"I wonder if a soldier ever does mend a bullet hole in his coat?"

This quote by Clara Barton is a reflection on the expense of war. It suggests that the physical and psychological toll of war is so great that it can never be completely fixed. The quote suggests that the damage done to a soldier's coat by a bullet hole is a metaphor for the damage done to a soldier's life by war. It suggests that the physical and emotional wounds of war are so deep that they can never ever be totally recovered. The quote also suggests that war is a senseless and damaging force that leaves lasting scars on those who experience it. It is a tip of the human expense of war and a call to action to avoid it from taking place in the future.