He dedicated his book to Clara Barton.Ĭharles Beneulyn Johnson (1917) wrote a book about his experiences as a Hospital Steward with the 77 th and 130 th Illinois Infantry. At Andersonville, he was in the hospital outside the gates where he was in charge of the dispensary, was dispensing to civilians and families, was allowed to go out into the countryside to collect herbs, and on one occasion left to visit some lady friends! He not only survived Andersonville, but stated that he returned after the war with Clara Barton to help identify the thousands of unknown graves. At Danville POW camp, he worked as a Hospital Steward. At Pemberton POW camp, he took care of sick POW’s and was in charge of a hospital ward. He was a prisoner in three different Confederate POW camps. Solon Hyde (1900) wrote a book about his own experiences as a Hospital Steward with the 17 th Ohio Infantry during the early war years and more interestingly about his later war years serving as a Hospital Steward while being a POW. His military career ended a few months later at Gettysburg, PA. In reference to supervisory duties with nurses he stated that he took five nurses up to the Lacy House (Fredericksburg, VA) with orders to open a hospital. He also listed autopsies as one of his responsibilities. Bonsall comments in his journal on compounding many prescriptions daily, opening boxes and examining stock “enough for a small drug store,” and dressing wounds. Michael Flannery and Katherine Oomens (2007) edited and wrote verbatim from the journal of Spencer Bonsall, 81 st Pennsylvania Infantry. Michaels, MD, he became a physician after the war with a practice in Baltimore, MD, and later retired back to St. He also mentions nurses and states he had a male nurse detailed to assist him. In addition he served on a second ship where he was also the sole provider, having no surgeon on board for an extended period of time and then with an ill surgeon who was unable to perform his duties. He volunteered to serve under a Yellow Flag (quarantined for Yellow Fever) on board a ship where the surgeon was ill and he was the sole provider. He describes his duties from a clerk to compounding prescriptions, but in addition he states he was also involved in diagnosis, treatment, minor surgery, administering chloroform, dentistry and prescribing medications.
Dodson served as a Union Navy Steward aboard the USS Pocahontas, USS Arkansas, and USS Hollyhock. In reference to the nurses he stated “…staying up to see that the nurses gave every attention necessary.” After the war Apperson would continue in health care to become a physician and open Virginia’s first mental asylum.Ĭharles Earp (2002) edited and wrote verbatim from the journal of C. On other occasions he was doing surgery on gunshot wounds, amputating fingers, amputating below the knee, and removing a ball from a foot (excision rather than amputation). At one time he went into the community to do minor surgery on a child’s neck and open an abscess. He also talked about seeing patients independently, diagnosing and treating, vaccinating for smallpox, collecting tissue samples, extracting teeth, performing autopsies and triage, attending the wounded, practicing percussion and auscultation, and being an apprentice to a surgeon.
John Roper (2001) edited and wrote verbatim from the diaries of John Samuel Apperson, 1 st Virginia Brigade or “Stonewall Brigade.” Apperson described compounding and administering medications, organizing and inventory of supplies, dressing wounds, and administering anesthesia. Primary sources often allow us to see what the individuals are doing especially if their performance differs from the official manual. These books were written by the Hospital Steward himself post-war or were edited by others using journals, diaries, and/or letters written by the Hospital Steward during the war years. These sources, which are all available in print today, give us a glimpse into the lives of these individuals during the Civil War. In an attempt to gain insight into the roles and responsibilities of the Hospital Steward this researcher has been able to locate seven first person or primary sources by and about Hospital Stewards in addition to Woodward’s official manual.