That 
is just the place !” After gently hinting that a con- 
tribution would be acceptable, and after receiving it, 
we turned the ponies’ heads towards the Fair Grounds. 
Here, again, we met with opposition, Mr. George 
Hall, the custodian of the grounds, bluntly refusing 
to admit the soldiers, saying they would “put the 
buildings in bad condition for the fair.” We asked, 
“ When do you suppose the next fair will be held ?” I 
reminded him of what he had said in Petersburg, Vir- 
ginia, to which place he had brought a young soldier 
who was paralyzed, and upon being refused admittance 
to the hotel, told the proprietor that the ladies of South 
Carolina would stand out in drops of rain as large as 
the end of his finger in order to make room for a sick 
soldier. I recalled this speech of his to him, and said, 
“ And now you tell us we cannot have these useless 
buildings for hundreds of sick soldiers !” He meekly 
6 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
handed me the keys, offering to have the buildings put 
in order. 
With our contributions we purchased cots, bedding, 
and crockery, calling in the services of Mrs. John 
Bryce, who for the next four years gave her whole 
heart and time to the aid and comfort of our soldiers. 
After we had all things in readiness to accommodate 
the sick, we informed the officers that they might 
bring their men in, but, to our intense astonishment, 
we were told that they would not come, that they had no 
desire to go to a “ hors-pit-tul.” We were not to lose 
our labor in that way, however, so we formed ourselves 
into a committee of three—namely, Mrs. Howe, Mrs. 
John Bryce, and myself—and took the train to the 
camp. Here the officers met us, begging us to go into 
the tents and tell the men what we had done for them. 
We did this, and with one accord they decided to go 
and be taken care of. This was the first hospital in 
Columbia for our sick soldiers. 
The men were brought in by the officers, and, as we 
had not yet found nurses for them, Mrs. Howe and 
Mrs. John Bryce assisted the very sick to undress, un- 
tying their shoes and pulling off shoes and stockings. 
We were not long without help, however, for the ladies 
of Columbia formed themselves into committees of 
four, six, or eight for each day, and Dr. Fair had an 
appointment as a kind of local Confederate surgeon, 
with several young doctors under him. 
7 Reminiscences of the 
During the winter following some forty of the sol- 
diers died, many from pneumonia, some from typhoid 
fever, and others from erysipelas. Although we had a 
corps of hired nurses, our ladies were still indefatigable 
in their attentions. Mrs. Howe and Mrs. John Bryce, 
the president and vice-president of the Hospital Asso- 
ciation, were most faithful in their attendance at all 
times. Mrs. Howe contracted erysipelas from her close 
attention to the patients with that disease, and was ill 
for some time, eventually losing the sight of one of her 
eyes from this cause. 
I myself was able to render the soldiers assistance in 
many ways through the liberality of my dear husband, 
who, being unable, on account of delicate health and 
imperfect hearing, to remain in the field, had materially 
assisted in raising and mounting the company known 
as “The Congaree Troop.” Of this company Mr. 
Thomas Taylor was elected captain, and Mr. Bryce 
went to Virginia as its first lieutenant, where he re- 
mained for several months, but, owing to the severity 
of the climate, was compelled to return home. His 
return enabled me to give more of my time to the hos- 
pitals, besides the advantage of his advice and counsel. 
During that period I witnessed many sad scenes. 
There was one poor fellow in particular, in whom I had 
taken great interest, trying to awaken in him a sense of 
his dangerous condition, by offering to read to him 
passages from the Scriptures and hymns which I 
8 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
thought to be appropriate. However, he politely de- 
clined my services for some days, but on the fourth 
day from the time that the surgeon told me his case was 
almost hopeless he sent for me, and said, “ Lady, I 
have seen how anxious you have been about me. Has 
the doctor told you lam in danger ?” I replied, “Yes, 
your case is very dangerous.” He then said, “I have 
never been baptized. Will you please get a minister 
to come and baptize me?” I asked, “What denomi- 
nation?” “ Baptist, ’’ he replied. Here a very curious 
thing occurred. Knowing that his hours were num- 
bered, I hurried off to find a minister, and as I put my 
hand on the knob of the front door some one had hold 
of it from the opposite side. A young man walked in, 
whose garb told me immediately that he was a clergy- 
man. I said, “ Oh, lam so glad to see you !” As he 
had never before seen me, he looked very much amazed, 
whereupon I said, “ You are a minister?” He bowed 
assent, and upon my asking what denomination, he 
answered, “Baptist.” I told him that he was wanted 
at once, to baptize a dying soldier, but he said, “ I can- 
not do it.” I begged him to come and see the poor 
fellow, which he did. After talking with the young 
man for some time, he said, “Please get me some 
water.” This I did, and remained with them during 
the service. I have since heard that the young minis- 
ter was silenced or suspended by his church for having 
performed this Christian act. As the soldier died in 
9 Reminiscences of the 
two hours after the baptism, it was a comfort to know 
that I had been able to relieve the mind of the poor 
dying man even to that small extent. 
