circumstances. Sad moments would pass over me in regard to the lonely and unpleasant condition they had been left in; and I prayed that some kind hand would soon succeed the one that had so unkindly denied us the privilege of administering to them

For the short time that Hill Hospital remained at Ringgold, many were the untold scenes of suffering which were daily witnessed. It being a receiving and forwarding hospital, made it the most conspicuous in that respect. Some would be unable to proceed any further, and soon filled honored soldiers' graves, among strangers, in Ringgold Cemetery. Perhaps the green mounds which cover their once manly forms, enclosing hearts that once throbbed with true Southern patriotism, have often been bedewed with tears, shed by some of the inhabitants of that once pleasant little village, and bedecked with clusters of richest flowers. We hope so, at least. They will ever live in the hearts of those who fully appreciated the just and noble cause. Tread lightly, dear stranger, when you apapproach the sacred spot where sleep noble defenders of Georgia, who fell while endeavoring to keep the enemy from over-running our dear Georgia, as well as the other Southern States. Therefore, dear reader, if you ever pass near the various spots of ground so honored with the good soldiers' graves, halt one moment, and shed a tear for the mother who could not have the privilege of closing their eyes.

Occasionally, one or more of the opposite party, who were captured by our soldiers during battle, would fall into our care, and I am proud to acknowledge that they were well cared for by both surgeons and nurses, as were our own sick and wounded boys; and it was not unfrequently the case that pleasant little parties would be gotten up, and which were attended by both. A recollection of such scenes is still pleasant to memory. The difference

of opinion in regard to the origin and ravages of the war, did not at all times alienate the two parties from each other. Circumstances were such that they were often thrown together in a more civil and social way than it was generally the case with those who were engaged in the bloody conflict. And it was then and there that the brave soldier and gentleman was fully tested. As is the case with all really brave gentlemen, they were, when on the field of battle, in full readiness to fight to the death; but as soon as quiet was restored, they could treat their enemies as gentlemen and friends; and in this case both sides were ready to mete out justice to the other; and, permit me to say, that the few who were amongst us, as a general thing, manifested a desire to give us justice, and a disposition to be grateful for the kind care bestowed them, after expressing their surprise at the marked attention given them. Doubtless many of them will always be ready to contradict the many false reports that have been maliciously circulated relative to the cruel treatment received by them at the hands of our Southern authorities while they were prisoners of war.

By way of confirming the truth of the above remark relative to the friendly feeling manifested between the two contending parties, I will relate an incident which occurred while we were at Ringgold. As was my usual custom, after each meal had been distributed, I visited each ward, to see to the general wants of the patients. In one of my rounds, on the occasion relating to the incident, I entered a neat little room in one of the wards, occupied by some new patients. On entering I bade them good evening, and inquired if they had dined, and if they were comfortable; and also if I could do anything for them; and if so, that I was ready to do all I could for their comfort. Each one thanked me kindly, and said that they were comfortable, and highly pleased with the

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change from the Field Hospital to a good house. Finally, quite a gentlemanly looking man remarked to me: am pleased to inform you, kind lady, that we are all doing finely, as well as Rebs and Yanks could, all quartered together, and on the very best of terms." "Excuse me,

sir," said I; " are you a Yankee, and seem so cheerful while a wounded prisoner?" "Indeed, madam, I have no cause to feel otherwise than cheerful," he replied. "I have had the kindest of treatment since I have been a prisoner in the Field Hospital; and from every appearance, I think that I will still be treated right. My boys said to me when I left the field that I might bid adieu to kindness since I had to go further South. I said to them that I hoped that they were mistaken; and I believe that my hopes will be fully realized." I said to him that nothing should be wanting on my part, but disability, to make him perfectly comfortable—at least as much so as our own boys; that in war we were enemies, but in peace we should be friends; that I wanted our boys to give them the very best fighting they could in battle, but when they were captives it was my firm desire to see them treated as kindly as friends could be-on both sides. His countenance beamed with delight. He said, "Ah, madam, I would that there were thousands like yourself; then your boys would not be treated amiss, as thousands are, in retaliation, caused by exagerated reports, as I believe, of cruel treatment of Federal Soldiers in southern prisons, especially by the ladies." I assured him that it was a mistake so far as my own observations were concerned; that the ladies of the South were, as a general thing, too noble minded as to so far forget their sphere as to maltreat those in their power any farther than they would be willing to see their own dealt with under similar circumstances. He replied, "Madam, permit me to say, that if any one had told me that I would meet with so kind and motherly an old lady I

should not have believed it from the reports in circulation; in fact, I do not see how you Southern ladeis can have the heart to treat us kindly, for we have invaded your soil; killed your husbands, sons, brothers and fathers; and I wonder that any one of them takes any notice of us only to treat us with scorn. But we fighting men should not be punished for what we did not bring about. The fanatics raised the war cry, and we had to obey the call to arms against our wills. And now your boys have got us, and our's have got your's; and here we poor devils (using his own expression,) may lie and rot for all the fanatical scoundrels care. My leg is broken, and here I may remain, and not one of them would, if they could, come near me. If I am spared to get well, I have done my last fighting. I will go home to my wife and little ones, and never come here again, or grumble at the hardships of milking the cow, old Brindle, for her when she asks me to." This produced quite a laugh among the whole crowd. Some of the Rebs remarked, "Why our Southern ladies milk, and do all their domestic work in doors, and the men the out door work." He said: "The men in our country do the out and in door work too, to a considerable extent." One day I saw him smoking an old cob pipe. I asked him if he would accept a nice new one from an old Reb. "Certainly, madam; and thank you, too," said he. I hastened to my room, and soon returned with a good, new pipe, filled it with good tobacco, lit it, and presented it to him, saying: "Now, let us smoke the pipe of peace together, and say you will fight our boys no more." That I will, madam," was his frank response; "and I will take this pipe home, show it to my wife, and tell her an old Reb gave it to me." "Yes?" said I, not giving him time to finish. "Yes," "he responded, "a good old rebel lady, who is as kind to me as a mother." In this cheerful way he passed a few days with us under our care; and was

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then forwarded to Atlanta. On his taking leave, he bade us a kind farewell, thanking our ever faithful surgeon and his attendants for their unceasing and very kind attentions to him, assuring us all that he was more than satisfied with the treatment he had received at our hands.

Did we not have much pleasanter reflections under those circnmstances than if we had exhibited the same hostile feelings toward them, that, unfortunately for the good name and future to the happiness of both sections, was acted out by the hard hearted on both sides, although we were still on the bloody field of battle? It cost us neither more time, trouble or money to speak and act kindly to the unfortunate prisoners, as to do as so many have (to the disgrace of the North and South) done to them and our own soldiers. Yet, by so doing, if we were not made permanent friends, we did not widen the gulf between us, and we have the consciousness of having done to them as we would wish our own dear lives done by; and if we ever meet them, it cannot be said by them, "there is the surgeon and attendant of that awful hospital where we were treated as beasts, or heathens." If we never meet until the great day of all accounts, we will have nothing wilfully on our conscience of evil towards our enemies, as they were then considered. Oh, that all on both sides had have done as we feel confident we endeavored to do, then we should

'Speak gently; it is better far,
To rule by love than fear."

By so doing, it is often the case that we can win a soul from error; when by a rebuke, we only drive it further into the deep that it is just timidly entering, and sink so deep in sin and immorality as to be irretrievably lost, instead of being won to virtue, and hiding a few of the faults already committed. Would that our enemies-who by tenfold numbers overpowered our ever brave little band