isa M. Delafield and others, engaged in awakening an interest among
the ladies of Milwaukee, in regard to the sanitary wants of the
soldiers, which soon resulted in the formation of a "Milwaukee Ladies'
Soldiers' Aid Society," composed of many of the benevolent ladies of
this city. The society was very zealous in soliciting aid for the
soldiers, and in making garments for their use in the service.

Very soon other Aid Societies in various parts of the State desired to
become auxiliaries to this organization, and soon after the battle of
Bull Run it became evident that their efficiency could be greatly
promoted by the Milwaukee Society becoming a branch of the United States
Sanitary Commission, and that relation was effected. The name of the
society was at this time changed to "Wisconsin Soldiers' Aid Society."
Mrs. Jackson and Mrs. Delafield continued to be efficient as leaders in
all the work of this society, but in its reorganization, Mrs. Henrietta
L. Colt was chosen Corresponding Secretary, and commenced her work with
great zeal and energy. She visited the Wisconsin soldiers in various
localities at the front, and thus brought the wants of the brave men to
the particular knowledge of the society, and in this way largely
promoted the interest, zeal and efficiency of the ladies connected with
it. She described the sufferings, fortitude and heroism of the soldiers
with such simple pathos, that thousands of hearts were melted, and
contributions poured into the treasury of the society in great
abundance.

The number of auxiliaries in the State was two hundred and twenty-nine.
The central organization at Milwaukee, beside forwarding supplies, had
one bureau to assist soldiers' families in getting payments from the
State, one to secure employment for soldiers' wives and mothers through
contracts with the Government, under the charge of Mrs. Jackson, one to
secure employment for the partially disabled soldiers, and one to
provide for widows and orphans. The channels of benevolence through the
State were various; the people generally sought the most direct route to
the soldiers in the field; but the gifts to the army sent by the
Wisconsin Soldiers' Aid Society (their report says without any "Fair"),
alone amounted--the packages, to nearly six thousand in number, the
value to nearly two hundred thousand dollars.

The Wisconsin Aid Society and its officers also rendered large and
valuable aid to the two Sanitary Fairs held i