In this connection I would mention another case, 
that of a young Georgian suffering from the same 
trouble, congestion of the lungs, who, with many 
others, had been sent from the coast. He was in a 
fearful condition from want of attention, his hair being 
almost a foot long and filled with insects, and his 
clothes filthy and scant. I asked him if he would like 
to have his hair cut, as it seemed much in his way, but 
he shook his head. I stayed by him, reading the war 
news and then a psalm. He listened with interest, 
thanking me. I then said, “There is a nice old 
* maumma’ here, who can cut hair. Shall I bring her 
to you, and will you let her cut your hair and comb it ?” 
This time he consented, and the negro woman per- 
formed this duty as gently and tenderly as his own 
mother could have done, also bathing him as well as 
was possible in his condition, after which I procured 
clean clothes for him. When he had been made com- 
fortable and I had given him a milk-punch, he seemed 
much refreshed, and I hoped he would recover, al- 
though the doctor had said his case was hopeless. I 
told him he was very ill, but he said little, at the same 
time not seeming afraid to die. After looking intently 
at me for some time, he exclaimed, “ I love you !” I 
asked, “But do you love God?” “Yes. Oh, yes,” Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
he replied. He was restless, and repeated, “I love 
you because you have been so kind to me.” How 
often was I made to realize the necessity of making our 
peace with God before the hour of death ! When I 
went to his cot next morning it was empty. Alas, 
how many such cases came under my care ! although 
sometimes I found others who were members of some 
church, and in faith and hope in Christ Jesus. 
I went to the hospital one afternoon, and was told of 
a young man of twenty years who was said to be des- 
perately ill. I went to him, saying, “lam so sorry to 
hear you are so sick.” He smiled and said, “Do not 
be uneasy about me, I trust in God and my Saviour. ’ ’ 
After some little time he said, “ Won’t you hold my 
hand?” lat once replied, “Yes,” taking his hand. 
He was quite still for a few minutes, then stretched out, 
a slight quiver passing over his face; his great brown 
eyes, with their long lashes, opened wide with that look 
of wonder which is sometimes seen on the faces of the 
dead. The surgeon said, “He has gone.” It was so 
sudden I felt almost stunned. Doubtless he had seen 
the sympathy in my face when he requested me to hold 
his hand, though he had never before seen me. I after- 
wards found that he was his mother’s youngest son,— 
her “ Benjamin,”—and that she had six sons in the field, 
but he was her darling. 
There was one man who gave a great deal of trouble, 
as well as affording a great deal of amusement. The Reminiscences of the 
difficulty in pleasing him had obtained for him the 
sobriquet of “ Fussy Joe.” He had been very ill, but 
was now convalescent, and, as he said, “honed for 
candy,” which the surgeons told him he could not 
have, as his disease had been dysentery. He begged 
and asked in vain for it, but the nurses could not give 
it to him contrary to orders, so, under cover of night, 
Joe slipped out, found his way to the city, and pur- 
chased all he wanted. On his return to the hospital 
he treated all around, saying he had “ et til he lef,” 
so they must do the same. The next morning, when 
the surgeon was going his rounds, he was called hur- 
riedly to “Fussy Joe,” whom he asked, “Why, Joe, 
what is the matter with you ? I was about to write 
your discharge so you could report for duty.” 
“ Well, doctor, I sent for you to tell you that you 
need not write that discharge, as I have my last one on 
this earth. I shall die to-morrow at twelve o’clock.” 
“ What makes you think so ?” 
