The american civil war remains the bloodiest war in american history. I bought this book at the pea ridge civil war battlefield near bentonville, arkansas, with the intent of using it as story material. Rutkow, md, drph, editor this series reprints the first editions of the surgical manuals that union and confederate soldiers studied and took with them to the battlefields. Carey crane this catalogue was prepared by the borden institute office of the surgeon general, us army in support of the exhibit. Civil war medicine articles american battlefield trust.
The most important american war youve never heard of duration. The slowmoving minie bullet used during the american civil war caused catastrophic injuries. While the first edition covered 60 major battlefields, from fort sumter to appomattox, the second covers all of the 384 designated as the principal battlefields in the civil war sites advisory commission report. Matthew gallman is a professor of history at the university of florida. Mending broken faces of war civil war medicine national. Feb 19, 2017 do you mean historical fiction or actual history. Union surgeons performed approximately 30,000 compared to just over 16,000 by american surgeons in world war ii. There were a whole host of civil war diseases during the american civil war. The bloodiest civil war battle contested in the south, from september 1820, 1863, 34,000 americans lost life or limb at chickamauga. Jonathan letterman, the civil war doctor who pioneered battlefield care ebook. Letterman to save as many lives of seriously wounded soldiers as. Nevertheless, the books on this list are, indeed, my alltime favorites cherished works that.
A very specialised book, giving an alphabetical listing of all known artillery units to serve in the confederate army during the american civil war, with a list of their commanding officers, and brief notes about most of them, mainly in the footnotes. Civil war from all sides 1862 battle of fredericksburg unaired tv special. Oct 29, 20 during the civil war, both sides were devastated by battle and disease. Over 60000 amputations were performed during the civil war. In total, it was thought 618,222 men lost their lives. From the stench of putrefying flesh wafting through. The fouryear struggle between north and south made heroes of citizen soldiers, forever changed the role of women in society, and. On november 2, 1942, my father, paul andrew kennedy, sailed out of new york harbor on the santa elena. Jonathan letterman, the civil war doctor who pioneered battlefield medicene. The horrors of battlefield surgery during the civil war.
Often spoken of as a needless procedure that cost an otherwise healthy young man a limb, the reality is that though the stories about the piles of limbs present in many. Michael echols buys civil war medical books, surgery manuals, and surgical sets. In 1993, the civil war sites advisory commission cwsac reported to congress and the abpp on their extensive analysis of significant battles and battlefields. Prior to the civil war, american medicine was still in a dark age. Exhibits he has curated include american angels of mercy. The most common civil war surgery was the amputation. The civil war is the most written about event in united states history. A copy of this text book is listed in the 1865 surgeon generals office library catalogue or the list of medical textbooks which were published during the civil war by the army medical department. His most recent book, defining duty in the civil war. However, even this small sample, provides a rich resource for anyone curious about medical knowledge and beliefs during the civil war period that goes beyond battlefield surgery.
Feb 27, 2014 discover book depositorys huge selection of american civil war books online. Listed below are civil war medical books or manuals that are or have been in our collection. The records of africanamerican civil war medical personnel was a weekly know your records program in the national archives research center that celebrated. Military medical and surgical essays prepared for the united states sanitary commission by various authors, 1864. Six ways the civil war changed american medicine 150 years ago, the historic conflict forced doctors to get creative and to reframe the way they thought about medicine a. This new edition of the definitive guide to civil war battlefields is really a completely new book. Dbookmahn seller of fine, used and rare books on history and military history with a specialization in the napoleonic wars, american civil war, world war i, world war ii, and imperial russia and soviet history. Publications american civil war surgery and medicine also found under.
From the first battle of bull run to lees surrender at appomattox court house four years later, this book. The medical and surgical history of the war of the rebellion mshwr, an extraordinary sixvolume work, summarized medical and surgical care in the war. But medical treatment for troops has not always been so advanced, as these incredible pictures from the american civil war show, originally featured on. Medical and surgical care during the american civil war, 1861. Actually, during the civil war, there were many medical advances and discoveries table 1. Below is a list of james reasoners civil war battle series in order of when they were originally released which is the same as their chronological order. Scott mcgaughs extraordinary work of military history documents a lifesaving legacy that still echoes through iraq and afghanistan.
