CHAPTER XXI.
-My Trip South to Join the Doctor.
-Illness in Baltimore.
-Visit to Washington.
-Interview with J. J. Crittenden.
-His Assistance.
-Detained.
-Seven Weeks at Barnum's Hotel.
-Wonderful Kindness of the People.
-Recovery.
-Trip South to Richmond.
-Bro. Pettigrew and Family.
-Success in Husband Hunting.
-Met the Doctor in Augusta.
-Atlanta.
-Trip to McMinnville, Tenn.
-Not a Stranger, though in a Strange Land.
In the meantime I had settled up our business in Kentucky, sent our library, etc., to Bro. R. M. Bishop, to take care of for us until the war should close. I was now ready to go South to join the Doctor. I left Lexington December 4th, expecting to reach Knoxville about the time he did, where we anticipated meeting.
When I reached Louisville, I thought I should be detained but an hour or two, and could proceed on my way; but the best laid schemes gang aft a-gley. So it was with mine. I was informed that the G. A. R. were preparing for a battle soon, and that the lines were closed against all travel. I turned my course at once to Washington. I took the train that night for Indianapolis, from there to Columbus, Pittsburg, Harrisburg, Baltimore and Washington. Dr. Hopson had advised this route as safest and best; but it was such a long route I dreaded it. He said if I went to Washington I must call on Hon. John G. Crittenden and Congressman Phelps, who, when I told them who I was, would assist me any way they could. I followed his directions as far as I could. Con-
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gressman Phelps was absent from the city, but I found Mr. Crittenden and wife at home. She came in first, and I introduced myself to her. She remembered Dr. Hopson well as a school boy with her younger brothers, and intimate at her house as a brother. When Mr. C. came in and learned who I was, I needed no pleader to enlist his sympathy. He at once got into the carriage with me and drove to Judge Turner's office. He tried to prepare me for a disappointment. He said he had tried a few days before to procure a pass for his sister to cross the lines, but failed; but he was willing to risk refusal again for my sake, so that I might know it was not his fault if I should be refused.
Judge Turner received us very kindly, but said no one would be permitted to pass through the lines until after the pending battles were over in Tennessee and on the Potomac; he would enter my name with the three or four hundred others, and I could return home and would be notified when I would be permitted to go South, if at all. I felt that I could hardly bear it. I had never dreamed of failure, and my heart sank at the thought of the weeks of torture and suspense that must pass before I could know even that I should be permitted to join the Doctor in the South.
It seemed to me I never could turn back and relinquish my journey. Mr. Crittenden saw how crushed I was, and, insisted on my returning to his home and remaining a few days until I felt better able to bear my disappointment. I preferred to return at once. I left on the evening train, which stopped in Baltimore, where I was compelled to remain over Lord's day. I was advised to go to the Fountain House as a quiet hotel, where I arrived at 8 that night. I felt very lonely and
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desolate in that city, with not a living soul in it that I ever saw before.
When I arose Sunday morning I was really ill, but determined I would go to church. I felt I could never live through the day in that hotel among total strangers. No one connected with the house could tell me where the Christian Church was, but I started out determined to find it. I walked a long, long way, inquiring every few squares for the church. At last a policeman directed me to it. I had managed to work my way within four squares of it. Just one word here. It would be a great help to strangers visiting any city if every church would have its building photographed, with street, number, and name of preacher added, and hung in every hotel in the city, and depots too. I never realized the importance of it before.
When I reached the church it was still early. The sexton invited me down into the Sunday-school room, where the large school was assembled. I took a seat far back, not wishing to interrupt the exercises. I was hardly seated, however, before sister Benson came up to me and asked me if I was a stranger in the city, and a member of the Church of Christ; where I was from, and what my name was. It was all done so quietly and unobtrusively, I felt no embarrassment in giving the desired information.
As soon as the school closed I was surrounded by the brethren and sisters, and soon felt that I was in my Father's house, and no longer alone in that great city; and I resolved that, no matter where my lot should be cast in the future, no stranger should ever enter the Sunday-school or church and not, find one heart to bid them welcome.
Sister B. asked me where I was staying. I told her,
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and one of the brethren said I must leave and go to "Barnum's Hotel"; Sister McLaughlin, the wife of the proprietor, was a member of the Christian Church, and I would be made at home there. Bro. M. got a carriage and went with me to the Fountain House, got my baggage and drove to Barnum's, where Sister Mc. received me most cordially. I have often thought what great matters hang upon a single act of our lives. I believe very few persons feeling as badly as I did that Lord's day morning, would have gone out to church that bitter cold December day, but I feel sure that if I had not I should not have lived to write this story. Monday morning I was too ill to go to breakfast.