“Well, I seed my coffin last night. It come right 
down through the roof. ’ ’ 
“Joe, what have you been doing?” asked the sur- 
geon. 
“ Well, doctor, I jist et all the candy I wanted ” 
“And have killed yourself,” said the surgeon. 
“I ’spose that’s jist about it. Please ask Mis’ Fair 
to come to me.” When Mrs. Fair came, he said, 
“Mis’ Fair, I’m goin’ to die, and I know my wife 
12 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
Mandy will marry ag’in, so I want you to promise me 
you will have my gun and blankets and clothes put in 
my coffin. I don’t want No. 2to git ’um.” 
“ Yessum, I seed my coffin come down through the 
roof last night, and a voice told me I would die to- 
morrow at twelve o’clock.” 
She said, “ Oh, Joe, you are not going to die yet.” 
Mrs. Fair went the next morning to the hospital, and, 
strange to say, “Fussy Joe” died at twelve o’clock, 
and his request to bury his belongings with him was 
complied with. 
During the summer of 1862 (the government had 
long since taken the hospital out of our hands) it was 
thought best to remove the sick to the South Carolina 
College Buildings, as the students were all in the army. 
This work was slowly accomplished, and when all but 
two had been sent away, I proposed to Mrs. Howe and 
Mrs. John Bryce to go and look after these two and 
our belongings, which we had carried there when we 
had opened the Fair Grounds Hospital. We accord- 
ingly drove there, where we found the two patients and 
their nurse, but, behold, our cots and bedding had been 
appropriated by the government. While talking to the 
two sick soldiers, of whom one was a boy of seventeen 
years, the older man said to me, “Mrs. Bryce, some 
accommodation ought to be provided for the sick sol- 
diers who arrive at the depot. This youth,” pointing 
to the boy, “ lay on a stretcher, when he had been put 
13 Reminiscences of the 
off the train, for twenty-four hours without attention. ’ ’ 
He had typhoid fever, and was unable to do anything 
for himself. I assured him I was glad he had mentioned 
the matter to me, and that I would at once attend to 
it, Mrs. Howe and Mrs. Bryce saying they would do 
all they could to aid me. I told them I would go at 
once and establish a Way-Side Hospital, then and 
there giving it its name. On my return home I told 
my husband of the necessity for this hospital, and he 
said, “ We will go at once and look for a suitable build- 
ing,” which we did. We went to Mr. Richard O’Neal, 
who had a warehouse that Mr. Bryce thought could be 
utilized for this purpose. Unfortunately for us, how- 
ever, Mr. O’Neal had just filled it with groceries. We 
then found an old building which had been used as a 
depository for ice, and were told that the owner lived 
over at the Saluda Factory. Mr, Bryce said, “We 
must not let the grass grow under our feet; we will 
drive over there at once and see Mr. Bateman.” This 
we did, and Mr. Bateman, the owner of the factory, 
consented willingly to my taking it for a hospital, tell- 
ing me where to find the keys, and wishing me “ God- 
speed.” To our regret, we found the house without a 
floor, so could not use it until one was laid, so my hus- 
band sent his own carpenters to do this work. 
The next day General Preston came to me and said, 
“lam glad to hear you have undertaken the care of 
the soldiers who arrive at the Charleston Depot. I 
14 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
thought of putting up tents there, and made a requisi- 
tion on the medical director for tents, but,” he laugh- 
ingly said, “I was told to mind my own business, or 
words to that effect. ’ ’ The next day I called and took 
Mrs. John Bryce and Mrs. John Fisher to the depot, 
where we found four sick men sitting on the platform ; 
they had measles, and what to do with them was the 
next question. I suggested to the ladies that we should 
go to see Mrs. Stratton on Gervais Street, who kept a 
boarding-house, and persuade her to take them. Mrs. 
Stratton consented at once, saying she had an office in 
her yard where she could put them. I put the men in 
my carriage and sent them to her, in the mean time 
looking at a small room, which had formerly been a 
ticket office of the South Carolina Railroad, thinking 
we might make temporary use of it. We applied to 
Mr. Bollin, the ticket-agent, to give us the little room, 
which he readily did. Mrs. Fisher then told us that 
she had a small fund in her hands belonging to the 
Young Ladies’ Flospital Association, and that they 
were anxious to assist in this work. We told her we 
were only too glad to have such help, and with this 
little fund we purchased a bed and bedding to put in 
our little room, which could contain no more than a 
chair and table besides. I made up this bed with my 
own hands. 
