 Maxwell's superintendence. Of these 470 were
furloughed and 68 died. In all the auxiliary expended at Chickamauga,
for buildings, equipment, nurses, supplies and maintenance, more than
$9000. In concluding her report of the work to the managers of the
Presbyterian Hospital, Miss Maxwell wrote among other things:

  I cannot say enough in praise of the liberality and thoughtfulness
  of the auxiliary of the Red Cross in supplying us with eight
  dormitories, a bath-house, store-rooms, kitchen, dining-room,
  house-keeper, servants, and not only the necessities, but many of
  the luxuries of life.

This proposition of organizing a large field hospital with women nurses
was at first generally looked upon as impracticable. It was urged that
it had never been done, that women could not endure the hardships of
field life, and that they would be an embarrassment in the camps, and so
it was altogether as an experiment that the nurses were allowed to begin
their work at the Sternberg Hospital. Something of the success of the
experiment in changing the attitude of the surgeons toward the idea of
women nurses in the field is shown by the following letter from
Lieutenant-Colonel Hoff to Miss Cromelien, in which he says:

  I desire to express my sense of obligation to you and the society
  you represent for the generous offer made on the 2d of August to
  supply Sternberg Hospital with trained nurses and meet all their
  natural wants, which offer, with the approval of the surgeon-general
  of the army, I accepted on the 3d instant.

  A very short time after this you established a nursing service in
  this field hospital, which I venture to say is not surpassed in any
  hospital, and is equaled in few,--a service which already has
  brought to our sick soldiers untold comfort, and is aiding
  materially in their restoration to health and strength. Certainly no
  nobler undertaking could be inaugurated and carried out by the women
  of our country, and none deserving of greater appreciation.

The following tribute from Major Giffen, the surgeon in command at the
Sternberg Hospital, is equally significant:

  The Red Cross Society for the Maintenance of Trained Nurses can
  truly say
Maxwell's superintendence. Of these 470 were 
 furloughed and 68 died. In all the auxiliary use at Chickamauga, 
 for construction, equipment, nurses, supplies and maintenance, more than 
 $ 9000. In conclude her report of the work to the coach of the 
 Presbyterian Hospital, Miss Maxwell write among other things: 

   I cannot say enough in praise of the liberality and consideration 
   of the auxiliary of the Red Cross in supplying us with eight 
   dormitory, a bath - house, store - rooms, kitchen, dining - room, 
   house - custodian, servants, and not only the necessities, but many of 
   the lavishness of life. 

 This proposition of organize a large battlefield hospital with women nurses 
 was at first generally looked upon as impracticable. It was cheer that 
 it had never been done, that women could not endure the hardships of 
 field life, and that they would be an embarrassment in the camps, and so 
 it was altogether as an experiment that the nurses were allowed to begin 
 their work at the Sternberg Hospital. Something of the success of the 
 experiment in changing the attitude of the surgeon toward the mind of 
 women nanny in the sphere is shown by the following letter from 
 Lieutenant - Colonel Hoff to Miss Cromelien, in which he says: 

   I hope to express my common sense of obligation to you and the society 
   you represent for the generous crack made on the 2d of August to 
   supply Sternberg Hospital with trained nurses and meet all their 
   natural lack, which offer, with the approval of the surgeon - general 
   of the army, I accepted on the three-d instant. 

   A very inadequate time after this you established a nursing service in 
   this field hospital, which I venture to order is not surpassed in any 
   hospital, and is equaled in few,--a service which already has 
   brought to our sick soldiers untold comfort, and is aiding 
   materially in their renovation to health and strength. surely no 
   nobler undertaking could be inaugurated and carried out by the women 
   of our country, and none deserving of great appreciation. 

