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Many Civil War injuries were later catalogued and can now be seen in "The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion (1876)." (15-17). The irony of physicians themselves carrying edged weapons is not lost as craftsmen supplied medical officers with finely made swords and belts for formal dress (18-20).

The Battle of Cold Harbor

There were many confrontations during the Civil War and looking at one battle can be useful in getting a better perspective on all. The Union Army, under the direction of General Ulysses Grant, was advancing toward the capital of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia, in June of 1864. At 4:30 on the morning of June 3, 1864, Grant's Union troops assaulted General Robert E. Lee at Cold Harbor, a decision leading to one of the bloodiest days of the Civil War (21). Grant lost about 7,000 men, most dying within the first 15 minutes, when he ordered a charge toward well-entrenched Confederate troops (22). Grant said that he regretted the charge at Cold Harbor more than any other decision he had made in the Civil War. One Confederate soldier later stated that it was "simply murder" and a second assault planned by Grant was refused when a Union officer said "I will not lead my men in another such charge if Jesus Christ himself comes down and orders it" (23-25). Union soldiers even wrote their names on pieces of paper and pinned them to their uniforms so that their bodies could be identified later.

Letters written by troops in the fight now give us many insights both into the war and those who fought it. The following letter home was written by a Union soldier and relates to us over 100 years later an unbounded sense of duty to serve coincident with an ironic personal ambivalence toward the conflict, feelings that undoubtedly were shared by many in the conflict (26).

Another artifact from that battle includes a diary kept by Sergeant Joseph Hume of Massachusetts, killed on the bloodiest day of the battle, June 3, 1864 (27,28).

Medical Advances from the War

Great advances in medical care resulted from the Civil War. Physicians recognized the importance of a rapid evacuation to field hospitals, along with the vital role played by public health and good sanitation in saving lives. Also, Nursing was established as a profession, and the Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton. Surgery became an important branch of medicine during the Civil War and the need for surgical equipment led to the rapid growth of manufacturers in the United States. The next 40 years saw the production of some of the finest instruments ever made.

15-17) Wounded Soldiers from the North

The Medical history of the Civil War was carefully recorded in a huge 6-volume text initially published in 1876 and called "The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion". The medical histories of thousands of soldiers is documented with color plates of many of the wounded soldiers done by Ed Stauch when they visited the Medical Museum in Washington. Three examples follow:

Pvt. Charles Betts of the 26th New Jersey Volunteers was wounded by a three ounce grapeshot in 1863 as he charged Fredericksburg. At one point, his aortic arch was outwardly visible, though he eventually recovered.

Pvt. Milton E. Wallen of the 1st Kentucky Cavalry was wounded by a prison guard in Richmond in 1863. He lost his arm when he developed gangrene, though survived to apply for a pension in 1873.

Cpt. Robert S. of the 29th New York Volunteers was wounded by a musket ball in 1863 at Chancellorsville. With his lung collapsed, he walked 1 ½ miles to a base hospital for care. The wound eventually granulated in and he survived. These three examples were part of the small minority of wounded who survived such major trauma in this pre-antibiotic era.

18-20) CDV of a Union Medical Officer

The formal dress of a Union medical officer included a dress medical sword and green medical sash, both shown here. Pictured is a beautifully etched model 1840 sword that was made by the premier sword maker of that era, the Ames Manufacturing Company of Chicopee, Massachusetts.

21) The Battle of Cold Harbor

Kurz & Allison depict Lee's defense against Grant's famous charge in his effort to take Richmond in early June of 1864. This colorful print was made in Chicago in 1888, and, despite the true outcome of the battle, shows the North advancing "triumphantly" on southern troops. This is an example of 19th century spin control practiced by most northern newspapers and publishers during and after the war. The battle was in fact a terrible defeat for General Grant and the North.

22) Tear Bottle

During the Victorian era, mourners sometimes collected their tears in gold decorated "tear bottles" to keep as a remembrance for the next of kin.

23-25) A Union Causality at Cold Harbor

This is one of several thousand Union soldiers who lost their lives in the ferocious battle at Cold Harbor, Virginia. The fatal bullet can be seen lodged in the right side of the skull and the print gives some idea of the tragedy of the battle.

26) A Soldier's Letter

This letter was written on December 20, 1864 by Merari to his friend Ezra. The letter reflects the ferocity of The Battle of Cold Harbor along with the tragedy as this soldier's father dies in his arms. Merari addresses the honor and duty he feels as a soldier along with his duplicitous feelings about the war. The absence of medical care on the battlefield is also striking.

27-28) Cold Harbor Diary

Joseph Hume was a 20 year old mill hand who was born in Ashburnham, MA and entered the "A" Co., MA 36th infantry as a private on 7/28/62. He was subsequently promoted to sergeant major as he traveled south and was wounded at the battle of Cold Harbor, VA on 6/3/64, dying the following day. A fellow soldier (noted in a different handwriting) made entries marking the day of Sergeant Hume's injury and death. Several stains on the diary are now being analyzed to determine if they are bloodstains from that battle.

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16) Pvt. Milton E. Wallen

19) Sword and Sash

21) Cold harbor, VA

22) Tear Bottle

24) Bullet Fragments

26) Letter From a Soldier

27) Cold Harbor Diary