In a few days I had the ice-house in readiness, and 
then called on the surgeons of the College Hospital 
15 Reminiscences of the 
for the cots and bedding with which we had furnished 
the Fair Grounds Hospital, but they refused to give 
them up. I then complained to the Medical Director, 
Dr. Ogier, who replied that he feared they could not be 
identified, and we were told to apply to the purveyor. 
However, as we had many contributions from the mer- 
chants and citizens, we did not do this-at that time. 
By the beginning of autumn we had our ice-house 
hospital ready to receive the men and give them lodg- 
ings for a few days, if necessary, but we were not pre- 
pared to nurse the soldiers; it was strictly a wayside 
hospital. The first board of managers consisted of 
Mrs. Howe, Mrs. John Bryce, Mrs. John Fisher, Miss 
Mary Stark, Miss Amanda Graeser, and myself. Two 
of us were on hand in time to meet the early mornjng 
train each day and give the sick and wounded break- 
fast ; again in the evening we met the incoming trains, 
and gave them supper and lodging for the night. I 
must not neglect to pay a tribute to our cook, Dinah 
Collins, who was most faithful in her service to us, 
always respectful and polite, and invariably kind and 
attentive to the soldiers. She was in the service of the 
hospital from the commencement until the end, and 
was a free woman, although colored. 
Soon after the opening of the hospital many other 
ladies were appointed on committees, having their day 
for receiving and caring for the sick and wounded sol- 
diers. Mrs. John Bryce gave her whole time and care 
16 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
to this hospital, being there early and late, her house 
serving as the depot for the supplies sent from all parts 
of the State to this hospital, and the charge of them 
was no light task. We gradually increased our accom- 
modations as the time went on. The hospital was a great 
success. Often when a sick or wounded man came who 
was too disabled to travel, he would beg to be allowed 
to stay and be under the care of the ladies. When 
told that this could not be, as it was impossible to nurse 
them there, I have seen them weep and plead to be al- 
lowed to remain. But, as before said, this was not 
possible, as we had no surgeon, nor were we prepared 
to keep them for any length of time, although some- 
times they would stay for two or three days. 
During the winter we enlarged our quarters. As the 
number of sick and wounded increased, and we found 
it impossible to keep so many, and as they protested 
against being sent to the Government Hospital, I re- 
solved to try and find a place where we could keep 
some of them and care for them; so, after having a 
consultation with my husband, we set out to see if a 
suitable place could be found on the other side of the 
town, near what we then called the Charlotte Depot. 
We could not, however, find anything suitable. The 
next day a workman called upon me, saying he had 
heard I was looking for a place for a hospital, and 
suggested some car factories, known as “Schofield & 
Butler’s Car Factory.” My daughter Sally and I again 
17 Reminiscences of the 
went on a tour of inspection, and found the buildings 
to be remarkably well adapted to our purpose, there 
being two large rooms capable of containing thirty-five 
or forty beds apiece and a dining-room sufficiently 
large to accommodate all the patients. A shed extend- 
ing the whole length of these two rooms most conveni- 
ently furnished a complete range of all the necessary 
offices, such as pantries, store-rooms, kitchens, and an 
adjoining room for servants, baggage-room, etc. Mrs. 
Howe and I decided that with the aid of money and 
carpenters this place might be made very comfortable. 
We soon let our wants be known, and my first contri- 
bution came from the soldiers whom we had nursed at 
the Fair Grounds Hospital, many of them being well- 
to-do farmers. This, they said, was a slight token of 
their appreciation of what we had done for them. Mr. 
Robert Beck sent us one carpenter free of charge, and 
Mr. Bryce sent two on the same terms; we had em- 
ployment for them for two months. Mr. Clark Waring 
built for us two large chimneys, and did other work free 
of charge, while Mr. Brown, the painter and glazier, 
put in and patched up our windows. After exhausting 
the supply of whole glass he literally pieced the glass 
out of strips not wider than two fingers, some ground, 
some figured, and some plain, and he declared he would 
not have undertaken the job for any other cause for 
hundreds of dollars. 