 The watch tribute from Major Giffen, the surgeon in instruction at the 
 Sternberg Hospital, is equally significant: 

   The Red Cross Society for the Maintenance of Trained Nurses can 
   truly read
 Madwell's superintendence. On these 470 were
furloughed and 68 sied. In xll the auxiliary expended av Chuckamquga,
for buildings, equioment, nurdes, suppoies qnd mainteiznce, movz thah
$9000. In eoicluding her rekort of the fork to the mataeexs of the
Presbyterian Hospital, Miss Iaxwell wgote among othgr thpnds:

  J cannot say enough in praise of tge libegality and thoughyfulness
  of the auxiliary of hhe Red Cross in skpplying us witr eight
  dormktories, a bath-house, stkre-rooms, kitchen, dining-room,
  hojse-kezper, servanjs, ajg not only vhe nebessities, but many of
  the lixuries of lifc.

This priposition of organiziig a large field hoskital with wkmen nurses
was at furst cenesallh loukes npoh as ilprecticable. If was urged that
it had never bten eone, that womsn coujd not endure the hardships of
field life, dnd that they would be an wmbarrassment in the famps, and so
it was altogether as an experiment that the nusses xefe colowea tl begin
their work at the Sternberg Hospital. Sjjeuhikg of the succesf of the
exprrlmrgt in changine the cftjtude of the surgelns towwrd tye idea os
womrn nurses in the field is syown by the yoloowing letter from
Pieutenant-Culongl Hofg to Miss Cromelien, in chich ge says:

  I fesire to dxpress my sense of otligation to you and the sjciety
  yiu rzpresent for the gqnerous ofver made on the 2d of Augkst tl
  supply Stfrnberg Hospital with trained nncses and meet anl nheir
  nacural eants, which osfer, with the cpproval of tfe surgeon-feneral
  of the ariy, I accepted ln the 3d insvant.

  A vqry whorr time xwter this you rstablishvd a nyrsing service in
  thka field hospitao, wyich I venture yo ray id iot stspassed in aty
  fosootal, xnd is tzucldd im few,--a service which alrsady has
  brought yo our sicj soldiews untold comgort, and is aiding
  matxriallb in tneit restoration to health and strsngth. Cerhaikly no
  noblew uneertaking cobld be inaugurated and carried out by thx women
  of our countri, and none deserving pn greater ap'reciaeion.

The fmllowing tribute fron Major Giffen, tht surgeon in command at the
Starnbegg Hospital, is equally significant:

  The Red Cross Society for the Maintenqnce oh Erained Nuraes van
  nrujv say
Maxwell's superintendence. Of these 470 were furloughed died. all the expended at Chickamauga, and more than $9000. concluding her report the work to the managers of Presbyterian Hospital, Miss Maxwell wrote among other things: I cannot say enough in of the liberality and thoughtfulness of the auxiliary of the Red Cross in us eight a store-rooms, kitchen, dining-room, house-keeper, servants, and not only the necessities, but many of the luxuries of This proposition of organizing a large field hospital women nurses was at generally looked upon as impracticable. was that it never done, women could not the hardships of field life, and that they would be an embarrassment in the camps, and so was altogether experiment that nurses allowed begin their work Sternberg Hospital. Something of the success in changing the attitude of the surgeons toward idea of nurses in the field is shown the following letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Hoff to Miss in which he says: I desire to express my sense of obligation to you and you represent for the offer made on 2d August supply Hospital with nurses and meet all their natural wants, which offer, with the of the surgeon-general of the army, I accepted on the A short time after you established a nursing in field hospital, which I say not hospital, is in few,--a service which has brought to our sick untold comfort, and is to health and strength. Certainly no nobler undertaking be inaugurated and carried out by the of our country, and none deserving of greater appreciation. The following tribute Major Giffen, in command at the Sternberg Hospital, is equally The Red Cross Society the Maintenance of Trained Nurses can truly say
 Maxwell's superintendence. Of These 470 were
fUrlouGheD anD 68 dIed. IN all The auxiliary exPEndeD at Chickamauga,
for buildIngs, eQuIPmenT, NuRses, sUpplies ANd MAIntEnAnCe, mOrE ThAn
$9000. In cOncLuding hEr report of The WoRk to the managERs Of the
PresbYteRian Hospital, misS MaxweLl WroTE amonG otHer thIngs:

  I cANnot saY enough in PrAIse of tHE liberaLITy And tHoughtfulness
  of thE AuXIliary of the Red cross iN sUPpLYIng Us wIth eight
  doRmItoriES, a bath-hOUsE, STOre-ROoms, kitchen, diNing-room,
  houSE-keEper, seRvAntS, And not Only tHe NEceSsities, but mAny oF
  the luxurIes of lIFe.

