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larity was the very watchword of success. After
bers of Soldiers' Aid Societies near New York were
a battle the emotions of the loyal states would take
invited to the city to meet the members of the
visible form in increased offerings of food, clothing
Central Association of Relief.
or dressings; but a wounded man needs help at
The Sanitary Fairs which began in Chicago in
the moment and not a week after the date of the
the autumn of 1863 and which were held in large
battle. It was vital that clothing and other sup-
temporary structures in Boston, Washington,
plies should be ready to send days and weeks in
Philadelphia, New York, and other cities, did much
advance to points where the government store-
to replenish the funds of the Sanitary Commission,
houses were depleted, or where a battle was ex-
and also accomplished a good work in bringing
pected.
the cities and the country districts together.
"Ladies of high social position," writes Mr. James
There were other problems of quite a different
Ford Rhodes, "took hold of these enterprises in the
nature to be discussed at these conferences. Evil
conduct of which they presented a variety of enter-
rumors were rife. Credulous people believed that
tainment, drawing a crowd willing to pay for being
the gifts which they sent to the Commission at the
amused. Phillips Brooks was active in the Phila-
cost of so much real self-denial were lost, sold,
delphia Sanitary Fair." Mr. Thatcher Adams, of
stolen or misappropriated. We see the same traits
New York, son of Dr. Wm. Adams, remembers as a
of human nature re-appearing to-day in connection
boy going night after night to the Sanitary Fair
with the Red Cross Society. The following signed
in his own city where he "noted with admiration
paragraph from a country newspaper shows how
the devoted work of the women who conducted it
vague such accusations often were. "I see you ad-
and who raised what in those times was considered
vise all the people of Chatauqua to pick, dry and
an immense sum." The treasury of the Commission
send all the berries in the county to the soldiers
was enriched by nearly three million dollars in con-
through the Sanitary Commission. This I should
sequence of these fairs.* Mrs. Richard Aldrich
have approved some months ago, but now I believe
tells us, as an illustration of the willingness of the
that the Sanitary Commission is a regular cheating
crowd to pay for novelty, that the presence of
agency." This typical story is taken from one of
Mrs. John Brown at the fairs was always a great
the reports of the Women's Association of Relief.
financial asset throngs being ready to give an en-
An old soldier is mustered out at Washington and,
trance fee in order to see the wife of so unfortunate
being too weak to return home at once, is received
a
husband ! President Lincoln was present and
temporarily into a private house. As he drops upon
made an address at the close of the fair in Washing-
a couch and attentively observes the covering
ton, and when he spoke "after careful thought,' Mr.
which is laid over his weary limbs, he is heard
Rhodes says he "spoke better than any one else."
to murmur : "It is, it is my wife's best spare-room
quilt! Miss Schuyler comments: "But whose bed-
At the beginning of the war the President had
spread was it, and in what house was it dis-
not encouraged the idea of a Sanitary Commission ;
covered? History did not supply the details.
indeed, he had regarded it as "the fifth wheel to
Lecturers were sent into the country districts to
the coach;" but now his attitude had changed and
reassure the people by explaining to them exactly
he spoke with a feeling "intense and unique."
what was being done with their contributions. The
"This extraordinary war," he said, "in which we
Sanitary Commission Bulletin was widely circu-
are engaged falls heavily upon all classes of people,
lated in the North and supplied the villages with
interesting reading, as well as with correct informa-
The Metropolitan Fair of New York was held during the
Spring of 1864 in Union Square in temporary buildings. Its
tion. Every effort was also made to create oppor-
success was largely due to Mrs. David Lane. The Sanitary
tunities for personal contact between members of
Fairs of New York and Brooklyn raised thirteen hundred
the branches and of the central association. Mem-
thousand dollars for the cause.-Stillé, p. 484.
26
27
Document source description
This item is a leaflet that contains the personal reminiscences of Mrs. Richard Aldrich (formerly Louisa Lee Schuyler) and Mrs. William B. Rice (formerly Gertrude Stevens) regarding their experiences and service with the U.S. Sanitary Commission.
