owever, was not long, for on the 19th of July, they arrived
at Point Lookout, Maryland, where Hammond United States General Hospital
was about to be opened.

On the 20th, the day following, the first installment of patients
arrived, two hundred and eighteen suffering and famished men from the
rebel prison of Belle Isle.

A fearful scene was presented on the arrival of these men. The transport
on which they came was full of miserable-looking wretches, lying about
the decks, many of them too feeble to walk, and unable to move without
help. Not one of the two hundred and eighty, possessed more than one
garment. Before leaving Belle Isle, they had been permitted to bathe.
The filthy, vermin-infected garments, which had been their sole covering
for many months, were in most cases thrown into the water, and the men
had clothed themselves as best they could, in the scanty supply given
them. Many were wrapped in sheets. A pair of trowsers was a luxury to
which few attained.

They were mostly so feeble as to be carried on stretchers to the
hospital. Mrs. Gibbons' first duty was to go on board the transport with
food, wine and stimulants, to enable them to endure the removal; and
when once removed, and placed in their clean beds, or wards, there was
sufficient employment in reducing all to order, and nursing them back to
health. Many were hopelessly broken down by their past sufferings, but
most eventually recovered their strength.

Mrs. and Miss Gibbons remained at Point Lookout fifteen months. After a
short time Mrs. Gibbons finding her usefulness greatly impaired by being
obliged to act under the authority of Miss Dix, who was officially at
the head of all nurses, applied for, and received from Surgeon-General
Hammond an independent appointment in this hospital, which gave her sole
charge of it, apart from the medical supervision. In this appointment
the Surgeon-General was sustained by the War Department. In her
application Mrs. Gibbons was influenced by no antagonism to Miss Dix,
but simply by her desire for the utmost usefulness.

The military post of Point Lookout was at that time occupied by two
Maryland Regiments, of whom Colonel Rogers had the command. If not in
sympathy with rebellion, they undoubtedly were with slavery. Large
numbers of contrabands had flocked thither, hoping to be protected in
their longings for freedom. In this, however, they were disappointed. As
soon as the Maryland masters demanded the retur