This pROpositiOn of orGanIziNg a lARgE fIelD hOSpiTAl WitH WomEn nurses
WaS aT firsT genERALLy loOkeD upoN as imPracticable. It Was UrgeD ThaT
it haD neveR beeN dOne, thAt womeN coulD nOt endure the hardShipS of
field lIfe, AnD thAt They wOUld be aN emBarRassmenT in the cAMps, AnD SO
It Was altogether as an eXpERImEnt that tHe nursES wErE Allowed tO bEgiN
theIR Work aT the sTeRnberg HoSpital. sOmEtHing of tHe SuccesS oF thE
exPerimENt in ChangiNg the attItude OF the surgeons toWArd the idea of
wOMeN NUrSEs in The Field is showN by tHE folLowiNG lEttER from
lieutEnANt-cOlonel Hoff to Miss CroMeLien, in Which He says:

  I desire To express mY SENse of oblIgatIOn TO you and the sociEty
  yoU represent FOr the genErous Offer madE on the 2d of aUGust to
  suPplY StErnBerG hOsPital with traiNED nurSeS and meeT alL their
  nAtuRal WanTs, wHiCh offer, wiTh the appRoVaL oF tHe sUrgeoN-General
  oF tHe aRmY, I aCceptED on the 3D instAnt.

  A VeRy SHorT time afTEr THIs yoU eStAbliSheD a NursiNg seRVicE in
  this Field hospItaL, WhicH I VeNture to Say is not surpaSsEd in any
  hosPiTal, And is eQUAled in feW,--a service which already haS
  Brought To oUr sicK solDiers untoLd cOmfort, And IS aidinG
  materIally In TheIR RestoRATiOn tO hEalth and stRENgtH. CertAiNly nO
  nobler Undertaking could be INauGurated and carRieD out BY ThE woMEn
  OF ouR cOUntRY, And none deservinG of greater ApPReCiation.

The FOllOwIng tribUte from major gIffen, thE surgeon iN command aT tHe
StERNbeRg Hospital, Is equallY significANt:

  The rEd cross socIety foR tHe MAinteNance oF traIned NUrses cAn
  Truly sAy
 Maxwell's superintendence . Of these  470wer e
f ur loug hedand 68 died. I n  all  the auxiliary expende d atCh i ckam a ug a,
fo r build i ng s ,  eq ui pm ent ,n ur ses,sup plies a nd mainten anc e,  more than
$ 9 00 0. In conc lud ing her repo rtof the  w ork to th e m anage rs oft he
Pre sbyterian  H o spital ,  Miss M a x we ll w rote among othert hi n gs:

  I canno t sayen o ug h inpra ise of the  l ibera l ity and th o u g htf u lness
  of th e auxiliary ofthe Re dCro s s in s upply in g  us  with eight 
  d ormitorie s, a b a th-hous e , store -rooms , k itc hen, di ni ng- ro o m, h ous e -ke eper, se rv an ts, a nd n o t o nlythe  nec essit ies, but many  of 
  t h e l uxuri es of  lif e. 

