erself to endurance, and
while caring for her husband during the long weeks when his life hung
upon a slender thread, she became also a minister of mercy to the
numerous Union prisoners, who had not a wife's tender care. When removed
to Richmond, Captain Ricketts was still in great peril, and under the
discomforts of his situation, grew rapidly worse. For many weeks he was
unconscious, and his death seemed inevitable. At length four months
after receiving his wound, he began very slowly to improve, when
intelligence came that he was to be taken as one of the hostages for the
thirteen privateersmen imprisoned in New York. Mrs. Ricketts went at
once to Mrs. Cooper, the wife of the Confederate Adjutant-General, and
used such arguments, as led the Confederate authorities to rescind the
order, so far as he was concerned. He was exchanged in the latter part
of December, 1861, and having partially recovered from his wounds, was
commissioned Brigadier-General, in March, 1862, and assigned to the
command of a brigade in McDowell's Corps, at Fredericksburg. He passed
unscathed through Pope's Campaign, but at Antietam was again wounded,
though not so severely as before, and after two or three months'
confinement, was in the winter of 1862-3, in Washington, as President of
a Military Commission.

General Ricketts took part in the battles of Chancellorsville and
Gettysburg, and escaped personal injury, but his wife in gratitude for
his preservation, ministered to the wounded, and for months continued
her labors of love among them.

In Grant's Campaign in 1864, General Ricketts distinguished himself for
bravery in several battles, commanding a division; and at the battle of
Monocacy, though he could not defeat the overwhelming force of the
Rebels, successfully delayed their advance upon Baltimore. He then
joined the Army of the Shenandoah, and in the battle of Middletown,
October 19th, was again seriously, and it was thought mortally wounded.
Again for four months did this devoted wife watch most patiently and
tenderly over his couch of pain, and again was her tender nursing
blessed to his recovery. In the closing scenes in the Army of the
Potomac which culminated in Lee's surrender, General Ricketts was once
more in the field, and though suffering from his wounds, he did not
leave his command till by the capitulation of the Rebel chief, the war
was virtually concluded. The heroic wife remained at the Union
headquarters, watchful l