Page:The Story of Aunt Becky's Army-Life .djvu/135

Rh We worked and wrought, till the regularity of clock-work governed all the movements in the hospital. We were divided into three divisions, and a cook-house attached to each. Mrs. Hazen was in charge of that belonging to the Christian Commission, and I in charge of the Sanitary, to cook for the sick and wounded. The men cooked for the convalescents.

In my eagerness to improve the most of my time for the benefit of the sick, I drew largely upon the stores, and some in charge fearing that the supply on their own tables might fall short too soon, began to complain, and I left, to the sorrow of the boys and the delight of the agents.

After that, when I desired anything for the sick it came hard indeed.

We had a printing-press, and as everything had to be procured by order, and as every kind of handicraft known to the arts of peace had representatives in our army, a sergeant from the Fourteenth Heavy Artillery issued orders from the office daily, and with them sanitary stores and diet rations were procured.

We had to cut just the same length of red tape, if a man lay dying for the need of a pin's worth. It was necessary to systematize the arrangements, and necessary that every one should conform to the regulations; but my impetuous nature would vent itself now and then, when sick men moaned, and the desired article was going through the slow process of the rules.

We had a laundry established by the river-side,