When we had progressed so far, Mr. Bryce accom- 
18 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
panied me to Charleston to obtain the co-operation of 
the medical director, Dr. Ogier, who, however, at first 
flatly refused, saying the women would soon get tired 
of it. I told what we had already done, reminding 
him that he would have the appointing of the surgeon, 
who would, of course, be under his control. I also 
told him our object was to take care of the soldiers for 
the country and to save the government expense, as 
we meant to support the hospital by contributions. It 
was difficult to gain his consent, but his oldest son, 
who was a surgeon in the field, encouraged me by say- 
ing, “I will aid you in this matter.Soon after our 
return home the permit came, and Dr. Edmunds was 
appointed surgeon in September, 1862, and a faithful 
and kind surgeon and friend he proved to be. The 
soldiers under his care all loved him. 
When the number in the hospital increased, Dr. Al- 
fred Wallace was appointed assistant surgeon for a 
time. We had hired nurses and ward-masters, who 
were employed by the ladies, and were under our con- 
trol. We appointed committees of ladies, whose duty 
it was to spend one day in each week looking after the 
sick and wounded, seeing that the work was done sat- 
isfactorily. Of course they could at times see to spe- 
cial patients, who needed extra care, and sometimes 
were called on to sit up with a very ill patient all 
night. Mrs. Palmer and I did so frequently at first, 
accompanied by a theological student, until they too 
19 Reminiscences of the 
were called to the field. Sometimes some of the ladies 
would dress the wounds of the soldiers; Mrs. Rhett 
and Mrs. A. C. Squier both, with tender and deft 
hands, would perform this office, greatly to the admi- 
ration of the surgeons. A tablet should be erected to 
Mrs. Squier for her constant and unfailing kindness to 
the sick and wounded, day and night. 
I remember on one occasion a large number of sick 
had been sent to Columbia from Richmond to make 
room for the wounded there. Among the number sent 
to us was a boy of about sixteen, who had been four 
days on the road coming. He had been blistered be- 
fore leaving Richmond, and in the hurry and confu- 
sion consequent upon receiving the wounded they had 
forgotten to remove the blister. The motion of the 
car had caused it to slip from one side to the other, 
and the poor boy had six hideous blisters filled with 
life. His clothes were soiled, and he was altogether in 
a pitiable condition, and I thought, “ What shall we 
do with him?” Mrs. Squier came, with her kind, 
motherly hands, and had a large tub of warm water 
brought, undressed him, and, with the aid of a nurse, 
gave him a warm bath, cleansed and dressed his blis- 
ters, put a clean, soft night-shirt on him, combed his 
hair, and then called me. I scarcely recognized the 
poor fellow. He had big blue eyes, was very fair, and 
so gentle and grateful, and didn’t he give Mrs. Squier 
sweet smiles ! Every one seemed interested in “ little 
20 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
King,” and the first question asked in the morning by 
all was, “ How is little King ?’ ’ He lingered for a week, 
but, alas, we could not save him. 
We had a patient sent us by Dr. Chisholm, who had 
operated on his right arm, saving it from amputation, 
but never again could the poor fellow raise it to his 
head. He was a mere skeleton, his shoulder-blades 
protruding, so that we had to make round cushions 
with a hole in the centre in order to prevent their 
touching the bed. The doctors said to us, “You must 
make him eat for his life.” As soon as the women 
heard this their pantries were ransacked for the few 
dainties they contained, and he was tempted to eat as 
no one ever was before, but all ,in vain. Mrs. Palmer, 
a student, and I stayed that night, and simply com- 
pelled him to drink milk-punch and rice-gruel. He 
was furious at first, weak as he was, but after a while 
seemed to realize that we were working for his good. 
We were watching him intently, fearing that every 
moment would be his last, when suddenly he opened 
his eyes, gazing at Mrs. Palmer for some time. She 
asked, “Do you wish anything?” Said he, “ Good 
woman, do you smoke?” She answered, “No; do you 
want to smoke?” He answered, “ I think I could take 
a few ‘ wheefs it would do me good.” She at once 
found a pipe and filled it, whereupon he said, “ Now, 
you take a draw;” she put the pipe to his lips, and he 
did the drawing. We were quite hysterical, first, with 
21 Reminiscences of the 
pleasure at his improvement, and then at his queer mode 
of address, and still more at his question. 
