Clara Barton was a famous Civil War nurse. When she begannursing, she used her own money for her supplies. She drove ahorse-drawn "ambulance" right onto the battlefield to help savewounded soldiers. For this reason she became known as the"Angel of the Battlefield."Jack put the book away. Then he hurried to Annie.
He looked at the woman sitting in the drivers seat of thewagon.
She doesn't look like an angel, Jack thought.
The woman was very small. She had a plain, serious face anddark hair pulled back in a bun. She wore a long black skirt and ablack jacket.
In the back of her wagon were more wounded soldiers in torn,bloody uniforms.
They moaned and cried out.
Nurses, both men and women, were putting the wounded menon stretchers.
Clara Barton wiped her forehead. She looked hot and tired.
"Can we help you, Miss Barton?" Annie asked.
3637/"Who are you?" said Clara Barton.
"Jack and Annie," said Annie. 'We're volunteer nurses. Whatcan we do, Miss Barton?" Clara Barton smiled.
"First, you can call me Clara," she said. "Second, would youride with me back toward the battlefield? There are morewounded waiting to be picked up.""Sure!" said Annie.
Jack didn't answer. After seeing all the suffering men in thewagon, he was afraid of getting closer to the battlefield.
"And you?" Clara asked Jack. Her dark, serious eyes lookedright into his.
Jack didn't want to admit he was afraid. "Sure, no problem,"he said.
"Very good," said Clara Barton. "Let's go." Jack and Annieclimbed up into the driver's seat next to her.
By now, all the soldiers had been taken out of the wagon.
"Take care of my new family members," Clara called to thenurses.
She snapped the reins. The horse-drawn ambulance rolled off,sending up clouds of dust.
