USA > Georgia > Floyd County > Rome > A history of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America; including numerous incidents of more than local interest, 1540-1922, Volume I > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
Eight of these men, whose names ap- pear below, were executed by the Con- federate authorities at Atlanta, Ga., in June, 1862; Andrews on June 7, and Campbell, Ross, Geo. D. Wilson, Shad- rach, Scott, Slavens and Robertson on June 18. On Oct. 16, 1862, the eight following named made their escape from prison at Atlanta: Brown, Wood,
*Letter, Feb. 18, 1903, from F. C. Ainsworth, chief of Record and Pension office, Washing- ton, D. C., to W. L. Danley, Nashville, Tenn.
151
A ROME ENGINE CHASES THE "GENERAL"
John A. Wilson, Knight, Porter, Haw- kins, Dorsey and Wollam. The re- maining six members of the raiding party were paroled at City Point, Va., March 17, 1863. Their names follow: Pittinger, Mason, Bensinger, Buffum, Reddick and Parrott. Congress gave medals to all the survivors, who erect- ed a monument to their comrades in the National cemetery at Chieka- mauga, Ga. The N., C. & St. L. rail- way erected tablet stones at the points where the "General" was captured and was abandoned. The "Texas" stands in the southeastern part of Grant Park, Atlanta, defying the wind and the weather. The "Yonah" and the "Wm. R. Smith" are supposed to have been scrapped .*
Sergt. Pittinger testified at his trial that when the "General" "broke down," they were burning oil cans, tool boxes and planks ripped off the freight car. As they abandoned her they reversed her in order to bring on a collision with the "Texas," but in their haste and excitement they left the brake on the tender, and there was not suf- ficient steam to back the engine. In his book, "Capturing a Locomo- tive," he says :
We obstructed the track as well as we could by laying on erossties at dif- ferent places. We also cut the wires between every station. Finally, when we were nearly to the station where we expected to meet the last train, we stopped to take up a rail. We had no instruments but a crowbar, and instead of pulling out the spikes, as we could have done with the pinch bars used for that purpose by rail- road men, we had to batter them out. Just as we were going to relinquish the effort, the whistle of an engine in pursuit sounded in our ears .** With one convulsive effort we broke the
*Georgia's Landmarks, Memorials & Legends, Vol. II, p. 234, says Andrews was hanged at Ponce DeLeon Avenue and Peachtree Street, following his conviction at Chattanooga as a spy : that the seven others hanged were tried at Knoxville, and were taken from the old jail at Fair and Fraser Streets, Atlanta, and hanged near Oakland cemetery, on land now owned by the street railway company; and that the eight escaped the Atlanta jail in broad daylight and made their way to the Union lines.
** The whistle they heard was on the Rome engine, the "Wm. R. Smith." According to the N., C. & St. L. booklet, p. 9, 60 yards of track was torn up at that point.
*** N., C. & St. L. booklet, ps. 21-23.
**** Father of Robt. F. Maddox, former mayor of Atlanta.
rail in two, took up our precious half rail and left.
We were scarcely out of sight of the place where we had taken up the half rail before the other train met us. This was safely passed. When our pursuers came to the place where the broken rail was taken up, they aban- doned their engine and ran on foot till they met the freight train, and turned it back after us.
We adopted every expedient we could think of to delay pursuit, but as we were cutting the wire near Cal- houn, they came in sight of us. We instantly put our engine to full speed, and in a moment the wheels were striking fire from the rails in their rapid revolutions. The car in which we rode rocked furiously and threw us from one side to the other like peas rattled in a gourd.
I then proposed to Andrews to let our engineer take the engine out of sight, while we hid in a curve, after putting a crosstie on the track: when they checked to remove the obstruc- tions, we could rush on them, shoot every person on the engine, reverse it and let it drive backward at will.
The Southern Confederacy, a paper published in Atlanta at the time, wrote :* **
The fugitives, not expecting pur- suit, quietly took in wood and water at Cass Station, and borrowed a schedule from the bank tender on the plausible pretext that they were run- ning a pressed train loaded with pow- der for Beauregard.
They had on the engine a red hand- kerchief, indicating that the regular passenger train would be along pres- ently. They stopped at Adairsville and said that Fuller, with the regu- lar passenger train, was behind, and would wait at Kingston for the freight train, and told the conductor to push ahead and meet him at that point. This was done to produce a collision with Capt. Fuller's train.
