Jane Stuart Woolsey letter to Abby Hopper Gibbons
Item Description
Jane Stuart Woolsey was an influential figure in relief work and nursing as well as a teacher of freedmen. Written from Fairfax Seminary Hospital. Gibbons's letter concerning the drunken conduct of Colonel Barnes has been read to President Lincoln in an attempt to prevent Barnes's official placement as Surgeon General and to work towards the reinstatement of General Hammond. Discusses recent events surrounding her work as a nurse with wounded soldiers. Is waiting to hear from the Sanitary Commission about the possibility of herself, Gibbons, and her sister Georgeanna Muirson Woolsey Bacon going to the front.
Please cite appropriately, crediting Abby Hopper Gibbons Papers, SFHL-RG5-174, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College as the source and indicating the identifier of the item, A00181756. This work is believed to be in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States. For more information, see http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/.
Transcription
[text added later: JS Woolsey]
U.S.A. [General Hospital]
Fairfax Seminary
Friday May 6th [text added later: /64]
[sideways text on left side:
Thermometer
83. in the
Shade]
My dear Mrs. Gibbons
I write just a line
this busy and sultry day to
acknowledge your prompt and
kind answer to my communication
about the [Acting Surgeon General] ––
The passages of your letter referring
to him were read last night
to President Lincoln –– and I
hope and believe may have
some effect in preventing the
Confirmation of Col. B. [James Barnes] as Surgeon
General. If Gen Hammond’s [William A. Hammond]
acquittal cannot be ensured,
the next best thing is to keep
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a drunkard out of the chair,
if possible. I shall be
very glad of any additional testimony
on the subject you can send
me and shall look for the
[letters?] from the point [Point Lookout]. These
efforts may come to nothing, but
it will be at least a satisfaction
to have made the attempt, when
so good a chance of laying the
matter before Mr. Lincoln presented
itself.
Within the last three days we
have taken in and sent out
nearly 500 men –– coming from
the rear of the army and being
transferred to their own States
as rapidly as we can accomplish
it. Tomorrow or next
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day we shall be nearly empty
again, and ready for new
patients. It has made a
great deal of work for everybody
but I think we shall have
two or three days of rest before
any more arrivals. It seems
uncertain yet whether we shall
get any serious cases, this
place being rather off the track
and inaccessible except by
ambulances.
Do you think of going to the
Front? We have heard nothing
from the [Sanitary Commission] on the
subject yet –– and shall not
go without a [underlined] distinct commission [/underlined]
from them. [underlined] I [/underlined] do not think of
going at all, but G. [Georgeanna Muirson Woolsey Bacon] would
like to go if [underlined] she is wanted [/underlined]
with you, if you go. You
see there are two or three
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ifs in the case and I
dare say it may end by our
staying here and taking
the chance of what work
may come to us.
If there [underlined] must [/underlined] be wounded men I
hope we may get some of them, as we
have the means of making them comfortable.
We hear no news beyond the move
of the Army on Tuesday night &
Wednesday Morning –– [Headquarters]
moved on Wednesday morning at 5
o’clock with no waggons –– carrying
all they wanted on their horses.
With many thanks for your
valuable letter & love from
G. [Georgeanna Muirson Woolsey Bacon] I am
Yours very truly
J. S. Woolsey
[text in bottom left corner: If I hear anything from the
letters I will let you
know at once. ––
J. S. W]