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PATRIOTIC WORK FOR WOMEN.
Published: October 12, 1862
-- The women of the United States have done nobly since the war opened, in working for the soldiers. They began by making havelocks, scraping lint, putting up delicacies and comforts for the sick and the well: they have volunteered for nurses, and for hospital service, and in every way conceivable they have served those who were suffering for their country. This work is still actively kept up all over the land; and to each appeal of the army medical authorities, or the Sanitary Commission for aid of any kind, a prompt response has always been made. Cold weather is now coming on in Virginia as well as here; and the Sanitary Commission makes a request that the energies of the patriotic ladies of the land be now turned to the knitting of socks and the making of underclothes for the soldiers. Of lint there is enormous quantities on hand, and havelocks have long been discarded. Warm socks, warm undershirts, and warm drawers, are the things that are now wanted. Let every fine lady, young and old, let every mother who has a son, every sister who has a brother, every maiden who has, or expects to have a beau in the army, let every woman in the country and in the city, who has days or hours or minutes to spare, and who loves her country, devote their spare time to this patriotic work. Our army is now somewhere between a half a million and a million strong; and every soldier in it should have at least two pairs of warm woolen socks. This, as will be seen, will require close on two million pairs --which is sufficient to keep active all the knitting needles in the country for a long time. Every man should have a couple of woolen undershirts, and a couple of pairs of drawers. A million of each of these articles are needed. Government will of course do what it can; but, if the soldiers have to depend entirely upon the Government, many of them will have to go without socks, or with poor cotton trash and hundreds of thousands of them will shiver all winter without underclothes. Ladies, women all knit and sew -- and great will be your reward. Chill November and freezing December are almost upon us.
Published: October 12, 1862
-- The women of the United States have done nobly since the war opened, in working for the soldiers. They began by making havelocks, scraping lint, putting up delicacies and comforts for the sick and the well: they have volunteered for nurses, and for hospital service, and in every way conceivable they have served those who were suffering for their country. This work is still actively kept up all over the land; and to each appeal of the army medical authorities, or the Sanitary Commission for aid of any kind, a prompt response has always been made. Cold weather is now coming on in Virginia as well as here; and the Sanitary Commission makes a request that the energies of the patriotic ladies of the land be now turned to the knitting of socks and the making of underclothes for the soldiers. Of lint there is enormous quantities on hand, and havelocks have long been discarded. Warm socks, warm undershirts, and warm drawers, are the things that are now wanted. Let every fine lady, young and old, let every mother who has a son, every sister who has a brother, every maiden who has, or expects to have a beau in the army, let every woman in the country and in the city, who has days or hours or minutes to spare, and who loves her country, devote their spare time to this patriotic work. Our army is now somewhere between a half a million and a million strong; and every soldier in it should have at least two pairs of warm woolen socks. This, as will be seen, will require close on two million pairs --which is sufficient to keep active all the knitting needles in the country for a long time. Every man should have a couple of woolen undershirts, and a couple of pairs of drawers. A million of each of these articles are needed. Government will of course do what it can; but, if the soldiers have to depend entirely upon the Government, many of them will have to go without socks, or with poor cotton trash and hundreds of thousands of them will shiver all winter without underclothes. Ladies, women all knit and sew -- and great will be your reward. Chill November and freezing December are almost upon us.