When the morning freight reached Big Shanty, Lieut. Cols. R. F. Mad- dox **** and C. D. Phillips took the en- gine, and with 50 picked men, follow- ed on as rapidly as possible. Capt. Fuller on his return met them at Tun- nel Hill and turned them back. Peter Bracken, the engineer on the "Texas," ran his engine 5016 miles-two miles backing the whole freight train up to Adairsville; made twelve stops, cou- pled the two cars dropped by the fu- gitives, and switched them off on sid-
152
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
ings-all in one hour and five min- utes .*
The part played by the Rome en- gine and her crew was warmly praised by the citizens and the military authorities. Indeed, not only was an important link sup- plied, but the appearance of the en- gine at the point of broken track no doubt prevented a wreck of the southbound freight piloted by En- gineer Bracken. Had a wreck oc- curred, Capt. Fuller would have pushed on to Adairsville afoot, and the raiders would probably have been able to carry out at least a part of their design.
Out on his farm in North Rome Col. Wade S. Cothran, superin- tendent of the Rome Railroad, always took note of the time when the train passed the Rome brick yard, not far to the southeast. On this occasion no train came, and Col. Cothran remarked to his fam- ily that something must have hap- pened. Next morning a messenger
arrived with news of the capture and Col. Cothran announced with a great deal of pride at the break- fast table that Wiley Harbin and "Little Cis" Smith had written their names on history's everlast- ing scroll.
As for the Highland Rangers and the Wimpee brothers, of Rome, they made a praiseworthy cash through the hills by horse but could not keep up with the fly- ing Fuller and his daredevil pace- makers.
Frustation of this daring sally and plot postponed until August 1863, the capture of Chattanooga by the Federal general, Wm. S. Rosecrans.
*It appears that the total distance traveled by Capt. Fuller was about 851/2 miles : afoot two miles to Moon's, 12 miles by handcar to Etowah, 14 miles by the "Yonah" to Kingston, 5 miles beyond Kingston on the "Wm. R. Smith," two more afoot, and then 5012 miles on the "Texas." Although practically all the partici- pants were armed, there is no evidence that any shots were exchanged. The Tri-Weekly Courier recorded the fall of Huntsville Apr. 11, but did not mention the Andrews Raid.
CHAPTER III. Activities of the Folks at Home
W HILE there was such a fe- verish activity at the front, what were the "Home Guard" and the women do- ing far from the sound of musket and drum?
Mrs. Mary Turnley Reynolds, historian of the Rome Chapter, United Daughters of the Confed- eracy, contributed the following to the archives of that institution in 1900 :
The work accomplished by the ladies of Rome for the gallant men who sac- rificed the comforts of home and fire- side, donned the suit of gray to fight for native land and Southern rights, is a part of the history of our South- land that is too noble to be for- gotten; and the names of the heroines who figured behind the lines must be recorded along with the names of the heroes who sacrificed their all for Southern rights.
Of those who were prominent in the work for their country during those troublous times, your historian finds many who have passed into the beau- tiful and far-away land. Some have removed their homes to other states. Some are living at a ripe and happy old age among the families and friends of their youth. Included in these might be mentioned Mrs. J. G. Yeiser, widow of Col. Yeiser, who also served in the Mexican war; Mrs. J. M. Greg- ory, widow of Dr. Gregory, once mayor of Rome and a surgeon in Company A, Eighth Georgia Regiment; Mrs. Martha Battey, widow of Dr. Robt. Battey, a surgeon in the 19th Geor- gia Regiment; and Mrs. P. L. Turn- ley, wife of Dr. Turnley, the drug- gist. From the above-named ladies and Mrs. Eben Hillyer, wife of Dr. Eben Hillyer, your historian has gath- ered valuable data which gives us a vivid picture of the times.
The first thing to cheer the soldier to duty was an illumination of the town at night. This was very gen- eral in Rome. An exception was made by Mrs. Battey, who, with her native decision of character, refused to "light up," saying, "We should fight under the Stars and Stripes." But loving her country and her people, she soon
joined in the serious part of the drama.
Our first charity organization for war purposes was the Ladies' Benevo- lent Association. Mrs. Nicholas J. Bayard, mother of Mrs. John J. Seay, was made president, and Mrs. Wm. A. Fort secretary. Unfortunately, the minutes kept by Mrs. Fort have been destroyed.
The vice-president was Mrs. Wade S. Cothran.
