Union Contract Surgeon

[John Hartwell]

[with permission, https://www.flickr.com/photos/8026096@N04/11623327723/in/dateposted/]​

Dr. James H. Crombie (1813-84), of Manchester, New Hampshire, shown here in the uniform of the Amoskeag Veterans, a pre-war Independent Militia Compny. I think that we can confidently say that he never wore such a get-up while serving as an Army Contract Surgeon "in the vicinity of Fortress Monroe," from 1861-64. It's a good reminder, though, of just how extravagant the uniforms of some of the wealthier Militia companies could be.

This is one of the many Civil War images collected at Ronald S. Coddington's oustanding Flickr Photostream. Ron, incidentally, has just published his fourth volume of ACW images (all from his personal collection), Faces of the Civil War Navies, now available at Amazon, B&N, and other retailers. Earlier collections were Faces of the Civil War, Faces of the Confederacy, and African American Faces of the Civil War.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Seems very Napoleonic in style for the pre-war, no? I plead ignorance on uniform styles so I'm probably wrong in my assumption. Regardless it's a really neat photograph!

 

[donna]

That is some uniform. Great photo.

 

[Seduzal]

Wow! Never seen a uniform like that before. Thanks for sharing.

 

[John Hartwell]

[June 1861]​

Ron Coddington's Faces of War blog also has a discussion of this photo, and of the Amoskeag Veterans.

 

[Yankeedave]

So Colonial.

 

[major bill]

Uniforms based on American Revolutionary War uniforms were popular during the 75th anniversary of the American Revolutionary War. This style of uniform was also popular during the 1850s with clubs and militia companies that were anti immigration. Fire department and such also adopted this style of uniforms in the 1850s. A few militia units and fired companies still wore this style of uniform up to the start of the Civil War.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

@major bill , I've been trying to earmark threads from Ladies Tea and here that probably belong in other forums. This amazing image ( and explanation ) seems perfect for your forum, doesn't it?

 

[General Casey]

Very dashing uniform.

Does anyone know anything about contract surgeons? I'm working on a blog on Massachusetts in the Civil War and one of my first topics is going to be about Francis Millet, who served as a drummer boy in a late war Massachusetts regiment and later became a famous painter and victim of the RMS Titanic. Millet's father served as a contract surgeons but I have been able to find very little on his father. Were contract surgeons assigned to regiments, brigades, divisions, corps, and army's or were they just assigned to a specific hospital/area?

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

I love his "scraper" hat!

 

[James N.]

Very dashing uniform.

Does anyone know anything about contract surgeons? I'm working on a blog on Massachusetts in the Civil War and one of my first topics is going to be about Francis Millet, who served as a drummer boy in a late war Massachusetts regiment and later became a famous painter and victim of the RMS Titanic. Millet's father served as a contract surgeons but I have been able to find very little on his father. Were contract surgeons assigned to regiments, brigades, divisions, corps, and army's or were they just assigned to a specific hospital/area?

The need for qualified medical personnel became so great that I believe the correct answer to your question would be All of the above. I think they were utilized pretty much on an as needed basis; one of my favorite things I remember from old Civil War Times Illustrated is a reprint reminiscence by one of those, a young man with absolutely NO medical training who had accompanied a qualified friend who was a medical student to take the test - and passed! He went on to recount his service, treating ill and wounded and even saving one man's leg from being amputated. (He survived to give the writer his profound thanks postwar.)

 

[Waterloo50]

View attachment 112850
[with permission, https://www.flickr.com/photos/8026096@N04/11623327723/in/dateposted/]​

Dr. James H. Crombie (1813-84), of Manchester, New Hampshire, shown here in the uniform of the Amoskeag Veterans, a pre-war Independent Militia Compny. I think that we can confidently say that he never wore such a get-up while serving as an Army Contract Surgeon "in the vicinity of Fortress Monroe," from 1861-64. It's a good reminder, though, of just how extravagant the uniforms of some of the wealthier Militia companies could be.

This is one of the many Civil War images collected at Ronald S. Coddington's oustanding Flickr Photostream. Ron, incidentally, has just published his fourth volume of ACW images (all from his personal collection), Faces of the Civil War Navies, now available at Amazon, B&N, and other retailers. Earlier collections were Faces of the Civil War, Faces of the Confederacy, and African American Faces of the Civil War.

I think his uniform has that certain 'Je ne sais quoi'.

 

[LittleMac]

Natty looking fella, isn't he?

 

[TnFed]

Thought he was Napoleon with a beard.

 

[John Hartwell]

I think his uniform has that certain 'Je ne sais quoi'.

I don't know what it has, either.

Natty looking fella, isn't he?

At the time I'm sure they thought it was "cool," even "snazzy!" Tastes change.
If they'd had comic book conventions, he'd have fit right in.

 

[Waterloo50]

I don't know what it has, either.

At the time I'm sure they thought it was "cool," even "snazzy!" Tastes change.
If they'd had comic book conventions, he'd have fit right in.

I couldn't resist adding a few extras to his uniform. AARGH

 

[JOHN42768]

Nice pair of boots

 

[Kip124thNY]

L'uniforme du Dr. Crombie est tres elegant!

 

[Nathanb1]

I think his uniform has that certain 'Je ne sais quoi'.

I think it's more like "Just say no."

 

[111thNYSV]

Good work Waterloo, I was imagining that all along but lack the photoshop skills to make my dreams a reality.