ruggles and hardships were nothing in comparison to what
was now to befall us. The constant fighting and daily-increasing
number of wounded at the front required the presence of experienced
surgeons. After the battle of Franklin some of ours were sent up. In
one or two instances those who replaced them were young and
inexperienced. They were permitted to attend the convalescents and
light cases. One morning, I was aroused very early by a nurse who
begged me to go to one of the convalescents who had been calling for
me all night.

Arrived at the tent, which at that hour was rather dark, I lifted the
flap to enter, but was arrested by a piteous cry from the patient, who
lay facing the entrance. "For God's sake keep out that light," said
he, "it hurts my eyes." The nurse said, "It's masles he has, ma'am."
So I concluded the pained eyes were not unusual.

Approaching the bunk, and taking the patient's hand, I found he had a
raging fever. But when I placed my hand upon his forehead, and felt
the dreadful pustules thickly covering it, my heart almost ceased to
beat. An unreasoning terror overpowered me; my impulse was to flee
at once from that infected tent. But I must not give any alarm, so
I simply said to the nurse, "I will go to Dr. Beatty for some
medicine; let no one enter this tent until I come back." Dr. Beatty
was not yet out of his cabin, but receiving my urgent message, soon
appeared. I said, "Doctor, in tent No.---- there is a very sick man;
can we look at the books and learn what diagnosis his surgeon has
made?" We went to the office, found the patient's name and number:
diagnosis,--_Measles_. I then said, "Dr. Beatty, it is not measles,
but, I fear, smallpox." At once, the doctor strode off, followed
closely by myself. As before, the tent was dark. "Lift those flaps
high," said the surgeon. It was done, and there lay before us a
veritable case of smallpox.

Dr. Beatty's entire calmness and self-possession quite restored my
own. Said he, "I must have time to consult my surgeons, to determine
what is to be done. Meanwhile, retire to your cabin. You will hear
from me when matters are arranged."

The next few hours were for me fraught with fearful anxiety and
uncertainty,--yes, _uncertainty_,--for (to my shame, let it be
recorded) I actually debated in my own mind whether or not to desert
these unfortunate boys of mine, who could not themselves escape the
threatened danger.

God helping me, I was able to resi