Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-25
WAR HOSPITALS AT FARMvILLE.
Where Situated, How Conducted, and
Story About Them.
Tyha fnllnr-lnr annears In the EarrnvillA

Journal:
Gardenia, Va, 1887.
To the Daughters Of the Confederacy:
Ladies.-In compliance with your re-
quest, take pleasure in giving you such
information as may be Of interest TO
you concerning the general hospital which
was established for sick and wounded SOL
diers in the early days of tie Southern
Confederacy in the town of Farmyllle.
IN the spring OF 1862 on account OF
bronchitis contracted on the field near
Manassas l was assigned from Company
X, Eighteenth Regiment Of Virginia Vol
unteers, TO duty in the hospital in Farm
ville and acted as chief clerk under the
late DR.. Horace ID. Taliaferro, who was
surgeon IN charge. 1t was my particular
business to keep a record Of the names,
rank. company, and regiment OF all the
soldiers admitted into the hospital. tho
States from which they came, the wounds
'or diseases that caused disability, the
wards or rooms TO which they were as
signed, TO write out furloughs and dis
charges. to keep n record Of deaths. and
Of what disease or wound that produced
death, and to make out quarterly re-
ports TO the Surgeon General Of the Con-
federacy. located in Richmond, Va. You
will thus see that had ample opportunity
OF knowing how the general hospital was
managed, even to the minutest details
Immediately after a great battle in
Virginia, the hospital usually filed up 10
its utmost capacity OF about 100 sick
and wounded soldiers. To take proper
care Of 50 large n number OF disabled
men required the services OF many ply
sicians, many ward masters. and many
nurses-in fact, a fully equipped establisls-
ment. with a complete corps OF officers
in the medical department, with its dis
pensary and O. quartermaster depart
ment, with its commissaries and clerks.
caterers and cortes, and a post chaplain.
whose duty It was TO comfort the siclt
and dying. and 10 see the remains Of
TIRE dead removed from the dead-house by
the hearse and consigned TO their last
resting place in the soldiers cemetery
over the river.
Upon the surgeon in charge, the late
DR.. Horace d. Taliaferro. devolved the
selection Of proper officers and their
subordinates, as We'll as the entire SUI
pervision OF the establishment in all its
details in every compartment. He pos
sessed in q very high degrees that most
excellent quality, patience. His even
balanced temper, MS warm hympalhlz-
ing heart, his fund OF good common
serse. his thorough knowledge OF sur
gerry and medicine. ard his high charac-
ter as a Christian gentleman endeared
him TO all the soldiers. and rendered him
a most suitable man Tor the very re-
sponsible position he occupied.
Under the Surgeon in Chief 'wers
surgeons OF divisions, having in charge
each three or four wards. ana under
these were subordinate surgeons, one 10
each ward. whose duty It was 10 pre-
scribe for tho sick and wounded. and to
see that the warGmasters and nurses UNI
der him attended strictly 10 their duties.
Before the regular hospital buildings
were erected tho exigencies OF tho case
required the use OF tobacco factories as
wards, which were freely given by the
owners, and even after the regular rows
OF buildings wsre finished on tho north
OF the railroad convenient to the town
spring these factories continued TO be
used as wards till tho end Of the war.
The smallpox hospital, over which my
brother, the late Or. John b. Garden,
had charge. was situated between the
river and the railroad, not far from APP
pOmattox street. The dispensary was in