Among the members were Mesdames J. M. Gregory, Jno. W. H. Under- wood, Robt. T. Hargrove, J. J. Cohen, Wm. Ketcham, Hollis Cooley, Eben Hillyer, Dan'l S. Printup, D. Mack Hood, H. V. M. Miller, Jas. Noble, M. A. Pearson, A. G. Pitner, O. B. Eve, Thos. W. Alexander, Thos. Haw- kins, Chas. H. Smith, Reuben S. Nor- ton, Nicholas J. Omberg, J. M. M. Caldwell, Mary Sullivan, Wm. Moore, Jas. W. Hinton, W. I. Brookes, M. H. Graves, Mrs. Booten, Mrs. Lawrence and Mrs. Johnson.
The society was founded in Jan- uary, 1861, at the suggestion of Rev. Jas. W. Hinton, then pastor of the First Methodist church. Its main pur- pose at first was to make garments and attend to other physical needs of the soldiers. Edward C. Hough, a na- tive of the north, who had volunteer- ed for field service, was exempted in order that he might direct the making of these garments at home; Nicholas J. Omberg, another tailor, who was killed by a scout band in 1864, as- sisted him.
The city hall, southwest corner of Broad Street and Fifth Avenue, was occupied for garment making. How valiantly the ladies went at their task is thus told by Editor Dwinell in The Courier of May 17, 1861:
"The Ladies at Work .- The ladies of Rome are now engaged at the city hall in making uniforms and articles of clothing for the volunteer compa- nies. Some 20 or 30 are there all the time; they work their circum- stances will admit; some in the after- noon, some one day, others next, while still others are there early and late every day. Such zealous patriotism is worthy of the highest commenda- tion, and men who would not fight for the defense and protection of such la-
154
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
dies ought to be forever banished from the pleasures of their society."
Another little notice reads thus:
"The Work Goes Beautifully On .- There is quite a large number of la- dies still daily engaged at the city hall in the manufacture of clothing for the volunteers. They have a number of patent sewing machines, yet it is patent ('how Mr. Dwinell loved to pun!') to every susceptible gentleman that those with black or blues eyes, whose almost continuous chatter is like the soft, silvery tones of sweetest bells, are incomparably more interest- ing. We are requested to state that any lady wishing to assist in this patriotic work is expected to report at the city hall at once."
Mrs. Underwood and Mrs. Fort were the first to remove their sewing ma- chines to the city hall, and others fol- lowed. The association did fine work among the poor, and furnished work for many women who would have suffered when winter came.
On Aug. 19, 1861, a call was sound- ed for an organization of broader ob- jects and service, since it was seen that the war would be long and bloody. Four days later a meeting was held at the city hall and the Ladies' Aid Society formed. Rev. Chas. H. Still- well, pastor of the First Baptist church, was made president; Mrs. Geo. P. Burnett, Mrs. M. H. Graves, Mrs. N. J. Bayard, and Mrs. Booten, vice-presidents; and Rev. James W. Hinton, pastor of the First Methodist church, secretary and treasurer. Among the members were the follow- ing:
Mrs. Dr. Anderson, Mrs. Attaway, Mrs. J. W. M. Berrien, Mrs. Robt. Battey, Miss Florida Bayard, Mrs N. J. Bayard, Mrs. Billups, Miss Mol- lie Billups, Miss Mary Billups, Mrs. A. W. Caldwell, Mrs. J. J. Cohen, Mrs. Hollis Cooley, Mrs. Wade S. Cothran, Mrs. Wm. A. Fort, Mrs. Jno. R. Free- man, Mrs. Simpson Fouche, Mrs. A. E. Graves, Miss E. W. Graves, Mrs. M. H. Graves, Mrs. Dennis Hills, Mrs. Jno. W. Hooper, Miss Malinda Har- grove, Mrs. Robt. T. Hargrove, Mrs. Hale, Mrs. A. R. Harper, Mrs. Jno. Harkins, Mrs. John Hume, Mrs. D. M. Hood, Mrs. Jesse Lamberth, Mrs. C. H. Lee, Mrs. Lilienthal, Mrs. Morris Marks, Mrs. C. W. Mills, Mrs. L. Magnus, Mrs. Morrison, Miss M. E. Murphy, Miss V. A. Murphy, Mrs. J. H. McClung, Mrs. Wm. Moore, Mrs. Wm. T. Newman, Mrs. Jas. Noble, Mrs. Reuben S. Norton, Miss Mary
W. Noble, Miss Parks, Mrs. M. A. Pearson, Mrs. C. M. Pennington, Mrs. A. G. Pitner, Mrs. Pepper, Mrs. Wm. Quinn, Mrs. Dr. Chas. Todd Quin- tard, Mrs. Wm. Ramey, Mrs. Jane Russell, Mrs. Rawls, Jr., Mrs. Rawls, Sr., Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Sanders, Mrs. A. M. Sloan, Miss Martha B. Spullock, Mrs. Samuel Stewart, Mrs. Samuel J. Stevens, Mrs. Chas. H. Stillwell, Miss Savannah E. Stillwell, Mrs. Mary Sul- livan, Mrs. Chas. H. Smith, Mrs. Jno. R. Towers, Miss Lizzie Underwood, Mrs. Jno. W. H. Underwood, Mrs. Jas. Banks Underwood, Mrs. Jos. E. Veal, Mrs. James Ware, Mrs. C. Wat- ters, Mrs. Whittesey, Mrs. Thos. J. Word, Mrs. Augustus R. Wright, Mrs. J. G. Yeiser.
