The National Museum of Civil War Medicine – A Leader in Education

Before my visit to the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick Maryland, the most I knew about Civil War Medicine came from passing remarks in memoirs, books, and the acclaimed series “Mercy Street”. My understanding of the subject was minimal and cursory at best, and tainted by myths about amputations and inept physicians…

Chimborazo: A Remarkable Confederate Hospital

Between 1861 and 1865, the forty acres atop Chimborazo Hill overlooking the James River in Richmond would have been a buzz of activity. Officially opening in October of 1861, the Chimborazo hospital became the largest hospital complex anywhere in the world at the time, and arguably the most successful. It comprised over 150 buildings including…

Civil War Disease and Epidemics

In light of current events, I thought it would be poignant to discuss how far we’ve come in the medical field when it comes to disease and epidemics. Many who get into studying the Civil War quickly learn one of the many “fun facts” of the conflict, which is that more soldiers were taken out…

Angel Glow at Shiloh

In researching for my most recent blogs regarding the experiences of soldiers at the Battle of Shiloh, an article continued to pop up that had me tilting my head. The headlines read “Angel’s Glow” and “Glowing Wounds at Shiloh”. At the time, I couldn’t stop to read through the mass of information about glowing bacteria,…