attached to the Medical Purveyor's Department.

From Brandy Station, Mrs. Spencer went to Alexandria, and remained there
until after the battle of the Wilderness, when she was ordered by the
Surgeon-General to repair to Rappahannock Station, with needful supplies
for the wounded. On arriving there, no wounded were found, and it was
rumored that the ambulances containing them had been intercepted by the
enemy, and turned another way.

The party therefore returned to Alexandria, and there received orders to
repair with stores to Belle Plain. The Steamer on which Mrs. Spencer
was, arrived at day-break at its destination, but she could not for some
time get on shore. As soon as possible she landed, anxious to let her
services be of some avail to the many wounded who stood in immediate
need of assistance, and thinking she might at least make coffee or tea
for some of them.

After distributing what supplies she had, she found in another part of
the field several Theological Students, delegates of the Sanitary
Commission, who were making coffee in camp kettles for the wounded. Her
services were thankfully accepted by them. All the day, and far into the
night they worked, standing inches deep in the tenacious Virginia mud,
till thousands had been served.

All the afternoon the wounded were arriving. Thousands were laid upon
the ground, upon the hill-side, perhaps under the shelter of a bush,
perhaps with only the sky above them, from which the rain poured in
torrents.

All with scarcely an exception were patient, cheerful, and
thoughtful--when asked as to their own condition, seeming more troubled
by the risk she ran in taking cold, than of their own sufferings.

Late in the night, she remembered that she was alone, and must rest
somewhere. A wagon driver willingly gave her his place in the wagon, and
thoroughly drenched with rain, and covered with mud, she there rested
for the first time in many hours. Her sad and anxious thoughts with her
physical discomforts prevented sleep, but with the dawn she had rested
so much, as to be able to resume her labors.

Another, and another day passed. The wounded from those fearful battles
continued to arrive, and to be cared for, as well as was possible under
the circumstances. The workers were shortly afterward made as
comfortable as was possible. For two weeks Mrs. Spencer remained, and
labored at Belle Plain, remained till her clothing of which, not
expecting to remain, she had b