Monday, August 26, 2013
Surgeons's Report
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Amount of Contributions
Sunday, January 8, 2012
There are forty-five sick . . .
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Aid For Iowa Soldiers
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Card Of Thanks
Friday, May 14, 2010
Mrs. Wittenmyer at Work
She earnestly appeals to the Ladies of Iowa to prepare and forward supplies for the suffering volunteers with all possible Dispatch.
– Published in The Gate City, Keokuk, Iowa, Thursday, April 17, 1862
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Annie Turner Wittenmyer
SOURCE: Benjamin F. Gue, History of Iowa, Volume IV: Iowa Biography, p. 292-3
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Mrs. Harlan . . .
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, April 28, 1862, p. 1
Thursday, August 6, 2009
To The Soldiers Aid Societies Of Iowa
You have done nobly – have contributed your full share of hospital supplies and comforts; no hospitals in the service have been so well provided for as those of our Iowa regiments, but our regimental hospitals have been broken up, and our sick and wounded are being placed in post hospitals, many of them unprovided for and our efforts must be in proportion to the demand upon us.
This battle will be followed by a vast amount of sickness, owing to the hardships attending the battle, and the exposure consequent upon a heavy fall of rain for several consecutive days since its occurrence. Another battle is imminent; if the Confederates do not attack our forces, an advance will doubtless very soon be made upon Corinth. Let us be prepared for the result however fearful it may be.
I arrived here immediately after the battle with about $5,000 dollars worth of your hospital goods. Some generous friends in Cairo supplied me with butter and oysters, and have since sent me a heavy shipment of ice, so that I have had the means to accomplish a vast amount of good, and I have done all that I could do. Since my arrival here I have worked almost day and night, distributing goods, making soap, and doing what I could for the comfort of our wounded, but my resources will very soon be exhausted.
Most of the wounded will be removed to the loyal States, but in view of the number of sick likely to accumulate here – the large number of wounded at Savannah, nine miles below here, and the battle in anticipation, I would advised that a heavy lot of goods similar in character to those you have been accustomed to furnish be at once prepared and sent to me, “care of Partrage & Co., St. Louis, Mo.,” who will forward them to me immediately as I may direct. Send a bill of contents to Miss Lou Knowles, Keokuk, Iowa, and place another bill in the box. Mark “Hospital Stores” on the outside of the box, and also the name of the place from whence they come. Address me “Cairo, Ill.,” as my mail is forwarded from that point. I will make a full report to you as soon as possible.
I am, very respectfully yours. &c.,
ANNIE WITENMYER
Cor. Sec. and Gen’l Agent S. A. Society.
Pittsburg Landing, April 12th, 1862
Papers throughout the State please copy.
– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 26, 1862, p. 2
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Mrs. Wittenmyer at Work
She earnestly appeals to the Ladies of Iowa to prepare and forward supplies for the suffering volunteers with all possible dispatch – {Gate.
– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Interesting Letter from Cairo
CAIRO, Ill., April 6th, 1862
Allow me, through the medium of your paper, to inform the ladies of your section who are sending their hospital supplies to me, that I am receiving a large amount of supplies and disbursing them to the best of my abilities.
The hospital of the 1st Iowa Cavalry no at Sedalia is very comfortable and fully supplied. The wants of our sick and wounded down in Arkansas have been met and permanent arrangements made for their comfort in future, and I am now on my way to Pittsburg and Savannah with a heavy lot of hospital supplies to meet the wants of our sick up the Tennessee River.
We have now at Pittsburg Landing eleven regiments, viz: the 2d, 3d, 6th, 7th, 8th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th.
Nearly all the Regimental Hospitals have been broken up and our sick are now quartered in miserable Post Hospitals at Savannah or on Hospital Steamers lying at Pittsburg, nine miles above.
There is a vast array at Pittsburg, nearly two hundred thousand including Buell’s forces, where are now mostly there, and the sick are numbered by thousands.
The provisions made for their comfort are very limited and the supplies of hospital comforts are altogether insufficient. Their food is of an inferior quality; they being subsisted mainly on dry bread and coffee, and their bread is oftentimes hard and mouldy.
This state of things exists partly on account of an inability to procure suitable articles of food in that barren and hostile country, but mainly on account of the inefficiency and heartlessness of those having charge of them.
All their crackers have to be obtained at Cairo or St. Louis, and oftentimes there is great neglect manifested.
Fresh butter, eggs, soda crackers, and fruits are very desirable for the convalescent patients, but they cannot be obtained in that section, and little effort is made to procure them elsewhere.
There is a great lack of Surgeons and Nurses, and many of our men die for want of attention.
Goods for the present may be directed to me at this place, care of Dr. Douglass, who will promptly forward them to me.
Letters may be addressed to me at Cairo.
The goods I now have on hand, will meet their wants for the present unless a battle occurs, which is now imminent. The struggle will no doubt be a most terrible one, and we ought to be fully prepared for it.
Very truly yours,
ANNIE WITTENMYER,
Cor. Sec’y. and Gen’l. Ag’t. S.A.S.
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The Sick and Wounded
Cairo, Ill., April 6th, 1862
Editor Burlington Hawk-Eye:
Allow me through the columns of your paper to inform the ladies of Burlington and vicinity, who are sending their hospital supplies to me, that I am in receipt of a large amount of goods from that section, which I will duly acknowledge as soon as possible.
I would also inform them that the hospital of the First Iowa Cavalry, now at Sedalia, is fully supplied, and that the wants of our sick and wounded down in Arkansas have been met, and permanent arrangements made for their future comfort, and the sick in this section are now being provided for, here and up the Tennessee river.
Eleven of our Iowa Regiments are at Pittsburg Landing, viz.: 2d, 3d, 6th, 7th, 8th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th.
Most of our regimental hospitals have been broken up and our sick quartered in miserable post hospitals, which I found destitute of almost every comfort, but I am now on my way up to Pittsburg with a very heavy lot of hospital supplies, which will in some measure meet this urgent demand, unless a battle should occur, which is considered imminent.
Our sick are suffering most for want of wholesome, nourishing food, being subsisted mainly on dry bread and coffee – the bread often times mouldy, and the coffee without cream or milk.
This state of things exist partly on account of the inefficiency and heartlessness of those having them in charge, and partly on account of their inability to procure suitable articles of food in that barren and hostile section of country.
All their edibles are shipped from Cairo and St. Louis, and very little attention is paid to securing suitable food or medicines, for the sick, and often great carelessness is manifest.
There are scores of men now in hospital who will languish and die unless some special effort is made in the way of procuring for them suitable food and attention.
Fresh butter, eggs, soda crackers, fruit, dried or canned, are all very desirable articles of food for convalescent patients.
Butter is not to be obtained at any price – fruit cannot be procured, and eggs are very scarce and have been selling at 40 cents per dozen.
I hope the ladies of your section will send me immediately a large supply of these articles. They will direct their goods to me, “Cairo, Illinois, care of Dr. Douglass,” who will forward them to me promptly, and I will give my personal attention to their distribution.
Those wishing to reach me by letter will address me, Cairo, Ill.
Respectfully yours, &c.,
Annie Wittenmyer
Cor. Sec. and Gen’l Agent S. A. S.
– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Thursday, April 10, 1862