This society adopted a constitution and by-laws, and the members paid $1 a year membership dues. Three wom- en in each county district solicited contributions. Mrs. Jas. Ware made some blankets that were very fine. Among things sent in were wool, socks, vegetables, red peppers, pepper sauce, tomato catsup, blackberry wine and cordial; in fact, everything of a useful nature poured into headquar- ters, and was despatched as fast as limited transportation facilities would allow. Five carloads were sent to the front and training camps before the first year closed.
Auxiliaries were formed in each district, and a Children's Aid Society came into being in September, 1861. Mrs. Easter, wife of the Episcopal rector, had charge. The children were a great help in running errands, and some of them could knit and sew. They sent many sheets, pillow cases and bandages to the Savannah hospital.
Quite a number of beautiful tab- leaux were presented at the city hall under the management of Mrs. Daniel S. Printup and Mrs. D. Mack Hood, and the sum raised was $137.70. One of the scenes showed Kentucky in chains held by Lincoln, and another Maryland prostrate, and Lincoln bend- ing over her with a sword. Twenty- four girls in homespun from Rev. Chas. W. Howard's school at Spring Bank, Bartow County, attended this tableau.
The Soldiers' Aid Association decid- ed in August, 1861, that a relief room was needed for the wounded soldiers who were coming back from the front as the excess from the crowded army hospitals. Mrs. Robt. Battey was elected president of this new organi- zation, and on Aug. 23 the "Wayside Home" was opened at the southeast
155
ACTIVITIES OF THE FOLKS AT HOME
1.30.
110*
'" frem Greenelch
D
OMINION
O
F
C AN
A
AN
OLYMPIA
/WASHINGTON!
E
· PORTLAND
. SALEM
OREGON
IDAHO
· HELENA
NORTH DAKOTA · BISMARK
MONTPELIER
.
N HAMP
CONCORD
WISCONSIN
T'VER
BOSTON
1
BUFFALO
ALBANY·
HARTFORD
I CONN .. PROVIDENCE
MADISON
LANSING
NEW YORK
OWA
PENNSYLVANIAT
TRENTON
CHICAGO
DES MOINES
OHIO
MQ
DOVER
ILLINOISE
COLUMBUS
CINCINNATIIN WEST
NA POLIS
VIRGINIA
JEFFERSON CITY
FRANKFORT CHARLESTON
.
C
MISSOURI
N
7 NORTH CAROLINA
. RALEIGH
· NASHVILLE
OKLAHOMA
TENNESSEE
ARKANSAS
MEMPHIS
SOUTH | CAROLINA COLUMBIA
· ROME
LITTLE ROCK
· ATLANTA
--
L.
MONTGOMERY
JACKSON
ATLANTIC
E
· AUSTIN
ORNEW ORLEANS
X
RAND MCNALLY & CO.'S OUTLINE MAP OF THE UNITED STATES.
· SAN ANTONIO
-
C
GULF
OF
MEXICO
AMERICAN SERIES. Rand McNally & Co., Engravers and Publishers 530-800 South Ciach Strast. Chicage
0
SCALE OF STATUTE MILER
LY
73.
