Page:The Story of Aunt Becky's Army-Life .djvu/246

204 they had to give for the whole country, not for one State alone, and her noble soul comprehended it in full.

This miserable spirit which we saw so often displayed, which withheld from some poor soldier what would have done him worlds of good, because some other State was his birth-place—we had but little patience with it.

What could it matter in the spirit of humanity, so long as they were Union soldiers—had been fighting for its preservation, and were ill and suffering in her cause? I often thought the country ought not to be saved, just to punish such miserable specimens of humanity.

From the sanitary commission established there, we got many luxuries, and they did nobly for us, because the right men were in the right place.

I went one day to the New York Relief with an order from the head surgeon (for red tape was not cut asunder yet, if the rebellion was), and the gentleman in charge said, "Have you any New York State men under your care?"

I replied affirmatively, and he put me off with some excuse, asking me to call the third day. I did so, accompanied by the chaplain of the Twenty-seventh Michigan, fully expecting to have my requisition filled. I was suddenly dampened by the sneering remark, that "he did not believe we had any sick or needed anything; he would come up and see for himself.

He saw in the shortening of his supply of canned