of the ward I had fled from. A letter had been received from Dr.
Little, of Richmond, whose name I had given as reference. The ill
behavior of the nurses having come to the knowledge of the surgeon in
charge, he at once acted with his usual promptness and decision. The
obnoxious women had already been discharged and furnished with
transportation to Mobile; the men who had aided and abetted them were
ordered to their regiments. I was urged to remain, on my own terms,
and offered a position of trust, responsibility, and honor,--my
authority to be second only to that of surgeon in charge in general
matters; in the wards, to that of the ward surgeons. Under these
circumstances I could not refuse to withdraw my resignation.

The next day the work of reorganization commenced. Then and there I
was invested with full power and authority, and received from Dr.
McAllister assurances of entire confidence and thorough co-operation,
which were accorded in the highest degree during the whole term of my
service in the Buckner Hospital, and the prestige of which gave me
great advantages in other fields of labor.

Aside from profoundest love of "the Cause," and (as I firmly believed)
the inspiration which directed my efforts to serve it, I had nothing
to offer. "With all my soul, with all my heart, with all my strength,"
I was ready to serve; but this would have availed little had not my
right to do so been officially acknowledged, had I not acquired power
to follow out the dictates of reason and heart for the benefit of my
patients.

As the organization begun at Gainesville, and the rules and
regulations then adopted, were fully perfected soon after we reached
the next "post," and remained in full force as long as the Buckner