Photographs of Union hospitals in Hampton, Virginia

chubachus

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"The Union hospital complex at Hampton and Fort Monroe grew steadily through the early years of the Civil War, ultimately developing into the North's second largest hospital. It served as the primary receiving point for many of the sick and wounded troops evacuated from Harrison's Landing on the James River at the end of the summer 1862 Peninsula Campaign. Grant's campaign for Richmond in 1864 and '65 generated even larger numbers of patients."

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"One of the anchors of the vast Union hospital complex at Hampton was the Chesapeake Female Seminary building, which was transformed into an officers hospital with beds for some 500 patients. This image taken by Maine soldier Frank Larrabee, who operated the Monitor Photography Gallery at nearby Camp Hamilton, also shows part of the small tent city that grew up across the grounds to provide more beds for patients."

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"This elevated view looking south along the Hampton River shows some of the enlisted men's wards, center, and the 4-story structure housing officers' wards, far right, that combined to make up the Hampton hospital complex during the Civil War."

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"This detail from the Hampton hospital complex shows some of the enlisted men's wards as well as the chapel, which was prefabricated in the North, shipped to Fort Monroe and then assembled on site."

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Wonder what became of so many of these institutions post war? So many became hospitals you wonder if they were ever able to be turned back over to their original use. I don't mean as at Gettysburg, where college buildings were used for awhile, I mean those like Hampton, where an army hospital remained through most of the war.

1857, seminary described as " where the society is inferior to none ".
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It does make you wonder what happened to all of the buildings used as hospitals..and morgues as well. I don’t know if it were my home, that I would be so comfortable going back and living in it. There are some stains that never come out.
 
The confederates burned down almost all the houses in Hampton early in the war, when Federal troops crossed over from Fort Monroe to establish Camp Hamilton. This monolithic structure possibly is located where the Veteran's Affairs Center is now. Up until about 1970 there was an Old Dixie Hospital somewhere out that way along Chesapeake Avenue, and at some point they built a newer hospital named Hampton General, which I think is there today. It would seem that one structure would be saved, but all the smaller ones being wooden, they were probably leveled for developing infrastructure. (some of my old stomping grounds).
Thanks, Lubliner.
 
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