The Man Who Stopped the Civil War

     Last week I installed a new exhibit out at the Pry House Field Hospital Museum, which deals with Civil War Surgeon Elias Joseph Marsh. 

 

An image of Surgeon Marsh in his uniform, taken about 1865.  This photo is marked on the back, "Sarony & Co., New York."

 

     Dr. Marsh was born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1835.  His father, who was also named Elias Marsh and who was also a physician, died when Elias was just 13 years old.  Elias Marsh followed his father into medicine, and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City in 1858.  He then moved to St. Louis, Missouri to set up his own medical practice. 

     At the start of the Civil War, Dr. Marsh immediately offered his services to the Union.  He was first appointed as a "surgeon's mate" in the Third New Jersey Volunteers.  A few months later he was appointed as an Assistant Surgeon in a Cavalry unit.  He participated in the Peninsula Campaign, and was taken prisoner at the Battle of Gaines’s Mill in 1862.  His status as a physician allowed for him to be exchanged fairly quickly though.  Afterwards, he served as the director of Armory Square Hospital in Washington DC.  By the end of the war, he was on General Philip Sheridan's staff.  During the war, Dr. Marsh earned the reputation as a fearless and courageous soldier.  Nothing could induce him to slight a duty he considered his, and he was never happier than when he was trying to alleviate the suffering of others.

 

The Marsh exhibit includes information about Surgeon Marsh, and several artifacts which belonged to him.

 

 



This display case contains his carte-de-visite, rank insignia, and a medal which was presented to him by the Veteran’s Society after the war.  It also contains a copy of his Certificate of Commission, dated August 10, 1861, which is signed by President Abraham Lincoln.  There is too much light in the room to display the original document.  The original may soon be on display in the main museum though.



 

 

Surgeon Marsh’s rank insignia – small oak leaves embroidered in metallic thread on dark blue wool patches.  In November 1864, the United States War Department allowed any officer who desired a more discreet appearance in the field to “dispense with shoulder straps” and wear the mark of their rank directly on their uniform.  Most likely Surgeon Marsh wore these as a result of this edict.

 

 

This much larger and fancier gold dress epaulet also belonged to Dr. Marsh, but it would have been part of his dress uniform.  The embroidered “MS” stands for Medical Service.  The back is covered in red velvet and is marked, “Schuyler, Hartley& Graham, Military Goods, New York.”

 

Also on display is a pocket surgical kit which belonged to Dr. Marsh.  This kit was manufactured by F.G. Otto & Sons of New York.  You can see that it is quite worn!  Normally I try to display these kits open so that the instruments are visible, but this case is too fragile for that.

 

Instead, I put the instruments out on display separately.  This folding scalpel actually has two blades, though only one is visible in this view.  The handle is made of tortoiseshell, and the small buttons on the handle are used to lock the blades into place.   

 

     Surgeon Marsh is sometimes referred to as "The Man Who Stopped the Civil War."  It seems a strange designation for a surgeon, but it was a case of being in the right place at the right time!  While Generals Grant and Lee considered the terms of surrender at Appomattox Court House, parts of the Federal and Confederate armies were still firing at each other.  General Grant turned to Assistant-Adjutant-General Thomas Weir, and asked him to see that the firing was stopped.  However, General Weir knew his horse was worn out and not fit for the task.  He asked Dr. Marsh to transmit the orders to the regimental commanders.  So, the cease-fire orders he conveyed brought an end to the shooting.

 

There were visitors waiting at the door while the exhibit was being installed.  This was the scene just moments after I left the room!

 

     It’s good to see Dr. Marsh’s service being appreciated!

Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.

Making Tours More Interesting

     Earlier this week I attended a workshop on Building Effective Museum Experiences.  Though the focus was mainly on museum education and on creating a more visitor-friendly museum, the role of the museum’s collection was discussed as well.  Since I have input into my museum’s exhibits, especially in the consideration of the artifacts which will be displayed, this seemed to be a workshop I should attend!

 

The workshop was held at Historic London Town and Gardens, in Edgewater, Maryland.  Their location on the South River made for some wonderful views!

 

     The opening speaker, Thomas Mayes, from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, shared some interesting observations about the elements which make up a successful tour.  He also shared the following clip from the movie "Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure", to illustrate some elements of a not-so-great tour:

View Pee-Wee’s Alamo tour here. 

