pitals at Chattanooga in the winter of 1863-4,
Mrs. Wittenmeyer matured her long-cherished plan for supplying food for
the lowest class of hospital patients, and this led to the establishment
of Diet Kitchens. Believing her idea could be better carried out by the
Christian Commission, than under any other auspices, she soon after
resigned her position as State agent, and became connected with that
organization.

From a little work entitled "Christ in the Army," composed of sketches
by different individuals, and published by the Christian Commission, and
from the Fourth Report of the Maryland Branch of the Christian
Commission, we make the following extracts, relative to Mrs.
Wittenmeyer's labors in this sphere of effort:

"The sick and wounded suffer greatly from the imperfect cooking of the
soldier nurses. To remedy this evil, a number of ladies have offered
themselves as delegates of the Christian Commission, and arrangements
have been made with the medical authorities to establish Diet Kitchens,
where suitable food may be prepared by ladies' hands for our sick
soldiers,--the Government furnishing the staple articles, and the
Christian Commission providing the ladies and the delicacies and
cordials. One of these at Knoxville is thus described by a correspondent
of _The Lutheran_:--

"There have been several large hospitals in this city, but recently they
have been all consolidated into one. In connection with this hospital is
a 'Special Diet Kitchen.' Many of our readers will doubtless wonder what
these 'Special Diet Kitchens' are. They have been originated by Mrs.
Annie Wittenmeyer, of Keokuk, formerly State Sanitary Agent of Iowa. In
her arduous labors in the Army of the Cumberland, she met with a large
number of patients who suffered for want of suitably prepared, delicate
and nutritious food. None of the benevolent institutions in connection
with the army have been able to reach this class of persons. She says,
in her report to the General Assembly of the State: 'This matter has
given me serious and anxious thought for the past year, but I have
recently submitted to the Christian Commission a plan by which I believe
this class of patients may be reached and relieved. The plan proposed,
is the establishment of "Special Diet Kitchens," in connection with that
Commission, to be superintended by earnest, prudent Christian women,
who will secure the distribution of proper food to this class of
patients--taking such