This essay series is written by mercy streets medical, historical and technical advisor, stanley b. Disease killed more people than everything else combined including gunshots, artillery, accidents, drowning, starvation, suicide etc the worst disease in the civil war. Civil war surgery and the evolution of american medicine 2005 394 pp. The reith lecturer in 1998, he is the author of many bestselling books including the face of battle, six armies in normandy, battle at sea, the second world war, a history of warfare awarded the duff cooper prize, warpaths, the battle for history, the first world war, and most recently. The civil war and the rise of american medical science. After the battle of bull run, the united states government took possession of. It has been said that the american civil war was the first modern war in terms of technology and lethality of weapons, but that it was simultaneously fought at the end of the medical middle ages. Unlike most texts on the subject, this one doesnt ignore the skirmishes that took place out west.
Susan provost beller medical practices in the civil war. A canon and cabin mark the location of the chickamauga. Battle scarred examines the civil war from a particular perspective, drawing on the rich library and museum resources of the countways center for the history of medicine, to commemorate those who died in battle and also document the experiences of the wounded and the ill and the men and women who cared for them on the battlefield, in hospitals. Amputation was the most common civil war surgical procedure. We will spend two full days tracing the action of the first major battle in the american civil war to take place on northern soil. The story of the first battling ironclads, the monitor and the merrimack by james l. In the civil war, albin estimates that anesthesia was used at least 125,000 times by surgeons for both the north and south who, before the war, had limited or no experience with anesthetic agents. Chloroform use in the civil war civil war medical books. A haunting debut looks ahead to a second american civil war. Civil war diseases the biggest killer of the war civil. Civil war surgery and the evolution of american medicine. The extreme violence between the northern and southern states sent a shockwave of sorrow and fear throughout america. Medical and surgical care during the american civil war, 18611865. Interestingly, despite american doctors extensive experience with ether by then, chloroform became the anesthetic agent of choice by both union and confederate.
From the civil war to vietnam based on the exhibit by j. Amputation in the civil war south university of georgia press, 2015. Medical and surgical care during the american civil war. Posts may contain affiliate links, meaning cwba might get a commission from purchases made through those links, at no cost to you.
Decisive battle for vicksburg hardcover champion hill. A few words about why there were so many amputations may be appropriate here. Letterman, but also of the history and evolution of battlefield medicine, and an account of the major battles in the civil war. After a battle, surgeons at the field hospitals spent hours treating the wounded. There are an extraordinary number of books covering all aspects of the war from large overviews like james mcphersons battle cry freedom, gary gallaghers books on the union war and the confederate war, allan nevins 8 volume set on the conflict, and shelby footes three volume set of books on the war. These four books are examples of the types of medical books available to the public during the civil war period. Sep 23, 2018 the civil war was the bloodiest conflict in american history. During the civil war, both sides were devastated by battle and disease.
A civil war trust article exploring the legacy of the civil war in modern medicine. Medical books about civil war medicine and surgery. The series lasted 10 novels, ending in 2003 with the novel, appomattox. Graphic battlefield surgery american civil war forums. Personal choice, popular culture, and the union home front 2105, won the bobbie and john nau book prize in american civil war era history. Medical care was heavily criticized in the press throughout the war. Nurses, surgeons, and physicians rose to the challenge of healing a nation and advanced medicine into the modern age. Walt whitman remarked on the plethora of hospitals around washington d. James reasoner began his civil war battle series in 1999 with the novel manassas. The american civil war was the defining event in our nations history. He has had a book published on african american physicians in the civil war. Civil war medical books for the home american civil war voices. Notes on the surgery of the war in the crimea, the treatment of gunshot wounds, 1862, by george macleod, m.
Rhode has authored numerous papers and articles, in addition to making many presentations on medical history. Nurses, surgeons, and physicians rose to the challenge of healing a. Hospital stewards manual, hand book of surgical operations, grays anatomy, descriptive and. Jeff shahara wrote the killer angels, the definitive historical fiction book about chamberlain and the battle of gettysburg, and he and his son have written numerous other good books about the ci. Bloodcurdling tales and photos of amputations from the. Between 1861 and 1865 10,000 battles and engagements were fought across the continent, from vermont to the new mexico territory, and beyond. Bollet who is the author of the recent book civil war. Hundreds of illustrations, combined with wellresearched and engaging text, tell the tale of the challenges presented to physicians with each new battle and the oftenheroic ways those. The major cause of death during the civil war was disease. For many men that bloody war meant giving a limb for the cause.
