William Alford
individual movements to/from hospital
Wed Jun 13 11:03:13 2001


Last month I questioned the ambiguity of an ancestor's CSA enlistment location and received very intelligent and cogent answers--thanks Hayes and Alan!

Now I ponder a new puzzle and welcome any help again. I originally began a study of my ancestor's Regiment (5th AL), thinking that it's history would serve to reflect his as well and tell me something of his service. However, I've now obtained his hospital records and when I correlate them with his Regiment's battle reports and history, I find new questions. The bigger question concerns just how injured/ill troops were transported to and from the field to distant hospitals and what the logistics of that may have been.

I had always assumed that minor injuries and illnesses would be treated at field hospitals since there were so many great injuries that must have inundated the hospitals in the cities, but was suprised to find that all of his were in Richmond. If injured or ill infantrymen were transported from the field of action to hospitals back in Richmond, how was this done (wagon, rail?), and just how did they FIND their regiment which was on the move, when they were discharged? For instance, my ancestor's hospital records show that he was "sent to hospital Apl 29, 1863" and another record says "admitted to Chimbaroso Hospital" in Richmond on May 2, 1863 with the measles. Another note says "transferred to Amelia Hospital" in on June 8, 1863. This certainly means that he would have missed the Chancellorsville Battle (May 1-5). There is no discharge date, but assuming it was mid-June (surely there would have been recovery from the measles by then?), would there have been time for him to rejoin his Regiment before Gettysburg on July 1-3? Could someone have traveled that distance (how . . . afoot?) in a few weeks (alone? with other discharged men?). Would he have originally been sent away because of the great infectious danger to other troops?

Another record for Howard's Grove Hospital in Richmond shows admission on "June 8, 1864, returned to duty June 21". It's possible he could have been wounded at Cold Harbor (June 1-12) for this admission. However, another record for Howard's Grove Hospital in Richmond has confusing multiple dates--one is dated "April 30, 1864", but written beneath it is the note, "dated June 18, 1864". I don't know what the "dated" notation means since it is so much later than the April date on the same form, but if he was in hospital on April 30-June 18, he would not have been in the Spotsylvania Battle in May 1864. But again, supposing he was discharged shortly after April 30, would he have rejoined the unit by May 12-17 for Spotsylvania?

At the bottom of some of these records are notations such as: "Confed. Arch, Chap. 6, File No. 196, page 5". Is this a reference to additional records that may be obtained somewhere that may be more detailed? There is also a list of "medical card numbers" with an 8-digit number on it--is this a more detailed record available somewhere?

I know this is a rather long inquiry, but what this has taught me is that one must dig deeper to really know an ancestor's battle service since there may have been circumstances which separated them from their regiment. With so much attention on the great troop movements in the historical records, one doesn't think about the flux of individuals over great distances from the armies and I find that intriguing (thinking of the odyssey in the novel, Cold Mountain . . . I know, that was AWOL). Any reading lists that address this aspect of CW service? Thanks!
yours, William