Existing comment:
Fredericksburg Flowers:
Flowers bloomed in Fredericksburg that spring, despite the gloom. Relief worker Georgeanna Woolsey of New York picked some of them for a new regiment heading to the front.
We filled our baskets, trays, and the skirts of our gowns with snow-balls, lemon blossoms, and roses yellow, white, and red. The 8th New York Heavy Artillery was in the column... and [we] tossed roses and snow-balls in showers all over the men. They were delighted.... "Oh give me one... I will carry it into the fight for you;" and another cheerily, -- "I will bring it back again."
Three days later, one of those happy New York soldiers came back to Miss Woolsey a corpse, the Fredericksburg flowers lying upon his chest. |