History

THE ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT
1775-1818

Mary C. Gillett

ARMY HISTORICAL SERIES
Maurice Matloff, General Editor

ADVISORY COMMITTEE
(as of February 1979)

Otis A. Singletary (Chairman) University of Kentucky	Maj. Gen. Robert C. Hixon Training and Doctrine Command
Brig. Gen. Robert Arter Command and General Staff College	Sara D. Jackson National Historical Publications and Records Commission
Harry L. Coles Ohio State University	Maj. Gen. Enrique Mendez, Jr. Office of The Surgeon General
Robert H. Ferrell Indiana University	James E. O`Neill Deputy Archivist of the United States
Cyrus H. Fraker Office of The Adjutant General	Benjamin Quarles Morgan State College
William H. Goetzmann University of Texas	Brig. Gen. Alfred L. Sanderson Army War College
Col. Thomas E. Griess U.S. Military Academy	Russell F. Weigley Temple University

U.S. ARMY CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY
Brig. Gen. James L. Collins, Jr., Chief of Military History

Maurice Matloff Chief Historian	Col. William F. Strobridge Chief, Historical Services Division
Col. James W. Dunn Chief, Histories Division	Col. Earl L. Ziebell Chief, Editorial/Cartographic Division

James E. McSherry
Editor in Chief

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Gillett, M. C.
The Army Medical Department, 1775-1818.

     (United States Army historical series)
     Bibliography: p.
     Includes index.
     1. United States. Army Medical Dept.-History.2. Medicine,
Military-United States-History. 3. United States-History-
Revolution-1775-1783-Medical and sanitary affairs. 4. United States-
History-War of 1812-Medical and sanitary affairs. I. Title.
II. Series. [DNLM: 1. Military medicine-History-United States.
UH223 G479a]
UH223.G54          355.3`45`0973          80-12502

First printing 1981
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402

Contents

Foreword

Preface

1 The State the Art

Medicine
Surgery
Medical Education and Experience

2 Evolution of the Continental Army Medical Department

Creation of the Hospital Department: Church as Director General
Morgan as Director General, 1775 to 1777
New Arrangements for the Hospital Department
Shippen`s Controversial Administration
The Hospital Department Under Cochran

3 From Siege to Retreat, 1775 to May 1777

The Boston Area, 1775 to 1776
The Northern Department
New York and New Jersey, 1776 to 1777
Hospitals in New York State and New England After the Evacuation of New York City

4 Year of Despair and Hope, June 1777 to June 1778

The Middle Department
The Northern Department
The Eastern Department

5 From Defeat to Victory, June 1778 to 1783

North of the Potomac: Before the Victory at Yorktown
South of the Potomac: Before the Victory at Yorktown
After the Victory at Yorktown

6 Between Wars, 1783 to June 1812

Continental Army Patients Remaining in Hospitals
Campaigns Against the Indians
Forts and Their Garrisons
Wilkinson in the Louisiana Territory, 1809
Management of Supplies

7 Administration of Medical Support, June1812 to January 1815

Opening Months of the War of 1812
Work of the Medical Department

8 Early Campaigns in the North, 1812 to1813

Season of 1812
Season of 1813

9 Defeat and Final Victory, 1814 to 1815

Campaign in the North
Campaign in the South

10 The Lessons of War, 1815 to 1818

Indecision and Decision, March 1815 to April 1818
The State of the Art

Appendixes

A - Some Influential Doctors in the Continental Hospital Department, 1775 to 1783
B - Law of 27 July 1775
C - Law of 17 July 1776
D - Law of 7-8 April 1777
E - Law of 6 February 1778
F - Law of 30 September 1780
G - Hospitals Serving Washington`s Army
H - An Act to Regulate the Medical Establishment, 2 March 1799
I - Legislation Concerning the U.S. Army Medical Department
J - Duties of Members of the Medical Department, 1814
K - Legislation Affecting the Army Medical Department, March 1815 to April 1818

Notes

Bibliography

Maps

1    Boston Area, 1775-1776
2    The Northern Department, 1775-1777
3    Continental Army Hospital Locations,1776-1777
4    Continental Army Hospital Locations, June 1777-June 1778
5    Northern and Eastern Departments,1777-1778
6    Hospital Locations, 1778-1783
7    Sullivan Expedition, 1779
8    The Southern Theater, 1778-1783
9    Northwest Territory, 1783-1811
10 War in the North, 1812-1814
11 Niagara Frontier, 1812-1814
12 The Southern Frontier, 1812-1814

Illustrations

Hermann Boerhaave
William Cullen
Sir John Pringle
Richard Brocklesby
Gerhard van Swieten
John Hunter
Hales`s Sketches of Plans for Ventilators
John Jones
Act Creating Hospital Department
Benjamin Church
Surgeon`s Field Case
William Shippen, Jr.
John Cochran
John Warren
Charles McKnight
Return Signed by Charles McKnight
Return of the Sick of the Hospital at Fort George
James McHenry
Brethren`s House at Bethlehem
William Eustis
Brothers` House at Ephrata
James Thacher
Hospital Hut Designed by Dr. James Tilton
Robinson`s House
David Oliphant
Thomas Tudor Tucker
William Read
James McClurg
College of William and Mary: Wren Building
Richard Allison
Fort Defiance
"Estimate of Medicine, Hospital Stores, etc. for Eighty Men [for] One Year"
James Tilton
Benjamin Waterhouse
William Beaumont
Joseph Lovell
Fort Niagara
"Soldiers Who Died at the Genl. Hospital Greenbush Together With Their Effects"
New Orleans in 1815
Statement on Hospital Supplies Sent From New York

Tables

1   Authority Within the Continental Army`s Medical Services, 1775-83
2   Hospital Department Units in the Boston Area With the Status of Patients During Week Preceding 2 December1775
3   Hospital Department Units in the Boston Area With the Status of Patients During Week Preceding 16 December1775
4   Mortality, 16 December 1775- 30 March 1776
5   Patients in Hospital Department Units, New York City Area, April-June 1776
6   Middle Department Hospital Patients,24 November 1777
7   Organization of Medical Support of the Regular Army, 1784-1813
8   Pay and Allowances for the Staff of the Medical Department, May 1813
9   Admissions and Deaths at the Burlington General Hospital, January 1814-April 1815