Death of Mrs. Maria Brooks
Her Interesting Career as an Army Nurse - Her Father Fought with Washinton.
Pana, ILL, Sept 15 - Mrs. Maria Brooks, an octogenarian, died at her home, nine miles north of Pana, at 7 o'clock this evening. Maria McCrea was born in York State in 1810. Her father was a soldier in the revolution under Gen. Washington, and his father had fought for the colonies. During the revolution her cousin, Jane McCrea, was massacred by the Indians at Fort Edward in 1777. At the breaking out of the civil war she joined the army as a nurse and reported for duty at St. Louis, at the Camp Benton Hospital, under James E. Yeatman, president of the Sanitary Commission. This port was her headquarters during the entire ware. She was present at the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and was on the field immediately after the fight caring for the wounded and dying. Not having sufficient bandages for use, she took off her clothing and tore up nearly all of it. With several others she gathered the sick and wounded and took them by steamer to Camp Benton. At Vicksburg she entered with Grant's army and was one of the specials detailed to organize refugee camps and to care for and feed the many who sought safety with the army.
She always made mention that the most trying time of her life was when at Vicksburg she was put in charge of a steamboat load of union prisoners from Andersonville, living skeletons, whom she received there and took the St. Louis Hospital. She would dwell long on the horrors of this trip, and on other memories of the war. She had many souvenirs and trophies of the different places visited and engagements witness by her.
Several years ago, under the direction of Congressman Ed Lane, a bill was passed by the National Congress allowing her a small pension.
Decatur Herald - Sept 17, 1897
Pana, Ill. Sept 16 - Mrs. Maria Brooks, an octagenarian, died at her home north of Pana last night. Mrs. Brooks, formerly Miss McCrae, was born in York state in 1810. At the breaking out of the Civil War she joined the army as a nurse and reported at Camp Benton Hospital in St. Louis. She served throughout the war as a nurse. Congress allowed her a small pension a few years ago.
The Inter Ocean - Sept 25 1897
On Tuesday, Sept 14, occurred the death of Mrs. Maria McCrea Brooks, an army nurse, aged 87 years, at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. Irwin Elliott of Pana. At the beginning of the war of the rebellion she offered her services to James E. Yeatman, president of the sanitary commissions, as nurse, and was accepted and sent to Benton barracks hospital for duty.
Just before the battle of Pittsburg Landing she, in company with the corps of nurses and President Yeatman, took steamboat and brought up a load of the sick and wounded soldiers to the hospital, and from that time on till the close of the war she was actively engaged in caring for the sick and wounded in field and hospital.
The funeral occurred at 1 o'clock Thursday, being in charge of the Pana post and corps, by the request of the deceased. A beautiful floral piece of roses, with the national colors, was sent by the president of Pana corps, Mrs. Anna Glassgow, while the Grand Army post gave these lines in her memory:
The boys will not forget her, and on Decorations days when G.A.R.'s are meeting and singing hymns of praise for a reunited country, they will steal apart and drop a tear in quiet from a patriotic heart, and seek the grave out yonder where a flag waves in the air, and their old hearts burn within them as they lay the lilies there.
Nashville Journal - Oct 1, 1897
Death of "Auntie" Brooks
Mrs. M. M. Brooks, better known as "Auntie Brooks", died in Pana, aged 88 years. She was perhaps one of the widest known, best loved and most remarkable characters in the union, gaining her prominence through her connection with the civil war. She was an army nurse at all the principal battles, including Gettysburg, Shiloh, and Pittsburg Landing. She was also at the Fort Donelson and in Andersonville prison.
Death of Mrs. Maria Brooks
Her Interesting Career as an Army Nurse - Her Father Fought with Washinton.
Pana, ILL, Sept 15 - Mrs. Maria Brooks, an octogenarian, died at her home, nine miles north of Pana, at 7 o'clock this evening. Maria McCrea was born in York State in 1810. Her father was a soldier in the revolution under Gen. Washington, and his father had fought for the colonies. During the revolution her cousin, Jane McCrea, was massacred by the Indians at Fort Edward in 1777. At the breaking out of the civil war she joined the army as a nurse and reported for duty at St. Louis, at the Camp Benton Hospital, under James E. Yeatman, president of the Sanitary Commission. This port was her headquarters during the entire ware. She was present at the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and was on the field immediately after the fight caring for the wounded and dying. Not having sufficient bandages for use, she took off her clothing and tore up nearly all of it. With several others she gathered the sick and wounded and took them by steamer to Camp Benton. At Vicksburg she entered with Grant's army and was one of the specials detailed to organize refugee camps and to care for and feed the many who sought safety with the army.
She always made mention that the most trying time of her life was when at Vicksburg she was put in charge of a steamboat load of union prisoners from Andersonville, living skeletons, whom she received there and took the St. Louis Hospital. She would dwell long on the horrors of this trip, and on other memories of the war. She had many souvenirs and trophies of the different places visited and engagements witness by her.
Several years ago, under the direction of Congressman Ed Lane, a bill was passed by the National Congress allowing her a small pension.
Decatur Herald - Sept 17, 1897
Pana, Ill. Sept 16 - Mrs. Maria Brooks, an octagenarian, died at her home north of Pana last night. Mrs. Brooks, formerly Miss McCrae, was born in York state in 1810. At the breaking out of the Civil War she joined the army as a nurse and reported at Camp Benton Hospital in St. Louis. She served throughout the war as a nurse. Congress allowed her a small pension a few years ago.
The Inter Ocean - Sept 25 1897
On Tuesday, Sept 14, occurred the death of Mrs. Maria McCrea Brooks, an army nurse, aged 87 years, at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. Irwin Elliott of Pana. At the beginning of the war of the rebellion she offered her services to James E. Yeatman, president of the sanitary commissions, as nurse, and was accepted and sent to Benton barracks hospital for duty.
Just before the battle of Pittsburg Landing she, in company with the corps of nurses and President Yeatman, took steamboat and brought up a load of the sick and wounded soldiers to the hospital, and from that time on till the close of the war she was actively engaged in caring for the sick and wounded in field and hospital.
The funeral occurred at 1 o'clock Thursday, being in charge of the Pana post and corps, by the request of the deceased. A beautiful floral piece of roses, with the national colors, was sent by the president of Pana corps, Mrs. Anna Glassgow, while the Grand Army post gave these lines in her memory:
The boys will not forget her, and on Decorations days when G.A.R.'s are meeting and singing hymns of praise for a reunited country, they will steal apart and drop a tear in quiet from a patriotic heart, and seek the grave out yonder where a flag waves in the air, and their old hearts burn within them as they lay the lilies there.
Nashville Journal - Oct 1, 1897
Death of "Auntie" Brooks
Mrs. M. M. Brooks, better known as "Auntie Brooks", died in Pana, aged 88 years. She was perhaps one of the widest known, best loved and most remarkable characters in the union, gaining her prominence through her connection with the civil war. She was an army nurse at all the principal battles, including Gettysburg, Shiloh, and Pittsburg Landing. She was also at the Fort Donelson and in Andersonville prison.
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