Confederate Hospitals - Americus Georgia

lelliott19

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Confederate Hospitals at Americus, Georgia

Foard Hospital
located at 118 Jackson Street, Americus GA

Bragg Hospital
located at the site of the Furlow Masonic Female College, 407 Jackson Street, Americus, GA

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The Foard and Bragg hospitals were relocated from Newnan, GA by rail to Americus in mid-August of 1864, just ahead of the fall of Atlanta. By the end of August, the Foard Hospital was destroyed by fire.

September 1, 1864

"Last night our hospital was burned to the ground, and with it much valuable property belonging to the town. About 5 P. M., while on my way to visit some sick men, a cry of fire was raised, and on looking in the direction it came from, saw a large cotton warehouse in a blaze. The sight was fearful, as it covered the whole square, and the cotton seemed to have ignited all at the same time. Had I not known how inflammable cotton is, I should have thought it was covered with turpentine. The flames spread with great rapidity, and it was not long before two whole squares were entirely consumed.

We have saved very little. A number of buildings were blown up; by this we lost much more than we otherwise should have done. Our hospital occupied three sides of a square; out of this there is one two-story brick building saved. The people have been very kind, and many came in from miles in the country, and took the patients to their houses. Mrs. W. and I remained with a very nice lady, who was very kind to us. We are now in a small room, about twelve feet square, in which are all our stores, and besides we have two patients, who come and eat with us. It is just as much as we can do to turn around. Our men have put up stoves in an open field, which they use for their kitchen. All this is very disheartening, and I feel as if I never would assist to fix up a hospital again."
~ Kate Cumming: A Journal of Hospital Life in the Confederate Army of Tennessee.

@Diane123
 
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Somehow I did not know about Confederate hospitals in Americus, Georgia, so thanks for posting! The question that occurs to me is, wasn't Americus just down the rail line 15-20 miles from the station of Anderson, or Andersonville, of prison fame? Looks like a map shows it was.

I wonder how much food and supplies were able to be delivered by rail to the hospital(s) and how that worked with the narrative for the prison, where there was never enough? Or was the hospital always out of food too? It seems an awkward situation, especially if the head of prisons (Windsor? Windman? Wirz's boss up in Richmond--you know, him) had to justify with the head of hospitals (Surgeon General Moore) what was going on 20 miles apart, but I'm not sure how they interacted, if ever.

I'm not sure who would be in charge of hospitals, though I do known Samuel Moore was CSA surgeon general. My mind is drawing a blank on the head of prisons, darn it.

Edited to add: John H. Winder, overall head of CSA prisoner of war camps.
 
Somehow I did not know about Confederate hospitals in Americus, Georgia, so thanks for posting! The question that occurs to me is, wasn't Americus just down the rail line 15-20 miles from the station of Anderson, or Andersonville, of prison fame? Looks like a map shows it was.

I wonder how much food and supplies were able to be delivered by rail to the hospital(s) and how that worked with the narrative for the prison, where there was never enough? Or was the hospital always out of food too? It seems an awkward situation, especially if the head of prisons (Windsor? Windman? Wirz's boss up in Richmond--you know, him) had to justify with the head of hospitals (Surgeon General Moore) what was going on 20 miles apart, but I'm not sure how they interacted, if ever.

I'm not sure who would be in charge of hospitals, though I do known Samuel Moore was CSA surgeon general. My mind is drawing a blank on the head of prisons, darn it.

Edited to add: John H. Winder, overall head of CSA prisoner of war camps.

The hospital was only there briefly....from August to November 1864. I'm working right now but when I get home I'll write a longer reply.
 
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Somehow I did not know about Confederate hospitals in Americus, Georgia, so thanks for posting! The question that occurs to me is, wasn't Americus just down the rail line 15-20 miles from the station of Anderson, or Andersonville, of prison fame? Looks like a map shows it was.

I wonder how much food and supplies were able to be delivered by rail to the hospital(s) and how that worked with the narrative for the prison, where there was never enough? Or was the hospital always out of food too? It seems an awkward situation, especially if the head of prisons (Windsor? Windman? Wirz's boss up in Richmond--you know, him) had to justify with the head of hospitals (Surgeon General Moore) what was going on 20 miles apart, but I'm not sure how they interacted, if ever.

I'm not sure who would be in charge of hospitals, though I do known Samuel Moore was CSA surgeon general. My mind is drawing a blank on the head of prisons, darn it.

Edited to add: John H. Winder, overall head of CSA prisoner of war camps.

Sorry I wasnt able to answer this more completely earlier. Yes, James. You are correct that Andersonville was nearby to the two Confederate Hospitals in Americus. The prison opened in Feb 1864 with the hospitals operating nearby for a 3 month period.