Page data
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Document data
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- 24325435
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- Type
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DTO data
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"ocrText": "larity was the very watchword of success. After\nbers of Soldiers' Aid Societies near New York were\na battle the emotions of the loyal states would take\ninvited to the city to meet the members of the\nvisible form in increased offerings of food, clothing\nCentral Association of Relief.\nor dressings; but a wounded man needs help at\nThe Sanitary Fairs which began in Chicago in\nthe moment and not a week after the date of the\nthe autumn of 1863 and which were held in large\nbattle. It was vital that clothing and other sup-\ntemporary structures in Boston, Washington,\nplies should be ready to send days and weeks in\nPhiladelphia, New York, and other cities, did much\nadvance to points where the government store-\nto replenish the funds of the Sanitary Commission,\nhouses were depleted, or where a battle was ex-\nand also accomplished a good work in bringing\npected.\nthe cities and the country districts together.\n\"Ladies of high social position,\" writes Mr. James\nThere were other problems of quite a different\nFord Rhodes, \"took hold of these enterprises in the\nnature to be discussed at these conferences. Evil\nconduct of which they presented a variety of enter-\nrumors were rife. Credulous people believed that\ntainment, drawing a crowd willing to pay for being\nthe gifts which they sent to the Commission at the\namused. Phillips Brooks was active in the Phila-\ncost of so much real self-denial were lost, sold,\ndelphia Sanitary Fair.\" Mr. Thatcher Adams, of\nstolen or misappropriated. We see the same traits\nNew York, son of Dr. Wm. Adams, remembers as a\nof human nature re-appearing to-day in connection\nboy going night after night to the Sanitary Fair\nwith the Red Cross Society. The following signed\nin his own city where he \"noted with admiration\nparagraph from a country newspaper shows how\nthe devoted work of the women who conducted it\nvague such accusations often were. \"I see you ad-\nand who raised what in those times was considered\nvise all the people of Chatauqua to pick, dry and\nan immense sum.\" The treasury of the Commission\nsend all the berries in the county to the soldiers\nwas enriched by nearly three million dollars in con-\nthrough the Sanitary Commission. This I should\nsequence of these fairs.* Mrs. Richard Aldrich\nhave approved some months ago, but now I believe\ntells us, as an illustration of the willingness of the\nthat the Sanitary Commission is a regular cheating\ncrowd to pay for novelty, that the presence of\nagency.\" This typical story is taken from one of\nMrs. John Brown at the fairs was always a great\nthe reports of the Women's Association of Relief.\nfinancial asset throngs being ready to give an en-\nAn old soldier is mustered out at Washington and,\ntrance fee in order to see the wife of so unfortunate\nbeing too weak to return home at once, is received\na\nhusband ! President Lincoln was present and\ntemporarily into a private house. As he drops upon\nmade an address at the close of the fair in Washing-\na couch and attentively observes the covering\nton, and when he spoke \"after careful thought,' Mr.\nwhich is laid over his weary limbs, he is heard\nRhodes says he \"spoke better than any one else.\"\nto murmur : \"It is, it is my wife's best spare-room\nquilt! Miss Schuyler comments: \"But whose bed-\nAt the beginning of the war the President had\nspread was it, and in what house was it dis-\nnot encouraged the idea of a Sanitary Commission ;\ncovered? History did not supply the details.\nindeed, he had regarded it as \"the fifth wheel to\nLecturers were sent into the country districts to\nthe coach;\" but now his attitude had changed and\nreassure the people by explaining to them exactly\nhe spoke with a feeling \"intense and unique.\"\nwhat was being done with their contributions. The\n\"This extraordinary war,\" he said, \"in which we\nSanitary Commission Bulletin was widely circu-\nare engaged falls heavily upon all classes of people,\nlated in the North and supplied the villages with\ninteresting reading, as well as with correct informa-\nThe Metropolitan Fair of New York was held during the\nSpring of 1864 in Union Square in temporary buildings. Its\ntion. Every effort was also made to create oppor-\nsuccess was largely due to Mrs. David Lane. The Sanitary\ntunities for personal contact between members of\nFairs of New York and Brooklyn raised thirteen hundred\nthe branches and of the central association. Mem-\nthousand dollars for the cause.-Stillé, p. 484.\n26\n27"
}