Contributed by Maine Historical Society
Description
Rebecca Usher of Hollis, who had served as a nurse at the U.S. General Hospital in Chester, Pennsylvania, starting in 1862, returned to Maine after that hospital closed in 1863.
When Usher returned to nursing service during the war -- at City Point, Virginia -- in January 1865, she kept a diary. The narrative portion of the diary begins January 10, 1865, and concludes on March 22, 1865.
She discusses the duties of the nurses, the relationship between the Sanitary Commission, for which Usher worked, and the Christian Commission, as well as various Maine soldiers and officers she met, and other nurses, including Ruth Mayhew and Sarah Sampson, both of Maine.
The leather-bound diary also contains several pages that record a few expenses. Those pages range from 1855 to 1872.
Transcription
About This Item
- Title: Rebecca Usher diary, 1865
- Creator: Rebecca Usher
- Creation Date: 1865
- Subject Date: 1865
-
Locations:
- ME
- City Point, VA
- Media: Ink on paper
- Dimensions: 16 cm x 10 cm
- Local Code: Coll. 9, Box 1/1
- Collection: Rebecca Usher papers
- Object Type: Text
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Hospitals--Virginia--City Point
- Manuscripts
- Nurses, American
- United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Participation, Female
- United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narrative
- Usher, Rebecca, 1821-1919--Diaries
- Women in war--History--19th century
People
Other Keywords
- 19th century.
- Diaries
- Industry & work
- Military
- Organizations & movements
- Personal narrative
- Personal writing
For more information about this item, contact:
Maine Historical Society485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
Website
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