     Though it was an unexpected (and entertaining!) source for an illustration of a museum tour, it certainly did convey the elements of a “bad” tour.  I suspect everyone has had at least one tour experience similar to this.  Tour guides can sometimes drone on for too long, not take their audience into consideration, or not want to answer questions.  Museum exhibits are sometimes made to feel too sterile, or are focused too much on the “stuff” inside the case or behind the ropes.  People want more than to hear a scripted tour, or to just see a random group of old things behind glass.

     So, once our speaker started listing the attributes of a more successful tour, I naturally started taking a mental inventory of my museum’s exhibits.  I don’t want our guests taking the Civil War version of Pee-Wee’s Alamo tour!

Successful tours don’t just focus on what the “things” are, but on how the artifacts convey an idea.  This display shows some games from the Civil War, which shows that the soldiers needed diversions while in camp.  This also helps our visitors to understand that the soldiers actually spent more time in camp than on the battlefield. 

 

Good displays don’t avoid the difficult or unpleasant facts.  Amputations were a very difficult fact which many soldiers and their families had to face.  However, this display is probably one of the most popular in our museum.  It shows the instruments and equipment which were used, and allows us to tell our visitors WHY so many amputations were necessary.

 

Successful tours and displays utilize the “voices” of the people from the time.  Visitors to the NMCWM are able to follow Private Peleg Bradford’s story through a series of displays which contain letters he wrote home to his family.

 

Probably the most important element of a good tour or display is that it tells a story which teaches something to the visitors.  Our final exhibit about modern medicine serves to reinforce the story of how much of modern medicine is based on the medical advances from the Civil War. 

     So, overall it seems my museum is doing a pretty good job.  In any sort of evaluation, there is nearly always one area for improvement though.  One other thing listed by the speaker was that displays should engage as many senses as possible.  Museums tend to be limited to sight and sound.  Touch, smell, and even taste should be incorporated when possible.  To illustrate this point, there was even a plate of cookies passed around to us! 

     Though we do have a few hands-on displays in the museum, this seems to be the area which we could look at improving.  I was pleased to realize that the changes we have planned for our new gallery do include more hands-on and interactive components.  I think we are headed in the right direction. 

     I suppose it couldn’t hurt to offer our guests a cookie too?!            

 

Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.

A Different Way to Educate

     Most museums participate in various outreach programs, which help to promote the museums and educate the public about the missions of these museums.  These outreaches can be tailored for the general public, for a specific interest group, or for students.  Normally these programs are handled by the marketing or education departments, but sometimes collections staff members are included as well.  I was fortunate to be able to participate in a local outreach last week.

 

May 23 was History Day for many students at the Harry Grove Stadium here in Frederick.  This stadium is home to the Frederick Keys baseball team, which is an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.  The Keys’ name is in honor of the man who wrote our national anthem, Francis Scott Key, and who was also from Frederick County, Maryland.

 

 

     On History Day, various local museums and historical societies set up stations in the stadium for school children to visit.  Prior to the game, the students visit the stations to learn the answers to questions which have been supplied by their teachers.  Even though I know the subject of history can be fascinating, the students seem to have other things on their minds while in the stadium.  They race around to find their answers, hoping to still have time left to buy a hot dog, ride the carousel, and try to get some player autographs!

 

 

We managed to slip in some educational information during the game though!  Here, Kyle talks to the crowd about the muskets that Civil War soldiers used.

 

I think his demonstration of firing the musket was more popular with the students!

 

Clara Barton was even on hand to throw out the first pitch.  She actually has a pretty decent arm for a lady who’s been around since the Civil War!

 

Kyle wasn’t just firing a musket; he came dressed for the part as well.

 

Our Director, George, was able to tell the spectators a little bit about baseball, coffee, and beer in the Civil War.

  

It appears that Clara Barton is a Red Sox fan.  While I suppose it is understandable considering that she grew up in Massachusetts, I’m still not sure she should be allowed to sit with us!

 

The team’s mascot, Keyote, spotted us.  I suppose when your group includes people dressed in Civil War clothing, it makes you a little more noticeable!

 

Yes, we won!

 

     It appears that everyone had fun, and even learned a little bit of history too! 

 

Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.

Myths of Civil War Medicine

     One of the things we try to do through the exhibits at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine is to dispel some common myths about medical practices during the Civil War.  Probably the most common misconception regards the surgeons as being uneducated butchers who indiscriminately amputated limbs from wounded soldiers.  In fact, though the term “sawbones” does predate the Civil War, it is most strongly associated with Civil War surgeons. 

