[202] hats, 213 sleeping-caps, 26 body aprons, 623 camp-bags, 515 slings, 1,341 rolls of cotton and linen pieces, 2,955 rolls of bandages, 40 compresses, 68 finger-cots, 32 fans, 81 canes and crutches, 245 havelocks, 184 packages of lint, 122 tin cups, plates, and spoons, 51 needle-books, 62 hair-brushes, 594 combs, 523 packages of corn starch, cocoa, sago, and tapioca, 897 bottles of wine and cider, 343 jars of jellies, fruits, condensed milk, and pickles, 175 bottles of pepper, mustard, and ginger, 5 bags of meal, 5 ounces of quinine, 3 bls. of onions, 30 bls. of apples, 1 bl. of brown bread; besides crackers, prunes, lemons, oranges, rice, oatmeal, olives, tea, coffee, sponges, soap, tobacco, salve, sweet oil, sugar, dried fruits, groats, confectionery. These are not all the items, but they serve to show the infinite variety of articles which our patriotic women contributed towards the comfort of our soldiers. Connected with the Soldiers' Relief Association was a Knitting Society, which held weekly meetings and did much useful work. Want of space alone prevents us from giving a complete list of the officers of the association during the period of its existence. We cannot refrain, however, from quoting a paragraph from a letter which we received from a gentleman (not of Haverhill) whom we well know and respect, in regard to Mrs. E. P. Hill, whose devotion to the interests and comfort of our soldiers has made her name precious to them:—
‘In your “ History of Massachusetts in the Rebellion,” I trust you will give my friend, Mrs. E. P. Hill, of Haverhill, what is her due. She worked a l through the war for us “ boys,” and lost her health in carin for us. It was Mrs. Hill who brought me home from hospital, and cared for me tenderly—I might say she saved my life—after I was confined in Libby Prison.’The whole receipts of the association in money was $11-457.13, of which $4,700.00 was distributed between the different Commissions.
