Page 98 - Arkansas Confederate Women

Sketch of Mrs. Sophia Kannady 85

"When the Federals came, September 1, 1863, we went to

WeTexas, leaving the night before Cloud's regiment arrived.

bought a home in Bonham. I went nearly all over Texas while
we lived there. Mr. Kannady was appointed by the government
to establish mills and blacksmith shops for the Confederate
government, and whenever he went off on one of his trips I

went with him. We came back to Fort Smith in 1865."

CAPTAIN SALLY TOMPKINS.

Southern women have cared little for public honors nor
have they courted masculine titles. But a recent number of the
Eichmond Times-Dispatch recalls the pleasant bit of history that
in the case of Miss Sallie Tompkins a remarkable honor was de-
servedly conferred upon a worthy Virginia girl by the Confed-

erate authorities.

While yet a very young woman Miss Tompkins used her
ample means to establish in Richmond a private hospital for

Confederate soldiers. She not only provided for its support at

her own expense, but devoted her time to the work of nurs-

ing the patients.

The wounded were brought into the city by the hundreds
and there was hardly a private house without its quota of sick
and wounded. Quite a number of private hospitals were estab-
lished but, unlike Miss Tompkins' splendid institution, charges
were made by some of them for services rendered. In course
of time abuses grew with the system, and General Lee ordered

—that they all be closed all except the hospital of Miss Tomp-

kins. This was recognized as too helpful to the Confederate
cause to be abolished.

In order to preserve it, it had to be brought under gov-
ernment control, and to do this General Lee ordered a commis-
sion as captain in the Confederate army to be issued to Miss Sal-
lie Tompkins. Though a government hospital from that time
on, Captain Tompkins conducted it as before, paying its ex-

penses out of her private purse.

The veterans are proud of her record, and a movement is
now on foot among them to place Captain Tompkins in a posi-

tion of independence as long as she lives.