HOSPITAL SCENES AND PERSONS

_Letter Writing_.--When eligible, I encourage the men to write,
and myself, when called upon, write all sorts of letters for them
(including love letters, very tender ones.) Almost as I reel off these
memoranda, I write for a new patient to his wife. M. de F., of the
17th Connecticut, company H, has just come up (February 17th) from
Windmill point, and is received in ward H, Armory-square. He is an
intelligent looking man, has a foreign accent, black-eyed and hair'd,
a Hebraic appearance. Wants a telegraphic message sent to his wife,
New Canaan, Conn. I agree to send the message--but to make things sure
I also sit down and write the wife a letter, and despatch it to the
post-office immediately, as he fears she will come on, and he does not
wish her to, as he will surely get well.

_Saturday, January 30th._--Afternoon, visited Campbell hospital. Scene
of cleaning up the ward, and giving the men all clean clothes--through
the ward (6) the patients dressing or being dress'd--the naked upper
half of the bodies--the good-humor and fun--the shirts, drawers,
sheets of beds, &c., and the general fixing up for Sunday. Gave J. L.
50 cents.

_Wednesday, February 4th._--Visited Armory-square hospital, went
pretty thoroughly through wards E and D. Supplied paper and envelopes
to all who wish'd--as usual, found plenty of men who needed those
articles. Wrote letters. Saw and talk'd with two or three members of
the Brooklyn 14th regt. A poor fellow in ward D, with a fearful wound
in a fearful condition, was having some loose splinters of bone taken
from the neighborhood of the wound. The operation was long, and one of
great pain--yet, after it was well commenced, the soldier bore it in