My 2x g grandfather was surgeon in charge at the Bragg Hospital, Dr. Wm C Cross.

Here's a basic timeline:
Feb 1864
- Andersonville began being used as a prison
midAug 1864 - The Foard and Bragg Confederate hospitals moved from Newnan GA to Americus ahead of the fall of Atlanta.
August, 1864 - the prisoner population at Andersonville reached its highest of 33,000+.
Sept and Oct 1864 - most Union prisoners (those able to travel) were sent to Camp Lawton in Columbia, SC.
Nov 1864 - about 1500 Union prisoners remained at Andersonville.
November 27, 1864 - the Foard and Bragg hospitals were loaded up on the cars and moved 280 miles by rail via Montgomery to Gainesville, AL.

According to Kate Cumming's Journal of Hospital Life in the Confederate Army of Tennessee (Page 152) regarding the situation at Andersonville
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From carded records in the file of Dr William C. Cross, surgeon in charge at the Bragg Hospital at Americus Ga.
Form No. 40 Special Requisition
1864, Oct 24th
(2) Two Box Stoves and pipe for same 57 pounds
(20) Twenty casks Lime
For Bragg Hospital, Americus Ga

I certify, that the above requisition is correct, and that the articles specified are absolutely requisite for the public service, rendered so by the following circumstances: In consequence of there being no other means of warming the rooms now used as wards in this Hospital.
[signed] Wm C Cross Surg in chg
[endorsed by QM below]

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Were the Foard and Bragg hospitals classified as mobile hospitals? See below.

This work tells the story of Samuel Hollingsworth Stout, an innovative Confederate doctor and medical director of the Army of Tennessee, and his successful administration and establishment of more than sixty mobile military hospitals scattered throughout the western theatre.

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Sorry I wasnt able to answer this more completely earlier. Yes, James. You are correct that Andersonville was nearby to the two Confederate Hospitals in Americus. The prison opened in Feb 1864 with the hospitals operating nearby for a 3 month period.
(snip good stuff)
Interesting information , Lelliott19! I appreciate that.

Of course, two of the major problems at Andersonville were lack of water and overcrowding, meaning poor sanitation, compared to a hospital that could feed its men better on the same quantity of food, if it had more of the necessities that were, well, necessary, like water and drainage. One can see the bit of defensiveness in Kate Cummings' journal.

The requisition for the hospital for stoves and the casks of lime (surely for sinks or other areas), shows how much the infratstructure (for lack of a better term) was a major difference. If one has buildings, one can then figure out how to warm them. If one has an area for sinks because there's no overcrowding, one can then figure out how to purify them with lime. If one starts with inadequate shelter and inadequate room, there's little to do to improve things.
 
Were the Foard and Bragg hospitals classified as mobile hospitals?
Yes. The Confederate hospitals moved to avoid the advancing Union Army. The Bragg and Foard moved several times each.
  • The Bragg Hospital was first named at Chattanooga and operated at Cherokee Springs Ringgold, GA, from at least April 25, 1863 to Sept. 2, 1863.
  • By Sept 3, 1863 the Bragg Hospital had moved to Newnan, GA and was operated there until about August 16, 1864.
  • By August 18, 1864 the Bragg Hospital was operating in Americus GA where it remained until Nov 27, 1864 when the patients and hospital supplies were loaded on the cars and moved 280 miles by rail via Montgomery to Gainesville, AL.
  • By Dec 17, 1864 the Bragg Hospital was back in business, this time in Gainesville, AL.
My 2x g grandfather, then the surgeon in charge of the Bragg Hospital, was surrendered May 12, 1865 at Meridian MS so I assume the hospital moved again to Meridian, but there are no records in the file to indicate the date of the move.

The requisition for the hospital for stoves and the casks of lime (surely for sinks or other areas), shows how much the infrastructure (for lack of a better term) was a major difference. If one has buildings, one can then figure out how to warm them. If one has an area for sinks because there's no overcrowding, one can then figure out how to purify them with lime. If one starts with inadequate shelter and inadequate room, there's little to do to improve things.
Agreed... I wondered if the lime was for sinks. Have you ever read about the use of lime in the hospital tents, on the dirt floors I suppose, to sanitize? I think I read about it being used in a small pox or gangrene ward.
 
By chance, is their a list or record of the doctors/surgeons at the Foard or Bragg hospitals?