-
Lingiride Wrat 93 fromr || @wirt
MISSISSIPPI
ALABAMA
GEORGIA
· DALLAS
LOUISIANA
BATON ROUGE
. TALLAHASSEE 4
JACKSONVILLE
PACIF
A
· SANTE FE
ARIZONA
NEW
.GUTHRIE
. PHOENIX
MEXICO
LINCOLN.
UTAH
· DENVER
SPRINGFIELD
INDIANA
· INDIANAPOLIS
..
SALT LAKE CITY
CHEYENNE
NEBRASKA
· CARSON CITY
SACRAMENTO
SAN FRANCISCO
COLORADO
TOPEKA . KANSAS
KENTUCKY
RICHMOND
VIRGINIA
OCEAN
RNÍA
A
.2 DETROIT
NEW YORK
MASS
n
WYOMING
9
MINNESOTA
MAINE
AUGUSTA
· BOISE
SOUTH DAKOTA . PIERRE
MI
· BUTTE
MONTANA
SEATTLE
A
0
FLORIDA
TEXAS
HARRISBURG . PHILADELPHIA
NEVADA
156
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
corner of Broad Street and First Ave- nue, opposite the Hamilton-Shorter block, and quite convenient to the Rome railroad station, just across the street. Drs. T. J. Word and J. M. Gregory had charge as managers, and the committee on arrangements was made up of Col. Wade S. Cothran, J. M. Elliott, Robt. T. Hargrove, C. W. Mills and Daniel R. Mitchell. The women's committees follow: Mrs. Fort, Mrs. Rawls and Mrs. Bayard for Monday; Mrs. Battey, Mrs. Sloan and Mrs. Yeiser, Tuesday; Mrs. Noble, Mrs. Marks, and Mrs. Hargrove, Wed- nesday; Mrs. Mills, Mrs. Hills and Mrs. Stillwell, Thursday; Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Hooper and Mrs. McClung, Fri- day; Mrs. Towers, Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. Russell, Saturday; Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Rawls, Sr., Mrs. Ramey, Mrs.
Lilienthal and Mrs. Cohen, Sunday.
A great deal of medicine, bandages and everything needed in a first-aid station, including considerable cloth- ing, was put at the Wayside Home for the use of doctors and committees, and quite a number of sick and wounded soldiers were served satisfactorily. Presently came a sick soldier who was little more than a boy, named Wil-
MARTHA BALDWIN SMITH, 18, just after her marriage in 1849 to Dr. Robt. Battey. She died Sunday, Feb. 5, 1922, aged 91.
liam Lynch, of Louisiana. During the days before a complete diagnosis could be made by Dr. Word, the lad was at- tended by Mesdames Smith, Harper, Stewart, Underwood, Spullock, Cooley, Harkins, Stillwell, Hale, Rawls, Sr., Lilienthal, Cothran, A. E. Graves, At- taway, Norton, Sanders, Moore and Quinn. After a week, Dr. Word said it was smallpox. That was Tuesday. Necessarily there was a great deal of alarm. The women were isolated at once; everybody was afraid to go near them.
On Tuesday afternoon Mrs. Battey went to the room, having heard the news. She was warned by Dr. Greg- ory that a smallpox patient was on the inside, but she insisted on going in, and there she found the lad crying. She told him not to be troubled, that he would be cared for. Having en- countered the advanced stages, Mrs. Battey was requested to keep company with herself. Three or four days later she took sick, and she says the only person in town who was brave enough to come to her relief was Col. W. A. Fort. Col. Fort treated her for a se- vere cold and she was up again pres- ently.
When Mrs. Battey fell ill, William Howe volunteered to take charge of William Lynch. Here is an extract from a letter written by Mr. Howe from the sick room:
"Thinking that the public would like to hear what is going on in this dreaded chamber of disease, I feel a desire to gratify it. My friends may think that time rolls heavily with me, but such is not the case. However, the room is under martial law and I am monarch of all I survey. His Honor the Mayor (Dr. Thos. J. Word) has created me military dictator.
"I have two patients to nurse, two of the most patient, gentle sufferers that were ever afflicted. I really love them. The boy who has smallpox is Wm. Lynch, who is only 17 years old and has been in six battles. He had been discharged on account of feeble- ness caused from a long spell of ty- phoid fever, and was on the way to his home in Louisiana when he took smallpox here. The boy soldier will yet be a man if careful nursing on my part and the skill of the doctor can save him.
