various benevolent associations, and performed the duties of
Treasurer of the Industrial School Association.

Just previous to the Rebellion, she emigrated with her husband and
family to St. Louis, and after the war had commenced, and the early
battles in the West had begun to fill every vacant public building in
that city with sick and wounded men, she, with many other noble women of
like heroic temperament, found a new sphere for their activity and
usefulness. In the month of August, 1861, the Ladies' Union Aid Society,
of St. Louis, was organized for the purpose of ministering to the wants
of the sick and wounded soldiers, providing Hospital garments and
Sanitary stores, in connection with similar labors by the Western
Sanitary Commission, assisting soldiers' families, and visiting the
Hospitals, to give religious counsel, and minister consolation to the
sick and dying, in a city where only a few of the clergy of the various
denominations who were distinguished for their patriotism and loyalty,
attended to this duty; the majority, both Protestant and Catholic, being
either indifferent to the consequences of the rebellion, or in sympathy
with the treason which was at that time threatening the Union and
liberties of the country with disruption and overthrow.

Of this Association of noble and philanthropic women, which continued
its useful labors during the war, Mrs. Clapp was made President in the
fall of 1861, holding that office during the existence of the
organization, giving nearly all her time and energies to this great work
of helping and comforting her country's defenders.

After the great battles of Shiloh and Vicksburg, and Arkansas Post, she,
with other ladies of the Association, repaired on Hospital Steamers to
the scene of conflict, taking boxes of Sanitary stores, Hospital
garments and lint for the wounded, and ministered to them with her own
hands on the return trips to the Hospitals of St. Louis.

As President of the Ladies' Union Aid Society, her labors were arduous
and unremitting. The work of this association was always very great,
consisting in part of the manufacture of hospital garments, by contract
with the medical purveyor, which work was given out to the wives of
soldiers, to enable them the better to support themselves and children,
during the absence of their husbands in the army. The work of cutting
out these garments, giving them out, keeping an account with each
soldier's wife, paying t