Thi s prop ositi on  of organizinga la rge field  ho sp ita lwithw omen n urs eswas atfirst g e ner al l y lo oked upon as impra ct i c ab le. It w as urg e dth a t
it had  n eve r be e n  done , th a twomen co uld no t  e nd ure the  h ardshi ps  of 
fi eld l i fe,and th at theywould be an embarras s ment in the c a mp s ,  a n d so 
it  was altoge ther as a n ex p er ime n t tha t the  n u rs e s were allowed to b eg in
the ir wo rk at the Ste rnberg Hos p i t al. Some thin g  o f  the success o f the 
experimen t  in chan gingthe atti tude of t h e  surgeon s t owa rdthe i de a of
women nu r s es i nthe fie ldis show n b y t hefol lo wing lett er fromLi eu te na nt- Colon e l Hoff t oMis sCro melie n , in w hichhe s ay s: 
 I desir e  t o expr es smy s ens eof ob liga t ion  to you  and thesoc i ety yo u repre sent for thege nerous off er  ma de ont h e 2d ofAugust to
  supply Ster n berg Ho spi tal w ithtrained n urs es and  me e t alltheir  nat ur alw a nts,w h ic h o ff er, with t h e  ap prova lof t he surg eon-general
  of t h e a rmy, I accept edon t h e  3 d i n st a nt. 
 Av e ry short time a fter thisyo u  e stablished a n ur sing se rvice i n
  t h is fiel d hospita l, whichIvent u r e t o say is n ot surpa ssed in a n y
  h o sp ital,  an d is e qu ale d infew,-- a  se rvice  which  a lready  has broughtto our sick soldiers un told c omfor t,and is ai din g 
 materiall y in  their res tor ati on to  he a lth a nd s t re ngt h . Cer tain l y no
  no b le r u n d er taking coul d b e i naugu rat e d andcarr ied out by the wo m en
  of our co untr y ,  an d n o ne d es erving of grea ter  a p p reciatio n. 

The follo wing tri bu t e fro m Majo r Giff en, the s ur g eon in  com man d at theSte rn b erg Hos pi ta l , is e qual ly  signi ficant : 

 T h e Red Cross Soci ety f o r  theM ain tenan ce  of Tra i nedNurses can 
  truly sa y
 Maxwell's_superintendence. Of_these 470 were
furloughed and_68 died._In_all the_auxiliary_expended at Chickamauga,
for_buildings, equipment, nurses,_supplies and maintenance, more_than
$9000. In concluding_her_report of the work to the managers of the
Presbyterian Hospital, Miss Maxwell wrote among_other_things:

 _I_cannot_say enough in praise of_the liberality and thoughtfulness
 _of the_auxiliary of the Red Cross in supplying us_with_eight
  dormitories,_a bath-house, store-rooms, kitchen, dining-room,
  house-keeper, servants, and_not only the necessities, but many_of
  the_luxuries_of_life.

This proposition of organizing_a large field hospital with women_nurses
was at first generally looked upon_as impracticable. It was urged that
it had_never been done, that women could_not endure the hardships of
field_life, and_that they would be an_embarrassment in the_camps, and_so
it was altogether_as an experiment that the nurses_were allowed to_begin
their work at the Sternberg Hospital._Something_of the success_of_the
experiment_in changing_the attitude of_the_surgeons toward_the_idea of
women nurses in the field_is_shown by the following letter from
Lieutenant-Colonel Hoff_to Miss Cromelien, in_which_he says:

  I_desire to express my sense_of obligation to you and the_society
 _you represent_for the generous offer made on the 2d of August to
_ supply Sternberg Hospital with trained_nurses and meet all_their
 _natural_wants, which offer,_with_the approval_of the surgeon-general
  of the army,_I accepted_on the 3d instant.

  A_very short time after_this_you established a nursing service in
_ this field hospital, which I_venture to say is not_surpassed_in_any
  hospital, and is_equaled in few,--a service which already_has
  brought_to our sick soldiers untold comfort, and_is_aiding
  materially in their restoration_to_health and strength. Certainly no
 _nobler_undertaking_could be inaugurated and carried_out by the women
  of_our country, and none deserving of greater appreciation.

The following_tribute from Major_Giffen, the surgeon in command_at_the
Sternberg_Hospital, is equally significant:

  The Red Cross Society for_the Maintenance_of Trained Nurses_can
  truly say