One experience which I can never forget I must 
record. Mrs. Howe and I, knowing that there were 
some desperately ill patients, went to the hospital about 
sundown to see who were going to remain that night. 
Mrs. Rhett and a Miss Morrison were to stay, but Mrs. 
Rhett had sent word that she was sick, so could not 
come. There were three desperately ill men, two with 
typhoid and the other with pneumonia. When we bade 
them “good-night” the man with pneumonia said, 
“ Oh, ladies, don’t leave me, don’t leave me, for God’s 
sake!” He breathed with difficulty. Mrs. Howe told 
him that she could not possibly stay, but that there 
were other ladies coming who would take care of him. 
He caught her dress and implored her to stay. She was 
quite overcome, but told me that it was impossible for 
her to stay, but begged me to do so. I consented, 
Mrs. Howe promising to send some one to assist me, 
also to let my husband know the circumstances, but 
night drew on and no one came. The poor man was 
in a fearful state of mind as to his future. He would 
beg me to pray for him, and ask if there was any for- 
giveness for such a sinner as he. I reminded him of 
all the promises that I could think of,—that God had 
said, “ If thou wilt return to me, I will return to you 
that our dear Lord had said, “ Him that cometh unto 
me, I will in no wise cast out.” He told me that he 
22 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
had been a member of the Methodist Church, and was 
a “backslider,” so I sent for the Rev. Mr. Game- 
well, who came and prayed, encouraged and comforted 
him. As soon as the minister had left the man’s fears 
all returned, and he constantly implored me to teach 
him to pray. After a few sentences he would go off 
into a sluggish sleep, of which I would take advantage 
to look after the other two patients, to whom I had to 
give medicine every hour. I had kept one of our day- 
nurses and an old colored man belonging to Mr. Rich- 
ard Bryan. Uncle Jesse rendered me very efficient aid, 
raising the men’s heads while I gave each in turn his 
medicine. 
There was a Jew, a Mr. Mordecai, who had been a 
great friend of the man with pneumonia, and who oc- 
cupied an adjoining cot. This man was very helpful, 
as the nurse was so overcome with sleep that I sent her 
to bed. He supplied her place in a measure, but about 
two o’clock the sick man ordered him away, just re- 
membering that he was a Jew. He would call out in 
faltering accents, “ Go away, you crucified my Saviour ; 
go away !” I greatly missed Mr. Mordecai’s help, for 
he did not dare come near him again. About daylight 
my poor patient became unconscious, and soon after 
my carriage came for me. I was prostrated for several 
days thereafter, the strain on mind and body having 
been too great for me. Poor old Jesse died of typhoid 
fever a few weeks later. 
23 Reminiscences of the 
Soon after this the medical director sent us a new 
assistant surgeon. We were jealous of all interference 
by the government, and looked at this young man 
very “jubously,” as the darkies say, and it did not 
improve matters when he told us he had just graduated 
in medicine in New York. His name was Almon. He 
asked us if we took him for a spy. To this I responded, 
“ Aren’t you?” Said he, “If I were I should not 
tell you, for I know you would hang me as high as 
Haman.” He then showed us letters from President 
Davis, General Breckenridge, and others, which were 
all-sufficient vouchers for him. We found him kind 
and attentive to our soldiers, winning the good opinion 
of all the ladies who visited the hospital, as well as of 
the surgeon, Dr. Edmunds. Neither Mrs. Howe nor 
I gave up our day at the “ Waj-side” for months after 
the “ Ladies’ Hospital” had been established. We su- 
perintended bringing the sick from that hospital to the 
other to be nursed. We received once a week, and 
served them at their meals, often taking with us our 
young daughters and others of the “ Young Ladies’ 
Hospital Association,” Mary Preston, Isabella Martin, 
Emily Howe, and Sally, Maggie, and Callie Bryce. 
Of course many others belonging to that association 
went with their mothers and friends, one and all 
thinking it a great privilege to wait on the soldiers. 
About this time Mrs. Macfie was appointed on the 
Board of Managers, and from that time until the end 
24 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
gave it her most efficient help. The original officers 
of the “ Wayside” were Mrs. Howe, President; Mrs. 