     The truth is that the surgeons were educated.  The majority of Civil War surgeons attended medical school or trained with an established doctor.  Additionally, they were required to pass an exam before they were allowed to serve as a surgeon in the army. 

 

This is an admission card for a medical class at the University of New York, dated 1850.  Medical students purchased these cards for admissions into the lectures.  Note that it signed by the student, Jacob Ebersole, and the professor, Elisha Bartlett.

 

   

     The staggering number of amputations performed was not due to incompetence.  That can mostly be blamed on the new rifled musket technology and the Minié ball.  The severe tissue and bone damage done by the Minié ball made it necessary for surgeons to perform amputations.  Repairing the damage was simply not possible at that time, and amputation was the best way to save the life of the wounded soldier.

 

An amputation saw is the instrument which comes to mind for most people when Civil War medicine is mentioned.  This saw has an ebony wood handle with a cross-hatching design which provided a bit more grip.  Notice that the blade of this saw can be replaced.

 

     Another myth which has been reinforced in some old movies, is that many amputations were done without anesthesia.  Patients undergoing amputations were reportedly were given bullets to bite on for the pain, hence the expression, “to bite the bullet.”  I can tell you that is one expression which is not used at my museum! 

     The truth here is that before the Civil War, the anesthetic qualities of both chloroform and ether were known.  The first surgery using ether as an anesthetic was performed in 1846, well before the start of the Civil War.  The fact is that some form of anesthesia was used in 95% of Civil War surgeries. 

 

This medical tin contained chloroform, and was part of a U.S.A. Medical Department hospital kit from the Civil War.

 

     Another myth is that there were no effective drugs available during the Civil War.  Admittedly, there were some remedies which were ineffective, and others which were downright dangerous.  However, there were many medications available which were quite effective.  Morphine and opium were used in the Civil War, and opiates continue to be used as painkillers.  Civil War soldiers were often successfully vaccinated against smallpox, and we continue to use vaccines to protect us from many diseases. 

 

This medical tin contained quinine, which was (and still is) used to combat malaria. 

 

     One more myth is that the Civil War surgeons did not have to deal with the amount of paperwork which is common today.  However, in addition to their other duties, they actually had quite a bit of time-consuming paperwork to complete.  Surgeons had to keep records of the daily sick call, patient rosters from the hospitals, their surgical case notes, lists of the discharged and deceased soldiers, records of the medicines and hospital stores they received, and sometimes even weather data.  They also had to send requisitions for medical supplies, as well as monthly reports to the Surgeon General's Office.

 

This is a “Form for Examining a Recruit” which was filled out by Inspecting Surgeon John H. Mackie on October 16^th, 1862.  The subject was a 25-year-old recruit named James Smith from Biddeford, Maine, who listed his occupation as a laborer.  The only area of concern listed is where it is noted that he is missing one upper incisor.  He was approved.

 

 

 

Here is a surgeon’s Morning Report book.  Take a closer look at the line near the bottom which reads, “Put up by Edward R. Squibb, M.D.”  Does that name sound familiar?  If you’ve heard of the pharmaceutical company, Bristol-Myers Squibb, you now know one of its founders!

 

     This all makes me wonder if the fellows from the Mythbusters television show would ever tackle any of these myths!

Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.

A Last Look at the Recruiting Gallery

     The Recruiting Gallery at my museum is scheduled to be updated shortly.  As its name implies, the displays in this gallery cover recruiting issues in the Civil War.  The updated gallery will still deal with recruiting issues, but will allow the visitors a closer look at the physical exams for recruits, the women who served in the Civil War, and the medical conditions which would have disqualified recruits.  It will also include some hands-on displays.  I’m sure I’ll cover the details of the gallery changes in a future post!  For now, I thought I’d let everyone get a last look at the displays currently in this gallery.

  

An ambrotype of an unidentified Union recruit.

 

     Groups of men from the same town or local area were generally enlisted into the same company, which consisted of 100 men.  Rallies would often be held to glamorize the idea of serving, and to encourage the men to enlist.

 

 

 

This rare carte de visite (CDV) depicts a soldier attempting to kiss a woman in front of a recruiting office.  The caption at the bottom reads "Beauties of the Draft, No substitute wanted."

