Duties of an Assistant Surgeon?

When attached to a regiment on a battlefield, the Surgeon would be assigned to the hospital (often for the brigade or division) established far enough in the rear to escape errant artillery shells (at least two miles), while the Assistant Surgeon (typically one but sometimes two per regiment) established himself in a field hospital within close range of the battlefield to render immediate aid to casualties until they could be stabilized and transported further to the rear. The field hospital was exposed to enemy artillery and even infantry overshots. Many surgeons and assistant surgeons on both sides received their medical degree from northern schools before the war, mainly at Jefferson Medical College or at the University of Pennsylvania's Medical Department, both located in Philadelphia, and New York University's Medical College. Notable schools in the South included the University of Louisiana's Medical Department, and Medical Colleges in Virginia and South Carolina. Please identify your ancestors that may lead to additional information.
 
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Alfred Waud. Citizen volunteers assisting the wounded on the field of battle. Sept. 17, 1862

Looks like an assistant surgeon at an amputation there on the left!
 
When attached to a regiment on a battlefield, the Surgeon would be assigned to the hospital (often for the brigade or division) established far enough in the rear to escape errant artillery shells (at least two miles), while the Assistant Surgeon (typically one but sometimes two per regiment) established himself in a field hospital within close range of the battlefield to render immediate aid to casualties until they could be stabilized and transported further to the rear. The field hospital was exposed to enemy artillery and even infantry overshots. Many surgeons and assistant surgeons on both sides received their medical degree from northern schools before the war, mainly at Jefferson Medical College or at the University of Pennsylvania's Medical Department, both located in Philadelphia, and New York University's Medical College. Notable schools in the South included the University of Louisiana's Medical Department, and Medical Colleges in Virginia and South Carolina. Please identify your ancestors that may lead to additional information.

My great grandfather Dr. John Fleming Rodgers of northern Ky attended Eclectic Medical College in Cincinnatti, Oh. He was the Surgeon or Assistant Surg of the 11th Ky Cavalry, USA. My gr gr grandfather Dr. Alexius Llewellyn Middleton of Charles and PG Counties, MD, went to Georgetown University in Wash, DC I think. He served in the 2nd Tex Inf.
 
Assistant Surgeon Carl Hermann Anton Kleinschmidt of the 3rd Arkansas also graduated from Georgetown University; he was born in Petershagen in one of the north German states in 1839. A well known medical school in that vicinity was the Medical Department of Columbian College, in Washington D.C. - the alma mater of a number of doctors serving in both the Union and Confederate armies.

The Eclectic Medical Institute in Cincinnati was previously unknown to me. Thanks for sharing! A historical sketch of this institution is provided in, http://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/bios/bios-emi.html
 
Assistant Surgeon Carl Hermann Anton Kleinschmidt of the 3rd Arkansas also graduated from Georgetown University; he was born in Petershagen in one of the north German states in 1839. A well known medical school in that vicinity was the Medical Department of Columbian College, in Washington D.C. - the alma mater of a number of doctors serving in both the Union and Confederate armies.

The Eclectic Medical Institute in Cincinnati was previously unknown to me. Thanks for sharing! A historical sketch of this institution is provided in, http://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/bios/bios-emi.html

You are very welcome. I am not sure which class my great grandfather graduated with, late 1850s I think. Here is a pic of him, and also a portrait I had made of him by an artist that drew it from looking at his pic. I saw "drew" because he was an inmate where I worked at a prison and he drew it completely with nothing but colored pencils. If you notice I have him in Major's rank. I had seen him listed at one source as the Surgeon of that regiment. Most others list him as Asst Surg. He ws the oldest child of 12 kids. His brother right under him also serrved in his unit I think. Their younger brothers served in the Southern Army. Well it would not let me post the one in uniform.
 

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