John Bryce, Vice-President; Mrs. John Fisher, Secre- 
tary and Treasurer; Board of Managers, Mrs. William 
Martin, Miss Mary Stark, Miss Graeser, and Mrs. 
Campbell Bryce. In the early part of 1863 I re- 
signed my place on the Board of Managers to Mrs. 
Macfie. The names of those who came to aid in re- 
ceiving and serving at meals were too numerous to 
mention; I might almost say all of the ladies of 
Columbia gave their help. Very many of us visited 
the Government Hospital, familiarly known as “The 
College Hospital.” 
I recall one thrilling experience there. I had been 
requested by some ladies at the “Wayside” to ask after 
two patients in whom we felt a deep interest; one had 
a ball in his neck, and the other had been shot in the 
arm, severing an artery, which had been duly tied, but 
subsequently became undone by the sloughing of the 
wound. It was in such a condition that it was thought 
dangerous to allow him to return to his home, so they 
were both sent up to the College Hospital. As I drove 
into the campus, Dr. Horlbeck came out with a splint 
in his hand. I asked if it was for this patient, to which 
he replied, “Yes; his arm needs attention.” Dr. Le 
Borde came to the carriage to conduct me into the 
hospital, and took me to see the man with a bullet in 
his neck. While talking to him we were startled by 
25 Reminiscences of the 
the most agonized shriek I ever heard, and we both 
ran into the opposite room. I shall never forget the 
scene ! Dr. Horlbeck stood with one foot on the 
edge of the bed, with his finger thrust in the wound, 
and the blood spurting up to the ceiling like a foun- 
tain. Dr. La Borde exclaimed, “ Man, how did you 
dare to open that wound alone, and without the neces- 
sary preparations?” I had been trying to learn to 
keep my wits about me under all circumstances, so 
stepped close to Dr. Horlbeck and said, “What can 
I do for you?” “Go for Chisholm. Tell him to 
bring his instruments, ligatures, and chloroform.” I 
ran to the carriage, and told Henry, my coachman, to 
drive for his life. In a few moments Dr. Chisholm was 
ready, and we drove back at full speed. I declined to 
witness the operation, but in a few minutes I saw a 
hand and arm laid on the window-sill. The poor fel- 
low died during the night. He was from Florida, a 
gay, happy-hearted man. Mrs. Kenerly had a saucer 
of peaches and cream ready for him as soon as the 
doctor should finish dressing his wound, but, alas, poor 
fellow, they were not for him ! 
This hospital was still filled with soldiers, convales- 
cent and wounded, after the burning of Columbia, 
Yankees as well as Confederates being cared for by 
the ladies of Columbia and Charleston. Very many 
ladies gave their attention to the hospital, but I can 
recall only the names of Mrs. David McCord, Mrs. 
26 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
Kenerly, and Mrs. Marshall, and the two Mrs. Snow- 
den from Charleston. They were all devoted and very 
helpful. 
After the burning of Columbia there were a number 
of Yankees, sick and many badly burned, left in this 
hospital. Mrs. W. K. Bachman and I went to look 
after our own sick, each of us with a basket on our 
arms containing little delicacies; among other things 
some sughr, which they had begged us to bring. While 
going our rounds, I being a little in advance of Mrs. 
Bachman, a miserable-looking “Yank” crawled up to 
me and begged for something to eat. I looked at him 
and hesitated; then our dear Lord’s words flashed 
through my mind,—“ Feed your enemiesso I gave 
him something to eat, although I fear I was not a cheer- 
ful giver. When Mrs. Bachman came up to him, he 
crawled up to her (his feet were so badly burned he 
could not walk) ; he held up his hand for food ; she, too, 
hesitated, and then I heard her say in her gentle voice, 
“Feed your enemies,” and she, too, gave him food. 
Soon after this our convalescent soldiers were sent to 
their homes. 
Seventy-five thousand soldiers passed through our 
“Wayside” Hospital. During the early part of 1863 
Dr. Wilson was appointed surgeon to the “ Wayside,” 
and Mr. R. L. Bryan gave his devoted attention for 
months, his services being invaluable to the ladies in 
charge. Since the war, many of us have received the 
27 Reminiscences of the 
grateful and heartfelt thanks of numbers of these 
soldiers. 