 

 

     Though the CDV in the photo above is not on display, its image is included on one of the informational panels in the Recruiting gallery.  This is partly so that it could be enlarged and viewed more easily, but also because this artifact is quite faded and needs to be protected from the light.  The photo you see here had to be enhanced to make the image clearer.  Still, it shows how recruits were encouraged to enlist.  It seems that using sex in advertising is not a new concept!

     As a quick aside, did this CDV remind anyone else of another famous photo?  For me, it brought to mind this iconic image:

 

1945 photo of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square on V-J Day.

 

 

     Money was also used as a motivator, and bounties could be paid to encourage men to enlist. 

 

This is a Union recruiting poster dated September 2, 1862 which lists the bounties available to enlisted men.

 

Here is the recruiting display at my museum, which depicts a man being recruited, and an underage boy nervously waiting in line to attempt to enlist.

 

     Many boys were able to enlist and serve in the Civil War.  No proof of age was required, so they could simply lie about their age.  Some boys got a little more creative though.  One of our docents likes to tell a story to illustrate this.  Apparently, one way to avoid lying was to write the number “18” on a slip of paper and put it inside their shoe.  When the recruiter asked if they were over 18, they could honestly reply, “Yes sir!”

 

 

 

Leaflets such as this were often distributed to the new recruits.  They offered advice on hygiene and comfort, and provided tips on how to avoid sickness.

 

     The leaflet pictured above is titled, “To the Volunteers - An Old Soldier's Advice.”  The author’s first warning is to “Remember that in a campaign more men die from sickness than by the bullet.”  He was quite correct.  In the Civil War, two-thirds of the casualties occurred from illness or disease.

     Some of his other advice is:

“Buy a small India rubber blanket...to lay on the ground, or to throw over your shoulders...during a rain storm.

The best military hat in use is the light colored soft felt; the crown being sufficiently high to allow space for air over the brain.

Avoid the use of ardent spirits, which are more injurious in a hot than cold climate.

Let your beard grow, so as to protect the throat and lungs.

Keep your entire person clean; this prevents fevers and bowel complaints in warm climates.  Wash your body each day if possible.  Avoid strong coffee and oily meat.”

Put this in your pocket and read it daily.” 

 

Of course, doctors were recruited as well.  Each regiment usually had one Surgeon and one Assistant Surgeon.  This image is of an unidentified Confederate surgeon.  The pose with the hand inside the jacket was common at the time.

 

     Installation of the new gallery should start within the next few weeks, and the museum’s visitors will be able to learn much more about Civil War recruits. 

 

Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.

An Unwelcome Visitor

     I never like getting the phone calls that begin, “There’s a bug downstairs!”  Insects can pose a threat to many of the museum’s artifacts, so part of my job involves documenting any insect sightings.  I identify each pest, and keep a log to record when and where they were found.  This helps to determine if it’s just one insect which wandered into the museum, or if I have to take steps to mitigate an infestation.

 

This was the culprit responsible for the latest call.  My first task was to identify it, so I took photos of it before I ensured that it wouldn’t be crawling anywhere else in my museum!  It was an Oriental Cockroach or Blatta orientalis.

 

     Cockroaches are scavengers and will eat pretty much anything organic.  Many of the museum’s artifacts are composed of organic materials such as wood, paper, glues, leather, and fabrics. 

 

Books contain several potential sources of food – the leather or fabric covers, the paper pages, and the glue.

 

This wood ankle splint and its leather straps would also be attractive to cockroaches and other insect pests.

 

 

Though a glass bottle would not be vulnerable to insect damage, the paper label, glue, and cork on this one could be attractive to them. 
The label indicates that this medicine bottle held morphine sulphate, which was used as a pain-killer.

 

 

This is a paper packet was found in a Confederate drug kit and contains “Liquorice”.  The paper, the cotton string, and the powdered plant material contained inside the packet would all be vulnerable to insects.

 

 

 

This green silk Civil War Surgeon's sash would be attractive to many insect pests!

 

 

You can see the insect damage done to the leather and hair covering of this field medical kit.  This is why is it so important for me to take all possible precautions to keep insect pests out of the museum!

 

     Seeing one cockroach isn’t a reason to put the museum on high alert, but it is still wise to take some precautions.  In addition to removing the offending insect, I will be monitoring the area to ensure that it was simply one stray insect.  In addition to logging the sighting, I will be checking the sticky traps in the area, ensuring that the area is cleaned well, and reminding the staff to let me know if they spot any other unwelcome intruders. 

     Let’s hope that next week’s blog post is not about dealing with a cockroach infestation!

 

Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.