Customer Reviews

Kate: The Journal of a Confederate Nurse

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Kate's journal is amazingly well-written, and, as I said in my title, it is obvious from reading it that she is a true Southern lady.

When I consider how I write any old thing, any old way, in my own journals, I am impressed by the way Kate kept all the wartime news- both on the battlefield and in her private life- so nicely organized. Don't let the word "organized" fool you, though, into thinking it is boring. This journal is anything but dull. Kate's writing style is intelligent, personal, detailed, and extremely interesting; the amazing part is that most of it is written whenever she can snatch a moment to herself from her nursing duties.

From reading Kate's journal one quickly sees her devotion to the South and its "cause" for freedom. She was not a nurse before the war, but when the war began she volunteered to become one. As a nurse, she showed great compassion for the soldiers, doing everything in her power to alleviate their suffering and to make their stay in the hospital as pleasant as possible, under the terrible circumstances in which she worked. Sometimes her burden would seem too heavy, and she would almost make up her mind to quit, but her determination to be patriotic and her compassion for her patients would change her mind.

Kate Cumming was a true lady, and this fact also made her journal enjoyable. She is well-mannered; for instance, when she does dislike someone she exercises reserve in writing about them, even though she is writing in her private journal. She does greatly dislike "Yankees", but instead of simply raving bitterly about them, she relates the incidents that cause her to dislike them. Overall, Kate is quiet and observant, and likes to write about the better things that occur in her life (something as simple as meeting a friend on the train, or having something extra nice for dinner) rather than dwell negatively on the hardships that she was experiencing.

I highly recommend this wartime journal for anyone interested in a truly personal account of a nurse during the Civil War. The fact that Kate was a Southerner makes it even more interesting, because on the whole she went through more than her Northern counterparts did. She was a patriotic lady, and her attitude throughout the war makes her journal a pleasure to read.

This book is the masterfully written journal of Kate Cumming. Miss Cumming was a confederate
nurse during the Civil War. Like Clara Barton in the north, Kate cares for hundreds of the suffering soldiers. Miss Cumming works at Corinth, Mississippi toward the start of the book. Here at Corinth men are brought in every day from the bloody battlefield of Shiloh. She works in Chattanooga for a few months. Also she did her duty as a nurse in Mobile, Alabama(her hometown) Kate relates in her flowing writing the many thoughts that ran through her mind during those long, hard, years. She tells of how much faith in God these men had. This really touched me. Kate said, while speaking of the men's faith, that she had not met one man in her hospital that did not know the Lord. This is quite a statement! To think of all that these men went through at Shiloh, Stone's River, and so many others! I would highly recommend this book because it reveals the true history from a woman who lived at the time and was a witness to these events in our country's history.

Kate's is a remarkable story, and this journal in her own words unfolds over the difficult days of the US Civil War. Kate Cumming is a fine, educated, intelligent and articulate woman. She is a woman of deep faith and lasting patience. Her journal passes on to us the daily routine, the sufferings of war and the deepest reflections of this noteworthy woman. The text is riveting, moving, thought provoking. The book is history from a very personal perspective - one well worth reading.

I heard about Kate Cumming at a Celtic festival in Virginia where Irish singer and songwriter Jed Marum (SOUL OF A WANDERER) told her story, talked about her diary and sang two beautiful songs that her life inspired him to write. I knew I had to read the book, and I was NOT disappointed!

Kate's devotion to her adopted homeland and her deep faith are inspiring. Her thoughts and feelings about the war and her battle front experience evolve over the 3 years of the diary - and they are eloquently expressed in its pages. This book is a treasure!

Excellant Book covers areas of the war not gone over by others, I do Confederate Cemetery Research and she has in her Journal name of men who did and some unit information, that has help to lead to I.D.ing 5 Soldiers not listed in to N.Ga. cemeteries before

KATE is a primary source for women or men who enjoy reading about the true story of the War Between the States. Nursing was virtually unheard of for single young women during the 1800s, but Kate persevered and did what she knew would help the wounded survive or the mortally wounded face death with a caring person nearby.
It tells many stories of horror and sadness, but reminds us what who and what has gone before. The Great Civil War changed America and we should be aware of what was lost and what was gained from the sacrifices of those people.

The Journal of Kate Comming is a wonderful resource for anyone who is interested in the Civil War.

The great thing about this journal is that it is very easy to read.

Ms. Comming writes about her daily experiences as a nurse. Its interesting to read how the hospital conditions were early in the war and then how much they deteriorated when the war was coming to an end. Early on the men had good meals, but later it was increasingly difficult to feed them properly. She also writes about the men she nurses in her hospital ward and how they died. She is saddened by each man's death and gives a little history as to who they were, young or old, which regiment or state they were from etc. etc. Kate writes about the difficulty in keeping a cook and how hard it is to find clothes as the war drags on. In addition, she also gives insight into a Southern woman's opinion on many topics including the Union soldiers, blacks and how her fellow Southerners feel.

So many aspects of the war are covered in this journal. The reader learns about hospital life, the trouble of daily life as the war drags on and a Southern perspective on numerous battles.

This is a wonderful book.

Unless I am mistaken by a similar title, this book is one I wish to buy. I read the book many years ago, while in high school, & am very glad to find it is still available. I would like for my daughter to read it now. It tells of Kate's days when she stayed here in my hometown, in what is now the home of my friend. In the book she journals her days at both the hospital site, and the house. I have spent many days at both the house & the Old Stone Church, one of the hospital sites in our area. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves civil war history, and/or nursing history.

On my reading list at a friend's recommendation. Worth the time to lose yourself in it! Eye-opening views of early American nursing practice.