I do not remember feeling warm from the time I left Washington until Monday night at "Barnum's." The following three weeks were passed in a half unconscious state. I only know that I was very ill. Dr. Hammond, my physician, said it was low nervous fever, brought about by reaction from long-continued excitement, and loss of hope.
Such kindness and gentle care as I had bestowed upon me! Everybody was good to me, from the least to the greatest. It was wonderful to me that people could take such an interest in a stranger. At the end of three weeks, I could sit up long enough to have my bed made, but unable to do more. Sister Mc. gave me a room opposite hers, and came in herself many times a day to see if I wished anything. My heart overflows with gratitude today toward those dear, kind people of Baltimore, and I feel that I am better for having known them. Had I not gone to church that day, I should have been ill at the other hotel and should have probably died among strangers. The proprietor's family did not even live in
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the house; but a housekeeper and servants had charge of the business. Seven long, weary weeks went by, and still I was not able to travel back to Kentucky. It was two mouths since I had heard from Dr. H. Sometimes I felt that I should never see him again.
There were about twenty ladies waiting at the hotel, besides myself. On the 6th of January we were notified that we would be permitted to leave on the flag of truce boat, on Wednesday the 9th. We left for Washington the evening of the 8th. Early the next morning we reported on the boat, and found we were about 400 ladies and 375 children. After we and our baggage were searched, which took far into the night, we were allowed to rest. We left the city at 3 o'clock, and had hard work to realize that we were really on our way to Dixie. We arrived at Fortress Monroe the ensuing day, and lay in the harbor until Friday noon, when we steamed up the James River to City Point. We reached there just before dinner. At 4 o'clock P.M. Judge Olds, Commissioner of Exchange, came down from Richmond with prisoners for exchange, and we were allowed to disembark and meet our friends. A number had been notified of the coming of the boat, and were ready to greet friends and relatives, while many of us would have weary days of search for our loved ones. At 10 P.M. we crossed the bridge in Richmond, and were fortunate (our party, at least) in securing rooms at a hotel, while more than half the women and children were compelled to remain on the cars all night, every hotel was so crowded.
Richmond was full of refugees from all that portion of the State north of the Rappahannock, and many from Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri as well. As soon as practicable, I started out Saturday morning to see if I
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could find an acquaintance among the multitude thronging the streets. I spent nearly the whole day searching, and was rewarded by meeting a number of old friends, but none who, had met Dr. H. since he had been sent South.
Upon making inquiries for our church, I learned that Bro. W. J. Pettigrew was preaching for our brethren in the city. I had made his acquaintance some years before, and thought in all probability he could give me some information in regard to the Doctor. I sent him a note, and he came at once to the hotel and insisted that I should make his house my home while in the city. I accepted his invitation, and he and his most excellent wife made my stay very pleasant. I visited the hotels every day in hopes of gaining some news from my husband; at last I was rewarded. While talking in the parlor of the American House about the Doctor with one of the ladies I met on the exchange boat, an old gentleman lying on a sofa in the room started up and began to ask me questions about the Doctor, and said that if he was not mistaken the gentleman I wanted was holding a meeting in Atlanta, Ga; he himself was the family physician of Elder C. K. Marshall, Sen., who was pastor of the church at that place; and that Bro. Marshall had insisted on his returning in time to attend the meeting. I telegraphed at once, and the next day received response, "Meet me in Augusta, Ga." The telegram came Saturday evening. I would not travel on Sunday, and had to delay starting until Monday morning at 1 A. M. I reached Augusta Wednesday night at 8.
There were six ladies of us husband-hunting, literally, so that we were not lonely on the route. Sometimes we were riding in good cars, sometimes with no backs to the
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seats, the aisles crowded with soldiers resting on their knapsacks, and sometimes sitting for two or three hours in open shed depots, on our baggage, waiting for a train. We met nothing but kindness from the railroad officials, and, indeed, from everybody we came in contact with on our trip.
Dr. H. met me at the depot. We were very glad and grateful to our heavenly Father that we had been preserved through many dangers to meet again in health. After a day or two of rest in Augusta, we left for Atlanta, where the Doctor resumed his meeting and remained over Lord's day. He thought it best to return to his command the following week, and we started for McMinnville Tuesday morning. The last two days of our trip was made in a sutler's wagon, belonging to Dr. Foster, who had been left ill from blood poisoning at the hospital. Dr. Hopson remarked when we started: "Now, Ella, for the first time in years I can travel all day, meeting hundreds and knowing no one." We were not more than a mile from Manchester before half a dozen gentlemen we were meeting called the Doctor's name. He told them they had the advantage of him-they knew him, but he did not know them. All said they were in prison with him, some at Louisville, some at Camp Morton, and some at Johnson's Island. They did not expect him to recognize them; but they had all heard him preach, and congratulated him on his release. I am safe in saying that we met more than a hundred men that day who knew the Doctor.
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