Officer Promotion - a question

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

While writing my novel I flagged some items for further research and now that I'm editing, I've come across an area I cannot seem to find any information on - officer promotion in the Union Army during the Civil War years. I've read of battlefield commissions being doled out for bravery and going above and beyond the call of duty, but I'm unsure how one would receive such a promotion and whether under the circumstances my fictional character is entitled to such a promotion. It's a really important part of the plot that he has this promotion as he's a major supporting character and his rank comes in handy down the line.

Said character is a Army surgeon and starts out ranked as a Captain before Gettysburg. He finds himself running a makeshift field hospital that is set up in a home during the duration of the battle and goes on to work at Camp Letterman afterwards. His caring for critically wounded patients who feel they owe their life to him under horrible conditions garners him a promotion to Colonel. Could this kind of thing happen? Also, as a Colonel would he be entitled to an aide de camp? I've seen a few reference in various research that indicate Lt. Colonel's were entitled to aides, but am unsure if Colonel's would be as well.

I'm hoping someone on the forum can set me straight or point me in the right direction of locating information on the subject. Any information or source material is greatly appreciated!

 

[James N.]

While writing my novel I flagged some items for further research and now that I'm editing, I've come across an area I cannot seem to find any information on - officer promotion in the Union Army during the Civil War years. I've read of battlefield commissions being doled out for bravery and going above and beyond the call of duty, but I'm unsure how one would receive such a promotion and whether under the circumstances my fictional character is entitled to such a promotion. It's a really important part of the plot that he has this promotion as he's a major supporting character and his rank comes in handy down the line.

Said character is a Army surgeon and starts out ranked as a Captain before Gettysburg. He finds himself running a makeshift field hospital that is set up in a home during the duration of the battle and goes on to work at Camp Letterman afterwards. His caring for critically wounded patients who feel they owe their life to him under horrible conditions garners him a promotion to Colonel. Could this kind of thing happen? Also, as a Colonel would he be entitled to an aide de camp? I've seen a few reference in various research that indicate Lt. Colonel's were entitled to aides, but am unsure if Colonel's would be as well.

I'm hoping someone on the forum can set me straight or point me in the right direction of locating information on the subject. Any information or source material is greatly appreciated!

In a word, NO. Your problem is relating rank to the specifically MEDICAL position you've chosen to put your character in. Before the war there were Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons whose positions held the ranks and PAY of major and captain respectively. Theoretically every regiment in the army had one each of these officers of the Medical Staff, but enlargement of the volunteer army at the outbreak of war soon made this impossible in practice. Soon contract surgeons began to appear, and their "ranks" were mainly for purposes of pay and had nothing to do with command. Medical officers were assigned at regimental and even brigade level by the chief medical officer in the army or department they belonged to based on need. They tended not to receive actual promotions - their POSITION, however, might be increased or changed through assignment to higher levels of responsibility. For example, a regimental surgeon might be reassigned to brigade surgeon, coordinating the regimental officers; or a brigade surgeon might move up to divisional or even corps level, in which case some sort of increase of rank may or may not occur.

If your character remains in his same slot with the exact unit, most likely there would be NO promotion or pay increase.

 

[Don Dixon]

If you Google the term "brevet" you will find the information you are looking for regarding temporary promotions for heroism or performance. But, I've only seen it used in conjuction with combat arms personnel.

Regards,
Don Dixon

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

In a word, NO. Your problem is relating rank to the specifically MEDICAL position you've chosen to put your character in. Before the war there were Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons whose positions held the ranks and PAY of major and captain respectively. Theoretically every regiment in the army had one each of these officers of the Medical Staff, but enlargement of the volunteer army at the outbreak of war soon made this impossible in practice. Soon contract surgeons began to appear, and their "ranks" were mainly for purposes of pay and had nothing to do with command. Medical officers were assigned at regimental and even brigade level by the chief medical officer in the army or department they belonged to based on need. They tended not to receive actual promotions - their POSITION, however, might be increased or changed through assignment to higher levels of responsibility. For example, a regimental surgeon might be reassigned to brigade surgeon, coordinating the regimental officers; or a brigade surgeon might move up to divisional or even corps level, in which case some sort of increase of rank may or may not occur.

If your character remains in his same slot with the exact unit, most likely there would be NO promotion or pay increase.

Eek! My poor character, I've screwed up his plot line I realized while doing research most surgeons were majors and captains, hence the rank I bestowed upon him, but didn't realize the why behind their ranks and why/how they obtained them. Later on in the story he's stationed at an Army hospital as opposed to being in the field following his original regiment, would that help his cause out for some type of better position? Even if its not rank but just having more influence/power?

I truly appreciate you're help with this!

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

If you Google the term "brevet" you will find the information you are looking for regarding temporary promotions for heroism or performance. But, I've only seen it used in conjuction with combat arms personnel.

Regards,
Don Dixon

Ah, I've heard of this practice but didn't know the proper name for it. Interesting, might come in handy for another character!

 

[James N.]

Eek! My poor character, I've screwed up his plot line I realized while doing research most surgeons were majors and captains, hence the rank I bestowed upon him, but didn't realize the why behind their ranks and why/how they obtained them. Later on in the story he's stationed at an Army hospital as opposed to being in the field following his original regiment, would that help his cause out for some type of better position? Even if its not rank but just having more influence/power?

I truly appreciate you're help with this!

Although I've done a small bit of medical reenacting, I'm NO sort of authority on any of this, apart from very general basics. I recommend you look at compilations like Bell Irvin Wiley's Johnny Reb and Billy Yank, Francis Lord's They Fought for the Union and maybe They Who Fought Here for other generalized discussions of the organization of medical departments and services. (These are admittedly older sources but they're the ones I learned from and am therefore most familliar with; by now, likely there are others.) Of course nothing beats personal accounts, but often you can too easily get bogged down in them and there's always the possibility one individual's experiences may not be common or "typical".

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Although I've done a small bit of medical reenacting, I'm NO sort of authority on any of this, apart from very general basics. I recommend you look at compilations like Bell Irvin Wiley's Johnny Reb and Billy Yank, Francis Lord's They Fought for the Union and maybe They Who Fought Here for other generalized discussions of the organization of medical departments and services. (These are admittedly older sources but they're the ones I learned from and am therefore most familliar with; by now, likely there are others.) Of course nothing beats personal accounts, but often you can too easily get bogged down in them and there's always the possibility one individual's experiences may not be common or "typical".

Thank you! I'll look into the books you mentioned. You know more than I do on the subject since you knew his promotion to that rank was not possible. I've read a lot of personal accounts written by nurses and books about ACW medicine, but none from surgeons. I'll have to track some down.

It's difficult to fit fiction inside of history sometimes. While I'm not attempting to write a nonfiction volume, I strive to keep things as accurate as possible even if my readers might not realize or appreciate it.