A Rich Reward for Services by Annie Wittenmyer

Name: A Rich Reward for Services
Author: Annie Wittenmyer

In “Saving the Life of a Brother,” the narrator reaches a hospital at Sedalia with supplies and discovers her sixteen-year-old brother dangerously ill with typhoid fever and acute dysentery. The fevered and wounded soldiers are served an unwholesome breakfast of black coffee, greasy bacon, and bread, while the wards resound with groans, pleas for water, and the drip of water onto bandages. Though physicians offer little hope, she remains at her brother’s side and begins a determined struggle against disease and death. Her care is threatened when the acting medical director, repeatedly drunk, orders that she may visit only one hour a day and then commands her to leave. She refuses, declaring that a sister’s devotion is stronger than hospital rules. Officers and surgeons report his conduct, and he is removed and dismissed. After seven sleepless days and nights of nursing, aided briefly by her eldest brother, Dr. William H. Turner, she sees her sick brother recover. He returns to the army, later re-enlists, and eventually lives near Helena, Mon., with his family. The narrator also comforts another sixteen-year-old soldier whom the surgeons expect to die. Homesick and neglected, he breaks down crying and says that his mother could nurse him well if he could only go home. She promises to obtain him a furlough, and his condition improves. Within two weeks he is sent by train to St. Louis and then to his mother in Denmark, Iowa. Restored to health, he returns to beat the drum for marching soldiers and later thanks the narrator when he meets her at the Sanitary boat.

By Annie Wittenmyer · First published 1895 · Genre: Memoir, Civil War Literature, War Nonfiction · 1,526 words

First lines

SAVING THE LIFE OF A BROTHER.

I went out to Sedalia, which was in the heart of the State of Missouri, with supplies.

Open reader

Similar titles

Genres

Memoir — The work is a first-person recollection by Annie Wittenmyer, narrating her direct experiences caring for Union soldiers during the Civil War.
Civil War Literature — Its setting, characters, conflict, and historical context are explicitly rooted in Union military hospitals and the American Civil War.
War Nonfiction — The narrative documents the physical suffering, institutional failures, military personnel, and human consequences of wartime service.
Autobiographical Nonfiction — Wittenmyer presents herself as an active participant, recounting her efforts to save her brother and assist other sick soldiers.

What this Textopian page supports

A Rich Reward for Services is listed on Textopian as a short story by Annie Wittenmyer, dated 1895 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Annie Wittenmyer
Date: 1895 CE
Language: English
Genres: Memoir, Civil War Literature, War Nonfiction, Autobiographical Nonfiction, Historical Narrative
Length: 1,526 words
Structure: 1 section, 27 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for A Rich Reward for Services by Annie Wittenmyer
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph