she and the other ladies
were doing in behalf of the soldiers, had voted a contribution of twelve
hundred dollars a month to the Ladies' Aid Society. Mrs. Bickerdyke was
not, however, disposed to tender them the congratulations, to which
perhaps they believed themselves entitled for their liberality. "You
believe yourselves very generous, no doubt, gentlemen," she said, "and
think that because you have voted this pretty sum, you are doing all
that is required of you. But I have in my hospital a hundred poor
soldiers who have done more than any of you. Who of you would contribute
a leg, an arm, or an eye, instead of what you have done? How many
hundred or thousand dollars would you consider an equivalent for
either? Don't deceive yourselves, gentlemen. The poor soldier who has
given an arm, a leg, or an eye to his country (and many of them have
given more than one) has given more than you have or can. How much more,
then, he who has given his life? No! gentlemen, you must set your
standard higher yet or you will not come up to the full measure of
liberality in giving."

On her return to the South Mrs. Bickerdyke spent a few weeks at
Huntsville, Alabama, in charge of a hospital, and then joined Sherman's
Fifteenth Corps in their rapid march toward Chattanooga. It will be
remembered that Sherman's Corps, or rather the Army of the Tennessee
which he now commanded were hurried into action immediately on their
arrival at Chattanooga. To them was assigned the duty of making the
attack against that portion of the enemy who were posted on the northern
termination of Mission Ridge, and the persistent assaults on Fort
Buckner were attended with severe slaughter, though they made the
victory elsewhere possible. The Field Hospital of the Fifteenth Army
Corps was situated on the north bank of the Genesee River, on a slope at
the base of Mission Ridge, where after the struggle was over seventeen
hundred of our wounded and exhausted soldiers were brought. Mrs.
Bickerdyke reached there before the din and smoke of battle were well
over, and before all were brought from the field of blood and carnage.
There she remained the only female attendant for four weeks. The
supplies she had been able to bring with her soon gave out, but Dr.
Newberry, the Western Secretary of the Sanitary Commission, presently
arrived with an ample supply which she used freely.

The Field Hospital was in a forest, about five miles from Chattanooga;
wood was abund