William Giggee, Sept. 18th, '62. I heard of poor Bill's death -- he was shot on Pope's retreat -- Arthur took him in his arms, and he died in about an hour and a half -- Arthur buried him himself he dug his grave

This passage chronicles the overlapping of nursing and soldier roles, for Arthur is presumably a soldier also taking part in Pope's retreat when his friend? comrade? partner? fellow soldier? Bill is struck.

How should we draw out the networks of association, friendship, comradeship, and love which these notebooks chronicle even before Whitman began his official "service" in the hospitals later in 1862?