As you have probably seen by the papers, we all are in the midst of
alarms. We have had less than a week’s notice to get ready for
mobilization for service in France, and so it has been a rushing week.
Last Saturday afternoon we received word we were likely to be called out
soon--in two or three weeks--but on Tuesday night I received word to
have the nurses ready by Saturday. It is now Friday evening and most of
the nurses are ready, but it is quite certain we won’t be leaving for
several days as the doctors’ uniforms, for instance, won’t be ready till
next Wednesday. I am glad indeed for the extra time. The nurses can take
a very small steamer trunk and a suitcase. As we apparently are to be
sent abroad “for the duration of the war” it is rather a puzzle to know
what to take.
Of course this order for foreign service is playing havoc with the
personnel of the Unit, so few expected to be called for duty abroad. In
fact no one expected a call of this sort at all. I have been quite
disgusted with the quitters who, for one reason or another, have begged
to be excused. I have had about ten drop out, but I am finding
substitutes who I think will be much more desirable than such weak-kneed
individuals. But every substitution means a great deal of work and much
telegraphing; for each name has to be approved at Washington, and after
physical examinations are made here they also have again to be approved
at Washington. I have had a number sent back for more complete details.
I am to have a detachment of Kansas City nurses attached to my corps.
Ten, and maybe more, for there are to be sixty-five, and I had only
fifty in my original order and some of these have been dropped or have
had to fall out. Two whose names I submitted I have had to drop by
orders from Washington because they were born in Germany. So there is
much to do, you see.
It is now Sunday, and we are going down to hear Joffre speak if we can
get into the Coliseum. He and his staff are coming out to review the
Unit at the [Barnes] hospital to-morrow. I do hope that by this time
next Sunday we shall be on our way, for waiting around after one is
ready is very trying, particularly when people of all sorts are weeping
farewells over you all the time. Well, anyway, here is loads of love to
you all. We know it is the biggest opportunity of our lives.
People are being wonderful and are rallying around us splendidly. We are
offered more help than we can possibly use. It has been pretty fatiguing
but I am beginning to realize that I can take things more slowly now.
Naturally I wanted to be as nearly ready with all my force by Saturday
as I possibly could be. You can imagine the number of questions I have
had to make up answers for, that come to me every hour of the day and
night, not to mention all the details I have to impress upon many
people, those who go, and those who stay.
But it is all wonderful beyond belief. I just wish I had the words to
express what I think about this opportunity. Aside from what we think
about the causes and principles involved, and the tremendous
satisfaction of having a chance to help work them out, to be in the
front ranks in this most dramatic event that ever was staged, and to be
in the first group of women ever called out for duty with the United
States Army, and in the first part of the army ever sent off on an
expeditionary affair of this sort, is all too much good fortune for any
one person like me. The responsibility of my big job of whipping into
shape a band of heterogeneously trained nurses and of competing for
loyalty and spirit with groups of nurses from the East, and mostly all
from one school, seems almost an overwhelming job, but naturally I am
going to do my very best. I have some splendid women to help me in the
executive line, and although we do not know each other’s ways at all we
will do what we can. As for the men, we could not have a more splendid
group to work with. I shall have every possible help from them.
Personally I am feeling fine and oh, so keyed up. I cannot ever be
worthy of all the honor and opportunities that have come to me, not to
mention all the happiness. It seems as if my life has just overflowed
with good things and that I can never live long enough to put back into
the world all that has been given to me.
My little nurses[1] are being so fine. The present Senior class of
thirty-two would have been my first real class, the first I have taken
all through, and they are weeping around that I am not going to be here
to graduate them. But to-morrow night after chapel I am to have a
heart-to-heart talk with them and I believe I can make them feel better.
_May 7th, Marshal Joffre presented the American colors to the St. Louis
Unit (U. S. Base Hospital) No. 21 of Washington University at the Barnes
Hospital._
_May 16th, These colors were consecrated at the Cathedral in a special
service for the Unit._
_May 17th, The Unit left St. Louis and sailed from New York on Saturday
the 19th._
On board ship.
May 21, Monday.