President Abraham Lincoln wanted a complete and comfortable hospital as possible built near the steamboat landing in Washington, D.C. After Armory Square Hospital was constructed, Lincoln kept a constant interest in the care of sick and wounded soldiers.Lincoln often visited Armory Square Hospital and Amanda Akin saw him there as he made the rounds of beds, warmly shaking hands and inquiring about wounds. She also shook Lincoln's hand on more than one occasion in the White House.Another frequent visitor to Armory Square with whom she was less impressed was Walt Whitman. She thought him odd and that his writings on things such as "free love" queer. Nevertheless, she quotes from Whitman in this book, as he had also worked in the hospitals during the war.Front-line letters and diaries of the Civil War bring an immediacy to a long-ago event and connect us to these everyday men and women who lived it. Included in this volume are letters to Akin's sisters and excerpts from her diary. Her great warmth and caring for the boys coming through her ward comes through in her writing and she includes many interesting notes about wartime Washington.

Excerpt from The Lady Nurse of Ward E Perhaps it is not known to many that the Armory Square Hospital was constructed through the desire of President Lincoln to have one as complete and comfortable as could be devised, near the steamboat land ing. In 1862 he called D. Willard Bliss, Surgeon, United States Volun teers, from a Michigan regiment, to organize a system of general hos pitals in and about Washington. One result of his coming was the speedy erection of this one, on Govern ment land, about the Armory, oppo site the Smithsonian grounds. All of Dr. Bliss's far-seeing suggestions and ingenious, though simple, ar rangements to aid in caring for the sick and wounded were discussed weekly with the President. So later the hospital came to be considered. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1909 edition. Excerpt: ...Lane and two young ladies called and they were extremely pleasant and sociable. They invited me to accompany them to one of Speaker Colfax's receptions next Friday evening. "Nourlinger," another of last summer's patients, left to-day on furlough. Miss Francis (niece of Lydia Maria Child) arrived last night to take Miss Felton's place, who leaves on Monday. Enjoyed a good practice in my own ward and some good music in Ward lA. Sister Griggs and a friend who brought in his flute gave us some very nice duets. January 24, 1864. Being a fine spring day to-day, Sister Griggs and I took advantage of it and went to Dr. Pyne's church. I was quite interested in the venerable structure, etc., but returned very much fatigued, the walk being over two miles, and having partaken of a very light breakfast indulged myself in a refreshing sleep after dinner, finding myself sufficiently exhausted in body to be able to do so, though regretted to lose Dr. Sunderland's address, who was invited to assist in our religious services to-day. Wrote a letter to Sister Cornelia. Went to Ward I with Miss Platt, as the "Glee Club" were expected to sing, it being Miss Felton's last evening here, where we found Professor Henry and lady; but they sang only a short time, being invited to sing in the Baptist church by Mrs. Green, who assists us so often with her alto. At "Taps" we gathered in the parlor of our "Chateau" in honor of Miss Felton's departure. Partook of coffee, cake, etc., and made as much noise as ten ladies could conveniently without any tin pans or broomsticks. Valedictory speeches abounded, and having found that one had retired quietly, declining to be present, she was immediately brought before the appreciative...