The boys in white

A first-person journal recounts the author's three years as a hospital agent in and around Washington during the American Civil War, prompted by the wounding and death of a close relative. It blends day-to-day duties—caring for wounded men, distributing relief supplies, and coordinating with state relief societies, the Christian Commission, and the Sanitary Commission—with vivid ward scenes, camp visits, and cemetery reflections. Entries document administrative challenges, acts of compassion, soldiers' resilience, and gratitude toward fellow volunteers and officials, offering both practical details of wartime medical relief and contemplative observations on duty, loss, and the moral worth of those who served.