The Ladies’ Hospital was opened in the latter part 
of October, 1862. I have before me a report, handed 
me by our surgeon, Dr. Edmunds, as I was secretary 
and treasurer, which runs as follows: 
Admitted into the hospital to date 1000 
Number returned to duty 556 
Furloughed 200 
Discharged from service 20 
Deserted 18 
Transferred to other hospitals ...... 22 
Died . 23 
Remaining in hospital 98 
The amount expended for buildings and repair, and 
paid for servants’ hire, up to October 27, 1863, was 
$2229, of which $690 were for the buildings. 
During the following year our buildings were greatly 
enlarged, and we were thus enabled to receive three 
times the number of sick and wounded. We had ap- 
pointed the Rev. B. M. Palmer chaplain, and were 
seriously thinking of building a chapel. When our 
beautiful city was burned by General W. T. Sherman, 
the following year’s records were burned with the hos- 
pital. Our steward, Mr. Henry Nichols, deserves all 
praise for his devotion to the soldiers, his thoughtful 
care of the ladies and the interests of the hospital. 
28 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
Our surgeons, Drs. Edmunds and Almon, were devoted 
in their attentions to the sick, and always patient and 
kind; although a stranger, the latter soon gained the 
love and sympathy of the ladies, not only because he 
was kind to our soldiers, but because we soon found he 
needed our care himself, having a severe cough, which 
troubled him very much, especially in the mornings. 
Notwithstanding this, he seemed never to think of him- 
self nor allow his feelings to interfere with his duties. 
Consequently, the ladies of the hospital were devoted 
to him, constantly making something to tempt his appe- 
tite. In spite of his delicate health, Dr. Almon would 
sit up with those of his patients who were considered 
desperately ill, always gentle and thoughtful for them. 
In the winter of 1864 his health was so shattered that 
he decided to go to Florida; from which place he went 
to Cuba, and thence to his home in Halifax, N. S., 
where he died in the bosom of his family. 
Mrs. Howe, Mrs. Palmer, Mrs. Horace and Henry 
Nichols, Mrs. Elmore, Mrs. Rhett, Mrs. Squier, the 
two Mrs. Friday, Mrs. Watson, Mrs. Kenerly, Mrs. 
Heisie, Mrs. Beard, and myself all had regular days, 
but many others came at different times. By dividing 
our time at the hospital it gave each of us off days for 
other work. Before we had been called upon to look 
after the hospitals the women of Columbia had organ- 
ized an association called the “ Soldiers’ Relief Asso- 
ciation,” for the purpose of procuring material and 
29 Reminiscences of the 
making clothing for the soldiers. The government 
supplied material for uniforms. The first president 
was Mrs. David McCord. When this society was 
formed I was in Virginia with my husband, who was 
then in the field, and consequently was not familiar with 
its origin. Miss Hampton was its second president. The 
work was cut out by the ladies and distributed to the 
wives, mothers, and sisters of the soldiers, who were 
paid for their work. The ladies carried home a great 
deal of this work, which they and their servants did 
after a while. Miss Hampton resigned, and I was made 
president in her stead, Mrs. Rufus Johnston being ap- 
pointed the secretary and treasurer. Through the 
chief quartermaster for South Carolina, Georgia, and 
Florida, I was therefore able to procure material from 
Mr. James Gregg, of the Graniteville Manufacturing 
Company, and we were thus enabled to keep a large 
supply of underclothing on hand. 
Mrs. Parker and her daughter Lena, Mrs. G. M. 
Goodwin, Mrs. Nurse, Mrs. Beard, and many others 
were unfailing in their attendance at the new court- 
house, which was burned, where we at one time had 
our work-rooms. Gracyes’ old store was the first work- 
room. After a time we removed to the little chapel 
in the Theological Seminary, where we distributed 
work to the sand-hill women. I have seen over a hun- 
dred at a time waiting for work, which was a boon to 
them, for, besides the fact of their being paid for their 
30 Hospitals of Columbia, S. C. 
work, they had the satisfaction of knowing that their 
husbands, fathers, brothers, and sweethearts would 
benefit by their labor. Many of them have since told 
me that they had fared better during the war than they 
had before or since, because of their having constant 
employment. 
If these reminiscences appear egotistical, my apology 
is that they are my own individual experiences during 
the trying period of our struggle for independence. 
31