JPK Huson 1863
Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2012
- Location
- Central Pennsylvania
As usual, Frank Leslie's ' traveling photographers ' left us an inside look at one of the ' saloons '. This is Cooper's one of two in Philadelphia. Men and relief as far as the eye can see. Five hundred men could be fed! 400,000 passed through Cooper's alone.
On Washington Street, Cooper's operated by providing stations- note the water station- for a good wash, too!
Inside the water station men just literally lined up to be clean. Well, and it must have paid off if you got to meet ladies afterwards.
If we think travel in 2017 uncomfortable, a trek off to war in 1861 ( and beyond, and back ) would wear the bejammers out of a gazelle. March, embark, unembark, march with no I-81's taking anyone South. Or North.
As ever, citizens did not sit around waiting for government services. Taking due note as men passed through Philadelphia, expected to make journeys of 100's of miles subsisting on tooth-breakers in knapsacks, dirty, thirsty, home a letter or photograph stuffed inside pockets, women itched to get motherly hands on them.
So they did. Sister organizations sprang up. " Relief Stations ", " Union Volunteer Refreshment Stand and Hospital " and " Cooper Shop Volunteer Refreshment Saloon ". Massive? Goodness. In typical Victorian super-achiever fashion, both dot orgs massively staffed, provided for, watched over, fed, washed and all but massively tucked-in for the night grubby, weary and massively appreciative soldiers. Some were put to bed- I'm not sure they're not still there 150 years later, so massive was the compassion. Someone should go look.
Part of a letter, a more than grateful soldier.
Between Frank Leslie's Illustrated Weekly, NYPL, LoC and various ancient Hathi sources there are an incredible amount of sources documenting these hands in Philadelphia. " Union Saloon " is more famous in my opinion because that awesome eagle dominates both the ' saloon ' and adjoining hospital.
Pretty sure this NYPL ( from a stereotype ) image is from its opening ceremonies? Surely no one is firing that canon.
Unsure date? Building the canon had been pointing towards lacks signage?
Inside one of these hospital buildings.
Back to Cooper's massive feeding lines. Crazy! Thank you Frank Leslie for your determination to illustrate this war.
" Cooper " shop was not making barrels. Cooper was co-owner of the building's former business.
This is confusing because the picture looks like ' Cooper ', perhaps not. It seems to be a certificate of gratitude. I did find at least one account of a nurse dying after contracting illness while nursing here. Volunteering was serious stuff.
https://digital.librarycompany.org/...7c1fcec0f&solr_nav[page]=0&solr_nav[offset]=0
More on Cooper's at this site from Philadelphia's Library System? Very cool stuff, fair warning- it's a very cool site, too. You'll get lost in it.