The Photographic History of The Civil War: in ten volumes, Thousands of Scenes Photographed 1861-65, with Text by many Special Authorities, Volume 7: Prisons and Hospitals.
Francis Trevelyan Miller, Ed.

There was no central organization controlling the women nurses as in the North, but there was seldom any lack of feminine attention in the permanent hospitals. The greater part of the service was rendered entirely without remuneration, and, if paid for, the amount was trifling.

The women of the South considered it a privilege to act as nurses and hospital attendants. So many were they and such valuable services did they render, that it is almost an injustice to mention the few and omit the names of hundreds. Miss Emily Mason, niece of James M. Mason, Confederate commissioner to England, was the matron of one of the divisions of the Winder Hospital, while Miss Mary L. Pettigrew, sister of General Pettigrew, served in the same capacity, first at Raleigh, and then at Chimborazo. Mrs. Archibald Cary did effective service at Winder, where she was assisted by her daughter, later Mrs. Burton N. Harrison. The daughters of General Lee, Mrs. G. W. Randolph, and many others were frequent visitors to the Richmond hospitals, where they read to the convalescents, wrote letters for them, and fed them.

Mrs. Felicia Grundy Porter, of Nashville, gave freely of her time and means; Mrs. Gilmer, of Pulaski, Tennessee, served as nurse and matron at various hospitals; Mrs. Ella Newsom, a wealthy young widow, left her home in Arkansas with a number of her own servants and went to the seat of war in the West, serving first at Memphis, then at Belmont, Bowling Green, Nashville, Atlanta, Corinth, and Chattanooga.

Nor must the work of the Roman Catholic sisterhoods be neglected. The nursing in some of the hospitals was entirely under their charge. At others, they worked with nurses appointed by the surgeons, or with volunteers. Every city or town containing a convent had in the inmates willing workers, who went where sickness and suffering were found.