Identifier: withtouchofelbow00well (find matches)
Title: "With touch of elbow;" or, Death before dishonor; a thrilling narrative of adventure on land and sea
Year: 1909 (1900s)
Authors: Wells, James M. (James Monroe), b. 1838
Subjects: United States. Army. Michigan Cavalry Regiment, 8th (1862-1865) United States -- History Civil War, 1861-1865 Personal narratives
Publisher: Philadelphia, Chicago, The J. C. Winston Co.
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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Many of them came to Charles-ton, and were there crowded into hospitals already filledto overflowing. A clean suit of cotton underwear was giveneach patient as he was admitted (this simple act being asource of great relief which proved the stepping-stone tothe recovery of some), and while every care possible wasgiven them, when the terrible straits to which the Con-federacy was reduced are considered, THE MORTALITY WAS APPALLING. The discarded garments of the prisoners were thrown ina heap in the center of a court back of the hospital, andit is no exaggeration to say that in the heat of the sunthese piles of infected clothing were alive and reeking withvermin. On the first and second stories were verandas or gal-leries about eight feet wide, extending around the build-ing; and when the cots in the regular wards were filledthe overflow was placed on the floors of these verandas. The dead wagon came regularly once a day and the at-tendants, going around among the prostrate forms on the
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With Touch of Elbow. 239 floors and in the wards, gathered up the dead, and placingthem in the wagon took them out on their last drive. Many became delirious, and their only talk was of homeand mother, wife and child. Their appeals were pitiableand how anyone seriously ill could recover with so muchmisery about them was then and has always been to mea mystery. The Sisters of Charity visited the hospital twice a week;and if there is an ex-prisoner alive to-day who wentthrough this experience and has not discarded any prej-udice he may before have entertained against that numer-ous class of self-sacrificing souls it is to be regretted he,too, did not get a ride in the wagon above described. These things were observed during my convalescence,when an opportunity was presented to see and know whatwas taking place. There being no prospect as yet for thewar coming to a close, the only hope a prisoner at thistime had to look forward to was EXCHANGE OK DEATH. One day, noticing s new patient be

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