Two thirds of all casualties during the American Civil War were caused by disease. For the majority of those marching with the armies raised during this war, it was the first time these men had been further than twenty miles away from where they grew up. The sudden confluence of men from different regions of the country exposed them to a myriad of illnesses. Germ Theory was still twenty years away and medical practitioners had little concept of sterilization. Cleanliness was understood to some degree and inoculations became a part of army life along with periods of quarantine when sickness spread. During and especially after battle had been joined, it was the heavy task of the Medical Departments on both sides to attend to the wounded.
From conducting sick call to explaining the process of amputations, the 2nd Corps Field Hospital serves to represent and interpret all of these medical responsibilities to the public. Armed with a full compliment of original and quality reproduction medical implements, this subdivision of CWHI is prepared to showcase just how advanced the medical field was despite other setbacks. This field hospital is run by an exceptional team of surgeons, hospital stewards, laundresses, and men of the Ambulance Corps. Due to this field hospital’s default designation (when not offering more generic services), the head surgeon portrays and honors the life and work of Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire – who closely associated and bivouaced with his friend, General “Stonewall” Jackson.
