[560] officers.1 The whole amount of money appropriated and expended on account of the war, exclusive of State aid, was twenty-four thousand eight hundred and thirteen dollars and sixty-three cents ($24,813.63). The amount of money raised and expended by the town during the four years of the war for State aid to the families of soldiers, and which was afterwards repaid by the Commonwealth, was as follows: In 1861, $1,092.14; in 1862, $3,151.53; in 1863, $4,702.72; in 1864, $3,160.06; in 1865, $2,400.00. Total amount, $14,506.45. The ladies of Marshfield did much for the cause, but like their sisters in other towns they made humble estimates of their good works. What can be more touching than this extract from a note received from Mrs. Fletcher Webster, whose husband so nobly sacrificed his life for the Union at the head of his regiment:—
‘I am trying to collect the information you desire, and I shall be glad to have the little that old Marshfield did noticed, for we are very poor here as you know, and our donations were almost the widow's mite. I sent four large boxes of blankets, pillows, stockings, mittens, &c., to the Twelfth, and my Aunt Forrester and her daughters of Salem sent one or two boxes also.’Mrs. Webster's efforts were not altogether unavailing, for to her we are indebted for the account of the supplies furnished by the ladies of South Marshfield, which we presume to have been written by the former secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Sarah T. Bourne, of the ‘Ladies' Sewing Circle;’ the other officers of which ‘Circle’ were Mrs. Marcia A. Cushman, president, and Mrs. Susan M. Hewett, vice-president. We extract the following from the letter:—
‘The above-mentioned supplies (9 1/2 barrels, 2 boxes, and 1 case) were sent out by the Ladies' Sewing Circle and Soldiers-Aid Society ’
