The Washington Woolen mill in Fredericksburg.

Robert Gray

Sergeant Major
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
IN THE WAKE OE GRANT'S ADVANCE
A WOOLEN MILL USED AS A HOSPITAL AFTER SPOTSYLVANIA, MAY, 1864

These pictures shows a mill on the banks of the Rappahannock to which wounded have been conveyed after the slaughter in the Wilderness. Grant had attempted to oust the Army of Northern Virginia from its position by a flank movement on Spotsylvania. Lee succeeded in anticipating the movement, and once again Grant hurled the long-suffering Army of the Potomac upon the unbroken gray lines of the Army of Northern Virginia. Two assaults were made on the evening of May 11th, but the position could not be carried even at a loss of five or six thousand men. The neighboring buildings were filled with the Federal and Confederate wounded. Around the mill above are the tents of a division hospital corps which have been found inadequate to care for so many wounded. They can be seen on every floor of the big structure. The hospital orderlies are hurrying about. At first tentage was not used by these field hospitals, but they were established in any existing buildings, such as churches, mills and dwelling-houses. These, naturally, were not always convenient, but the first tent hospital was not used until the battle of Shiloh, April, 1862. The value of such shelter on this occasion was so manifest that hospital tents were soon after issued and ultimately used with troops almost exclusively in campaign as well as in periods of inactivity. These division or field hospitals, as finally developed in the war, proved to be thoroughly practicable and of the greatest value to the wounded in battle, while in camp they were set up and acted as temporary receiving hospitals to which sick were sent for more extended treatment or to determine the necessity for their removal to the fixed hospitals in the rear. Large in resources, they cared for wounded by the hundreds; always in hand and mobile, they could be sent forward without undue delay to where the needs of battle demanded and wheeled vehicles could penetrate. They embodied a new idea, developed by our surgeons, which was promptly adopted by all military nations with modifications to meet the demands of their respective services.

Text edited from:
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR
Frances T. Miller - Editor in Chief - The Review of Reviews Co.
1911

Historical note:
The Fredericksburg Woolen Mill, also known as Washington Woolen Mills and Woolen Factory, was constructed in 1859-1860. It was located about 200 feet west of the Rappahannock River, on the east side of the Princess Anne Street bridge over a secondary waterway of the canal at the north end of the city of Fredericksburg. It was a prominent landmark during the battles in Fredericksburg and a Union hospital during the Wilderness/Spotsylvania campaign.

Images:
National Archives (NARA - 524761).
MYSTERIES & CONUNDRUMS, Exploring the Civil War-era landscape in the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania region.

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The fellow standing in the foreground in the first photo with his hands on his hips and wearing the straw hat looks suspiciously like Matthew Brady in some of his Gettysburg photos, where he's gotten into ones taken by other members of his team in order to show the scale of things. (Like one where he's similarly standing and talking with John Burns on Seminary Ridge.)
 
The Washington Woolen Mill started operating in 1860, when its first water was poured over its water wheel. During the American Civil War, after the first and second battles of Fredericksburg, the Washington Woolen Mill was used as a field hospital. It was occupied by the Union Army in 1862. In 1864, it was the hospital for men of the Fifth Corps and for the army of the Potomac. Before the Civil War, the mill was in very good condition. Many female workers worked there until 1862. Then, during the Union's first occupation in 1962, it turned into a hospital and all its looms closed.

The Fredericksburg News of January 18, 1861 gives a description of the Washington Woolen Mill:

"This building is 120 feet long by 60 in width, and five stories high, including the basement. The machinery consists of nineteen 6-4 looms and eighteen 3-4 looms, giving employment to 35 female hands. There are also four spinning machines, running 1000 spindles—four setts of cards, one wool pick and one duster—three eye kettles, three fulling mills and a lace to wash wool—three presses for pressing and finishing cloth, and ten 3-4 and twelve 6-4 bars for drying cloth. In this department, in which males alone are engaged, constant employment is given to about 35 hands.

This establishment consumes about 800 lbs. of wool per day, and used $10,000 worth of warp since they have been running, all of which is manufactured in the neighboring village of Falmouth by the Messrs. Green. The products per day are about 500 yards of 6-4 kersey of the two colors yellow and slate, wich they sell at wholesale at 70 cents, and about 700 yards of the same color (coarse), at 37 ½ cnts, and also about 150 yards of 3-4 and 6-4 goods, which they sell at wholesale at 56 cents and 112 cents respectively. They have, since they started, shopped 361 bales of goods and have paid as much as $500 in freights in one trip—and their pay roll shows an outlay of $1000 per month in wages. The company are entitled to a power of 75 horses, but are only now using about 45."


https://www.theclio.com/entry/86755
 
Just what does this mean? Where would they employ horses if the mill is run by water?
Although I am not familiar with the particulars of this mill, I will provide you an explanation based on my broader general knowledge about "water rights". The "power" of the waterwheel would have been measured using the "horse power" measurement standard. No horses were actually used. The mill had been given permission by authorities to divert enough water flow to the waterwheel to generate a power equivalent to 75 horsepower. The diversion of water would have been from a local creek or river, for example. Since other people needed water for drinking, industry, and agriculture, a permitting system became necessary to ensure that everyone had legitimate access to the same water resources.
 
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