About a hundred convalescents were taken outside today to be
sent away to our lines the officials told us. At a later hour the commander
came inside and said he wanted twelve men to fall into line and they did so,
myself being one of the twelve; he proceeded to glance us over and on looking'
at me said: “Step back out of the ranks, I want only able bodied men.” I
stepped down and out considerably chagrinned, as the general impression was
that they were to go to our lines with the convalescents who had been taken
outside before. He marched off the twelve men and it then leaked out that they
were to be sent to some prison to be held as hostages until the end of the war.
Then I felt better. It is said all the sick will be taken outside as soon as
they get quarters fixed up to accommodate them. Think that I shall resign my
position as nurse. Would rather stay with the “boys.” Land is no longer with
the sick but has been turned into the rank and file, also Dakin. Bakin, Rowe
and Land are all together, and if the sick are taken outside I shall join my
old comrades and mess with them. But few die now; quite a number died from the
removal, but now all seem to be on the mend. I am called, contrary to my
expectations, a good nurse; certainly have pity for the poor unfortunates, but
lack the strength to take care of them. It needs good strong men to act as
nurses.
SOURCE: John L. Ransom, Andersonville Diary, p.
111
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