"God bless our women! Here their true worth is felt. Every comfort, ev- ery appliance to the wants of the sick is within my reach; and when I have occasion for a clean pillow slip, sheet
157
ACTIVITIES OF THE FOLKS AT HOME
or towel, the closet is crammed full of them, and I involuntarily exclaim, 'God bless them!'
"I can not close this letter without furnishing a grateful acknowledgment to Col. Pennington, His Honor the Mayor, Dr. Gregory, Mrs. Wm. A. Fort, Mrs. Dr. Battey, Mrs. Dr. Un- derwood and Mrs. Omberg."
The plight of the women and their sense of duty is expressed in - the following card to The Courier :
While we all lament the existence of this horrible war, shall we leave our brave defenders to suffer alone? Shall we not bravely endure our portion of the toil and danger? Oh, yes; let us not shrink from the duty that lies before us; and while we make use of every precaution for the safety of our families, go steadily forward trusting in God, thankful that we have only disease to contend with and have been spared the barbarous treatment which our bloody and deceitful enemies have inflicted on other parts of our country. It sometimes happens that those who flee are the first to perish, while God protects the faithful.
As the Mayor of the City has taken charge of the Soldiers' Relief room, no more appointments will be made by the committee of ladies, who will now withdraw until again called upon by the gentlemen to perform their duties.
The boy recovered ; two negroes contracted the disease from him, and one of them died. He soon left for his home, his heart grate- ful to the kindly Romans. As if echoing the prophetic words of Mr. Howe, he used to lie on his cot and repeat, "Once a man, twice a child !"
Mrs. Reynolds continues :
The doors of the Wayside Home were never opened again, and the con- tents were burned to prevent a spread of the disease. What the destruction of all this meant to those whose fin- gers had worked so ceaselessly to make it can scarcely be imagined. For sev- eral months the women contributed as individuals. An earlier donation by Mrs. Thos. J. Perry will give an idea of the extent: 1 quilt, 10 pairs of woolen socks, 10 of cotton drawers, 1 of suspenders, 2 of gloves, 3 towels, 2 pillow cases, 3 nubias, 1 bundle of bandages, 6 cakes of salve, 8 of soap, 1 bottle of black pepper, 1 bunch of
red pepper, 1 bundle of sage, and 6 candles. In addition to the societies mentioned the St. Peter's Hospital As- sociation (of the Episcopal church) had been organized by Dr. Easter, and it sent forward a vast amount of hos- pital supplies. Prominent in the or- ganization were Mrs. Jos. E. Veal, Mrs. Geo. R. Ward, Mrs. Jno. W. Noble, Miss Mary W. Noble and Miss Palmer.
On February 16, 1862, Fort Donel- son, Mississippi River, fell after a ter- rible battle, and hospitals in the South, already well filled, were taxed be- yond their capacities. This fact sug- gested that Rome open hospitals. The first was on Broad Street between Fourth Avenue and the old city hall, at Fifth; Dr. Fox had charge, and the matrons were Mrs. Reeves and Mrs. Merck. Several hundred injured were taken into Rome residences, but these were removed when the churches were converted into places of operation, treatment and convalescence.
A hospital association was formed at the court house with Mrs. Nicholas J. Bayard president and Mrs. Wm. A. Fort secretary and treasurer. As usual, the entire county was canvass- ed for members and supplies. Mrs. J. G. Yeiser received much praise for her tireless efforts with the sick and the wounded. Part of the time of the women was spent cutting ban-
MRS. ALFRED SHORTER, from an old minia- ture in the possession of Mrs. Waller T. Turnbull.
158
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
dages out of old sheets and the like, and in combing old table cloths for lint. Dr. Robt. Battey was in charge of the hospitals at this time .* Gradually the Northern army came closer to Rome, and the hospitals were moved to Macon
and elsewhere farther south .**
Again, in 1867, we see our noble women rally with grateful and loving hearts in a tribute to their dead. The "Ladies' Memorial Association" was or- ganized with Mrs. N. J. Bayard as its first president; Mrs. D. Mack Hood was the second president, Mrs. Thos. W. Alexander the third, until her death; and then Mrs. Henry A. Smith-all kept bright like burning incense the deeds of our beloved broth- ers, scattered posies and twined the evergreen where our heroes lie. The Daughters of the Confederacy must not let such efforts go unsung. As long as time lasts we will weave gar- lands of myrtle and ivy for their head- stones, and moisten their graves with our tears.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.