1862 April 28 White Sulphur

[from the diary of future University of Virginia Professor of Greek,  Milton W. Humphreys, of the King Artillery, as copied by him and annotated in 1893]

28.  About this time Capt Bryan, whose Company had marched with
the entire force under Gen. Heth to the White Sulphur, came to Lewisburg,
and told me that he had marching orders and would march on the
next day at 10 A.M. in the direction of Jackson's River Depot. I
left the hospital [being discharged, ti was understood, by order of Gen. Heth at Bry-
an's request,] I having informed the latter that the hospital authorities had decided to
retain me as a permanent nurse!] and took my knapsack on my
back and went, with great suffering with a seeming colic, to
the White Sulphur. I found my father there.  In a day or two I
took a severe case of pneumonia and was put in hospital. the
surgeon in charge insisted that I did not have pnenumonia [merely
because, when he asked me what ailed me, I replied "I have pneumonia."
He replied, insultingly, "You have not!" and charged me with sucking a
tooth to cause the blood. His name, I think was Duke].  Of course he
refused to treat me for that disease.  Fortunately!  About this time the force marched
--not as soon as Bryan had supposed,--for Jackson's River Depot.
I sank rapidly under my disease, and on the third day the surgeon
yielded the point that I actually had pneumonia I seemed to be be-
yond recovery.  On the 9th of May my father obtained a sick leave of
absence for me for 20 days.  Four men were detailed to carry me from the
hospital to James Carr's [prob. Kerr's] in the hollow up which the road to Cov-
ington turns [where afterwards the so-called battle of "Dry Creek" was fought]. But
by the time they carried me to Dry Creek Hotel, they were entirely exhausted, and
I was taken into the hotel.  I was carried on a cot, covered with a sheet after
the manner of a corpse.  So someone inquired who it was, and those carry-
ing told them, not suspecting that the inquirers thought I was dead, sev
eral persons went to the army and reported that they had seen me
carried out of the hospital dead.  --the next morning I was hauled
in a carriage on a bed to James Carr's [Kerrs?]  The people of the neighbor-
hood were very kind to me; even young ladies not only sent me flowers
&c, but some came to the house to see me [among them I recall a
Miss B. Dixon], who also sent me a bouquet. During this period the
hospital was broken up and the sick were taken eastward.

Remarks 1893
The Sisters of Charity did great service in the hospital.  I have al-
ways believed that my recovery was due in great measure to the
care of Sister Helena.--  Before I received my sick furlough,
I grew worse, even after the inflammation had left my
lungs.  My father (who was practicing medicine in the vicinity, being
a "refugee" from his home in Sutton, Braxton Co.)  came to see me
every day.  On the day before I was removed from the hospital
my turn for the better took place suddenly (how need not be described)
in his presence.  The surgeon also was standing by, and they
both predicted rapid convalescence.  (The surgeon now was
Dr. Granvill? Wood?, Dr. Duke[?] having gone elsewhere).  My fur-
lough was granted because the removal of the army, and
the approach of the enemy rendered it necessary to get
all the sick, as far as possible,  out of the way.

My father came to see me at once when I took sick, and insisted and
at last demanded that I should be treated for Pneumonia. My uncle, Wm
Hefner, was commandant of the Post, and told my father that he would have
me removed from Duke's (?) control if he refused further to treat me
for Pneumonia.  Duke then put a very large, strong mustard plaster 
on me and it was left four times as long as "was intended."  I
was burned nearly to death.  The nurse was not discharged or in any way
punished.  There is no doubt the pusillanimous doctor caused this to
be done.  He caused the nurse (Saunders) to slap me in the face to cure delirium.

MSS 1578