Bragg Hospital


Surgeon: Dr. William Cordwell Cross https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=98280671
Asst Surgeon: Dr. Wallace W. Estell (Estill) (d Nov 1864 at Americus) https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=25599327
Asst Surgeon (assigned 10/4/64): Dr William Webb (24 yo from Missouri)
Asst Surgeon: Dr. Hullum Duke Erasmus Redwine https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=32277725
Asst Surgeon: Dr. Colvin B Adams https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=29453116


Foard Hospital


Surgeon: James Neville Hughes

Im sorry I havent compiled a list of the Asst Surgeons of the Foard Hospital. My 2x great grandfather was Dr Cross, surgeon in charge of the Bragg Hospital from Oct 1, 1864 through May 1865. Dr Cross succeeded Dr. Joshua Allen Gore, Surgeon, who was ordered to Macon Oct 1, 1864 to take charge of the Hospital there.
 
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Somehow I did not know about Confederate hospitals in Americus, Georgia, so thanks for posting! The question that occurs to me is, wasn't Americus just down the rail line 15-20 miles from the station of Anderson, or Andersonville, of prison fame? Looks like a map shows it was.

I wonder how much food and supplies were able to be delivered by rail to the hospital(s) and how that worked with the narrative for the prison, where there was never enough? Or was the hospital always out of food too? It seems an awkward situation, especially if the head of prisons (Windsor? Windman? Wirz's boss up in Richmond--you know, him) had to justify with the head of hospitals (Surgeon General Moore) what was going on 20 miles apart, but I'm not sure how they interacted, if ever.

I'm not sure who would be in charge of hospitals, though I do known Samuel Moore was CSA surgeon general. My mind is drawing a blank on the head of prisons, darn it.

Edited to add: John H. Winder, overall head of CSA prisoner of war camps.
I visited a friend in Americus once and we went to see Andersonville.
 
After Murfreesboro, two of my ancestors came down sick and they were sent to hospitals in Georgia. Macon and Marietta, I think. They were returned to duty just as Bragg skedaddled to Chattanooga and were left behind, too sick to keep up. Both were eventually captured.
 
Somehow I did not know about Confederate hospitals in Americus, Georgia, so thanks for posting! The question that occurs to me is, wasn't Americus just down the rail line 15-20 miles from the station of Anderson, or Andersonville, of prison fame? Looks like a map shows it was.

I wonder how much food and supplies were able to be delivered by rail to the hospital(s) and how that worked with the narrative for the prison, where there was never enough? Or was the hospital always out of food too? It seems an awkward situation, especially if the head of prisons (Windsor? Windman? Wirz's boss up in Richmond--you know, him) had to justify with the head of hospitals (Surgeon General Moore) what was going on 20 miles apart, but I'm not sure how they interacted, if ever.

I'm not sure who would be in charge of hospitals, though I do known Samuel Moore was CSA surgeon general. My mind is drawing a blank on the head of prisons, darn it.

Edited to add: John H. Winder, overall head of CSA prisoner of war camps.

Yes, Americus is placed correctly on your map. With respect to the bolded part of your post, I can offer my GGG grandfather was in a Confederate hospital at Columbus, Georgia, about 50 miles NW of Americus.

Family legend holds that he left the hospital, against doctor's orders, because he was afraid he would starve to death if he stayed. He limped home to Alabama on a cane, which he used for the rest of his life. He died in 1917 in Louisiana.

Not a happy situation, this.
 
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Yes. The Confederate hospitals moved to avoid the advancing Union Army. The Bragg and Foard moved several times each.
  • The Bragg Hospital was first named at Chattanooga and operated at Cherokee Springs Ringgold, GA, from at least April 25, 1863 to Sept. 2, 1863.
  • By Sept 3, 1863 the Bragg Hospital had moved to Newnan, GA and was operated there until about August 16, 1864.
  • By August 18, 1864 the Bragg Hospital was operating in Americus GA where it remained until Nov 27, 1864 when the patients and hospital supplies were loaded on the cars and moved 280 miles by rail via Montgomery to Gainesville, AL.
  • By Dec 17, 1864 the Bragg Hospital was back in business, this time in Gainesville, AL.
My 2x g grandfather, then the surgeon in charge of the Bragg Hospital, was surrendered May 12, 1865 at Meridian MS so I assume the hospital moved again to Meridian, but there are no records in the file to indicate the date of the move.


Agreed... I wondered if the lime was for sinks. Have you ever read about the use of lime in the hospital tents, on the dirt floors I suppose, to sanitize? I think I read about it being used in a small pox or gangrene ward.




Ahhhhhhhh that makes sense that they moved around and kept the same name. I knew I had heard of the Foard Hospital somewhere but I didn't think it was Americus.

This was a cousin:
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What name did the Confederate hospital at Kingston Ga go by?

Did it go by the same name after moving?
 
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