Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 3.
Frank Moore, Ed.

Impressment of women in Memphis.--The Memphis (Tenn.) Appeal of the 5th of Sept. has a long account of the action of the Common Council of that city in relation to the want of nurses for the soldiers. It gives a deplorable account of the condition of the hospitals, and that the women refused to do any thing to aid them until it absolutely became necessary to appeal to the Council to force women to work in the hospitals. The Appeal heads its Common Council report “Impressing women,” and says:

By permission, Dr. Keller was allowed to state to the Board that the washing of the sick soldiers had [24] not been done for two weeks; the cleanliness of the hospital, and consequently the lives of the soldiers, were involved. Fifteen dollars a month each woman would be paid, but no effort had been able to procure women, either black or white, who would remain more than a day or two. Dr. Keller called upon the Council to order the police to compel the women to do the work. Ald. Kortrecht offered a resolution to grant the request. Ald. Merrill said the request deserved attention, if it was only from the fact that it was the first request the military power had made of the city authorities. That power had hitherto paid little attention to the officers and laws of the city.

Dr. Keller's request was finally refused, after more discussion.

The Appeal says that the Southern Mothers' Home in Memphis is overflowing with sick soldiers, and citizens willing to take any of the sufferers in their own houses are earnestly requested to inform the association.