own labors and sacrifices. "What," she says in a letter
to a friend, "are my humble efforts for the soldiers, compared with the
sacrifice made by the wife or mother of the humblest private who ever
shouldered a musket?"

DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH.

Dr. M. M. Marsh was Medical Inspector of the Department of the Gulf and
South, his charge comprising the States of Georgia, South Carolina, and
Florida. He held his appointment in the capacity mentioned from the
Sanitary Commission, and from Government, the latter conferring upon him
great authority over hospitals and health matters in general throughout
his district.

It was in the early part of the year 1863 that Mrs. Marsh left her home
in Vermont and joined her husband at Beaufort.

The object of Mrs. Marsh in going thither, was to establish a home with
its comforts amidst the unfamiliar scenes and habitudes of the South.

Everything was strange, unnatural, unreal. Beaufort was in conquered
territory occupied by its conquerors. The former inhabitants had fled,
leaving lands, houses and negroes--all that refused to go with them, or
could not be removed. Military rule prevailed, and the new population
were Northern soldiers, and a few adventurous women. Besides these were
blacks, men, women and children, many of them far from the homes they
had known, and strange alike to freedom and a life made independent by
their own efforts. From order to chaos, that was the transition a
Northern woman underwent in coming to this place and state of society.

Mrs. Marsh had no sooner arrived than she found there was work to do and
duties to perform in her new home on which she had not calculated. Her
husband was frequently absent, sometimes for long periods. To his charge
came the immense stores of supplies constantly forwarded by the Sanitary
Commission, which were to be received, accounted for, unpacked, dealt
out to the parties for whom they were intended. All this must be done by
an intelligent person or persons, and by the same, reports of the
condition of the hospitals must be made, together with the needful
requisitions.

Here was business enough to employ the time, exhaust the strength, and
occupy the thoughts of any single individual. It was a "man's work," as
Mrs. Marsh often declares. Be that as it may, it was accomplished by a
woman, and in the most admirable manner. The Sanitary Commission feels
both proud and grateful, whenever the name of Mrs. Marsh is mention