d, and
reopened under every way improved auspices. The "boys" found themselves
in every respect so kindly cared for, and so surrounded by home-like
experience that it was with great regret they saw the hospital broken
up, in March.

Miss Mitchell's inclination would then, as often before, have led her to
the front, but she was forced to obey orders, "soldier-like," and found
herself transferred to Knight Hospital, New Haven, as the next scene of
her labors. Here she remained three months actively and usefully
employed, but at the end of that time she had become so worn out with
her long continued and arduous services, as to feel compelled to resign
her position as army nurse. She soon after accepted a desirable
situation in the Treasury Department, upon the duties of which she
entered in July, 1863.

Miss Mitchell has never quite reconciled her conscience to this act,
which she fears was too much tinged with selfishness and induced by
interested motives. Feeling thus, she again enlisted as army nurse after
a few months, resolving never again to abandon the service, while the
war continued and strength was given her to labor.

This was in the beginning of May, 1864, and she was immediately sent to
Fredericksburg to assist in caring for the wounded from the battle of
the Wilderness. The scenes and labors of that terrible period are beyond
description. Miss Mitchell was amidst them all, and like an angel of
mercy made herself everywhere useful to the crowds of ghastly sufferers
from those fields of awful carnage, which marked the onward march of
Grant to victory, and the suppression of the rebellion.

When our army left Fredericksburg, most of the wounded were transferred
to Washington, Miss Mitchell would again have preferred to go to the
front, but obeyed orders, and went instead to Judiciary Square Hospital,
Washington, where she found many of her former patients. After she had
spent one day there, she would not willingly have left those poor men
whom she found so greatly needing a woman's care. For weeks the
mortality was fearful, and she found herself surrounded by the dead and
dying, but gradually this was lessened, and she became engaged in the
more delightful duty of superintending the improvement of convalescents,
and watching the return to health of many a brave hero who had perhaps
sacrificed limbs, and well-nigh life, in the service of his country.
Here she remained, with ever-increasing satisfaction in her