William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 1

[654] Government of Boston for the year 1865 states that she has completed the fourth year of her interesting work, commenced in 1861 at the Evans House, remaining there two years, and two years at 126 Tremont Street, opposite Park-street Church.

That she is fully confirmed in her belief that the institution had been a great and unfailing consolation to the recipients.

That the Bank of Faith, under Divine Providence, had amply prospered, the same contributors who so nobly commenced with their voluntary donations having generously adhered to it.

That the supplies of the house had not been confined to Massachusetts alone, no soldier with fitting testimonials ever leaving empty-handed.

That numberless letters had been received from camp and hospital, giving grateful assurance of the safe arrival of packages, &c.

She returns thanks to the ladies at the McLean Asylum, Somerville, under the care of Dr. Tyler, for the large number of garments for the soldiers made by them; also to the Massachusetts Bible Society, for the generous supply of testaments.

That, during the twelve months the report covers, three thousand dollars in money, and fifty thousand substantial articles, had been distributed; comprising cotton and woollen shirts, drawers, socks, mittens, soldiers' bags, pocket-handkerchiefs, new and half-worn cotton and woollen shirts, all sorts of half-worn garments for soldiers' families, towels, comforters, blankets, coverlids, pillows of all sizes, night-gowns, bed-gowns, dressing-gowns, slippers, provision-bags, sleeping-caps, and every variety of hospital garments and stores, including tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, sago, tapioca, corn-starch, liquors, wines, dried and preserved fruits, sugar, molasses, vegetables of all sorts, all kinds of lint and bandages. Testaments, Bibles, prayer-books, and tracts have been abundantly supplied, and newspapers of all sorts.

When we are told that nearly a million of dollars in money and goods passed through this institution during the four years of the war, we can realize the amount of labor and responsibility that was voluntarily assumed, and successfully carried out to the end.