InsideHistoryDigital

"With over 23,000
casualties, the newly
established Corp was able
to remove the wounded
within 24 hours and in
doing so, saved hundreds
of lives in the process."
Men were trained to act as stretcher-bearers and to
operate wagons to pick up the wounded quickly
and efficiently. If necessary, the Ambulance Corps
were trained to use triage on the battlefield. The
success of Letterman’s Ambulance Corps was
witnessed at the Battle of Antietam in September
1862. With over 23,000 casualties, the newly
established Corp was able to remove the wounded
within 24 hours and in doing so, saved hundreds of
lives in the process.
The immediate treatment on the battlefield was a
game-changer but Letterman had also instigated
further changes for the care of the soldiers after the
battle. His evacuation system comprised of three
core areas. A Field Dressing Station located on the
battlefield for triage, dressings and
tourniquets. Those who required surgery would be
moved to the Field Hospital before transferring to a
larger Hospital away from the battlefield for longerterm
treatment and recuperation. Having an
organised system from the battlefield to recovery
not only saved the lives of the men within his own
care but also later, the Union Army as in March 1864
the system was adopted by the whole Union Army.
Since the Civil War, almost 4 million American have
served in their country. Of these, more than
600,000 have died with over 1.3 million returning
home injured. Many would have experienced the
services that Letterman and his team had
pioneered in the 19th century. Technology may
have advanced even further but the concept of
what Letterman introduced in still used to this day.
It is for this reason that is referred to as,
"THE FATHER OF
BATTLEFIELD MEDICINE"
American Civil War veteran, with an amputated leg at the hip. Credit: Wellcome Collection. CC BY 4.0