It was traditionally estimated that 620,000 soldiers died fighting on the battlefield between 1861 and. The encyclopedia of civil war medicine 2012 excerpt and text search. A copy of this text book is listed in the 1865 surgeon generals office library catalogue or the list of medical textbooks which were published during the civil war by the army medical department during the crimean war, macleod was a surgeon in the civil hospital at smyrna and the. British and american civilian surgeons who visited battlefield hospitals as. Incredibly, surgeon general finley did not order medical supplies until after the battle was over. It was stated that surgery was often done without anesthesia, many unnecessary amputations were done, and that care was not state of the art for the times.
A collection of civil war era surgical manuals and medical books for the u. Surgeon in blue is a meticulously researched, totally fascinating narrative of dr. There are over 50,000 cases of amputations recorded for the war. Civil war union surgical manuals and medical books. Dec 27, 2010 trying to name the top dozen civil war books of all time is, admittedly, a brazen act on my part. What are the best historically accurate books about the. The structure of the medical department was decentralized with no clear chain of command and control of supplies.
Sep 09, 2015 jonathan letterman, the civil war doctor who pioneered battlefield medicene. The american battlefield protection program abpp was established within the united states national park service to classify the preservation status of historic battlefield land. May 20, 20 these four books are examples of the types of medical books available to the public during the civil war period. Walk in the footsteps of history with this stunning volume that brings more than thirty civil war battlefields to life. Battlefield surgeon life and death on the front lines of. Bound for casablanca, the santa elena was part of the western task force of operation torch, the massive allied invasion of north africa. It was traditionally estimated that 620,000 soldiers died fighting on the battlefield. A 2016 research paper found that civil war surgery was effective at. I got to know about the various generals and their military approaches as they worked alongside dr. It was during the civil war, however, that painless surgery on the battlefield became fully established. Created in association with the civil war trust, the leading organization in civil war battlefield preservation, and with a foreword by novelist jeff shaara, this impressive look at 32 major battlefields contains essays, detailed maps, historic photographs, and suggested hikes ranging from. From the first battle of bull run to lees surrender at appomattox court house four years later, this book celebrates the history and scenic beauty of these hallowed grounds in a largeformat, beautifully produced volume. For students preparing to enter the field, medical training focused largely on book knowledge. Travel with critically acclaimed author and historian tom clemens as we examine the battle of antietam.
The best civil war books of all time analysis civil. At the onset of the american civil war 18611865, the us army and navy combined had about 100 physicians, many with no experience with battlefield trauma, almost 30 of whom resigned to join the confederacy. Some students took the extra step of apprenticing with a practicing physician, but the vast majority of doctors had little to no hands on experience before encountering their first. Articles on civil war medicine and surgery in this section are many articles dealing with the various subjects concerning civil war medicine and surgey during the civil war. Civil war medical books for the home american civil war. The mexican american war in the late 1840s and the crimean war in the mid1850s saw the first battlefield use of these agents on a small scale. An alphabetical listing of the officers and batteries of the confederacy 18611865, f. Anita newcomb mcgees pictorial record of the russojapanese war, 1904, and battlefield surgery 101. Battle of antietam civil war books captain american history magazine american revolutionary war america civil war civil war photos war photography military history. The two minie bullets, for example, that struck john bell hoods leg. In total, eight percent of all white males aged to 43 living in america at the dawn of the civil war died during the conflict thats approximately 2. The magic tree house series takes on the civil war with civil war on sunday. Keith wilbur takes you on a detailed and fascinating tour through the medical history of this bloody and devastating war.
With a toll of approximately 23,000 casualties, it is the bloodiest singleday battle in american history. Medical textbooks, civil war medical books, antique medical books, and rare medical books which were used during the civil war by surgeons both in the union and confederate armies. The story of the pile of limbs national museum of civil war. It was by all accounts four years of grim warfare and mass casualties. All of the above are available from amazon, some on kindle. Many people have construed the civil war surgeon to be a heartless individual or. John keegan is the defence editor of the daily telegraph and britains foremost military historian. Jonathan lettermans pioneering of modern battlefield medicine in the midst of the nightmare carnage of the civil war. The magic tree house series places jack and annie, two elementary school students from pennsylvania, in various places and times through the use of a magic tree house filled with books. Six ways the civil war changed american medicine science. The grisly photos that show how soldiers gritted their teeth for surgery in the american civil war. From civil war amputations to general civil war medicine, eventually all will be covered here. Shermans 1865 carolinas campaign receives scant attention from most civil war historians, largely because it was overshadowed by the army of northern virginias final battles.