Am expecting soon to
go to Huntsville, Alabama, as hospital nurse. Should have gone four days since,
had not Gen Sherman closed the way against everybody and everything except
soldiers, rations, gunpowder and pontoon bridges. The road has been crowded
with those for a week past. A great battle is expected to come off very soon,
some where at the front. The Government has been pressing horses of every
description into the service to-day. The streets have been crowded with teams
marked "United States Transfer," those of "Q. M. D." and
ammunition wagons.
This evening 600
horses have gone past our door, en route for the front, where
they are to act as scouts, I understand not the horses, though, I believe, but
their riders.
General Sherman,
himself, left for the front to-day noon. During this time of waiting for a
pass, rather than remain idle, and also for the purpose of picking up some
grains of knowledge with regard to the "capacity" of the colored race—which
I believe a wealthy man said he would buy for his daughter if she was'nt
supplied with the article—I volunteered my services yesterday, as teacher in
Mr. Brown's school. This is held in the body of the colored peoples' church,
near the Chattanooga depot; Mr. B. is from Hamilton, Ohio, and is the pioneer
here, in this work. There are some 400 pupils and five teachers, all in one
room. I supposed they were having recess when I entered, but found that it was
impossible to prevent them from studying aloud. It seems it is practiced in the
schools of white children here, and the great number in this one room,
prevented such discipline as otherwise would have been secured.
SOURCE: Elvira J.
Powers, Hospital Pencillings: Being a Diary While in Jefferson General
Hospital, Jeffersonville, Ind., and Others at Nashville, Tennessee, as Matron
and Visitor, p. 61
