Union Surgeon Killed in Friendly Fire Incident

[lelliott19]

During the civil war, 40 Surgeons were killed and at least 73 wounded while attending to their duties on the battle field. This may be the only one killed in a "friendly fire" incident.

Thomas Jones, Asst Surgeon, 36th/37th Pa Infantry (8th Reserve)
Graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, 36th Pa. inf. (8th Reserve) enlisted June 1861, appointed surgeon 37th Pa. Inf. (8th Reserve) Sept., 1862, until his death May 15, 1864.

"It is here necessary to record a most shocking and lamentable occurrence, the circumstances attending which I reported at the time. On the afternoon of the 14th [May 1864], Dr. Harrington sent a messenger to the General, announcing that the enemy's cavalry had appeared and were overrunning our hospitals. The General directed Major General Gibbon to send an infantry force for protection, and I was ordered to accompany and pilot them. On arriving at the Fifth Corps hospital, the attendants announced that the enemy had just left, and that they could scarcely be out of sight. Just then one of the attendants said, pointing out a horse tied to a post, there is the horse of one of them who is now in the hospital. I thought it my duty to report this statement to the officers in charge, who sent a sergeant and several men to arrest the supposed rebel. As they came towards the horse, a man advanced hastily to meet them from a neighboring hospital tent, and when within three or four yards, one of the party suddenly raised his gun and fired. The man fell, crying out that he was a surgeon, and, in fact, he proved to be Surgeon Thomas Jones of the 8th Pennsylvania Reserve. By this time it was near dark, and a uniform scarcely distinguish able. I dismounted, ran to him and helped to carry him to a tent, where I examined his wound, which had penetrated the chest, wounding the lung. I did what I could, and left him in the hands of a colleague. I learned subsequently that he survived a couple of days." The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion, (1861-65). Volume 1, pg. 184 of appended documents.​