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Debris of Battle: The Wounded of Gettysburg
When the battle at Gettysburg ended, over 21,000 Union and Confederate wounded lay helpless in the shattered woods and decimated fields surrounding the small town. As both armies withdrew they left the care of the wounded--and the burial of the dead--to a stunned citizenry. Amazingly, an unprecedented number of volunteers from both the North and South, including the U.S. Sanitary Commission and the U.S. Christian Commission, soon descended upon the isolated town, bringing with them much-needed medical attention, supplies, and food. Now available for the first time in paperback.
244 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 4, 2023
The Gettysburg Wounded
Gerard Patterson's "Debris of Battle" is an excellent, readable book that describes the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863), the sufferings of the wounded, and the efforts of many private citizens and organizations to help deal with an unprecedented emergency resulting from three days of ferocious fighting.
Following its repulse on the third day of the Battle, the Confederate Army withdrew leaving approximately 2,000 wounded prisoners in Union hands together with 5000 severely wounded soldiers on the field. There were also over 14,000 wounded Union troops needing medical attention. The three-day Battle resulted in over 7,000 deaths, with the bodies requiring burial.
The situation produced a humanitarian and logistical crisis for the town of Gettysburg (population 2,400). The difficulty was compounded when the Union Army, in its pursuit of the retreating Confederates, took with it virtually all available medical personnel and supplies, leaving behind an inadequate team of surgeons and support personnel to offer treatment. In addition, because of exigencies before the Battle itself, the Union medical trains had been mostly left in the rear, resulting in a delay in getting supplies to the wounded.
Patterson's book details the sufferings and difficulties that followed in the wake of this, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. He praises the relief efforts mounted by many private organizations, particularly the United States Sanitary Commission and the United States Christian Commission. These organizations were rivals, in a sense, but both worked valiantly to bring relief to the wounded of Gettysburg. Catholic relief organizations, such as the Sisters of Mercy, other organizations, and private citizens also contributed immeasurably. Patterson also shows how some individuals behaved less nobly by trying to profiteer from the needs of the wounded and to gather relics from the Battlefield.
The book shows the many difficulties that needed to be addressed in short order. These included housing (many of the wounded were left an intolerably long time on the field), finding adequate medical supplies, providing food, restoring rail service and other transportation, performing necessary surgery, and much else. The military response was inadequate. But by late July, 1863, a camp had been established east of Gettysburg, known as Camp Letterman, which provided organized, centralized care for most of the remaining wounded of both armies. Without the assistance of the private organizations, the suffering would have been immeasurably more severe than it was.
Considerations of health, if nothing else, demanded the prompt burial of the Battle dead. Patterson describes their burial, exhumation, and reburial by details established for this purpose. He explains how the need to provide for the burial of the dead resulted ultimately in the formation of the Gettysburg National Cemetery and Gettysburg National Battlefield and also provided, more immediately, the impetus for Lincoln's Gettysburg address.
Patterson's book makes good use of first-hand sources. It introduces the reader to many of the women and men who provided humanitarian service following the Battle of Gettysburg. Interestingly, the book includes a brief but fascinating epilogue in which Patterson describes the subsequent careers of many who participated in providing medical care at Gettysburg, such as Confederate surgeon Simon Baruch, and Frederick Olmstead, the architect of Central Park.
This book presents in a thorough, convincing way a frequently overlooked aspect of the story of Gettysburg.
Robin Friedman
Gerard Patterson's "Debris of Battle" is an excellent, readable book that describes the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863), the sufferings of the wounded, and the efforts of many private citizens and organizations to help deal with an unprecedented emergency resulting from three days of ferocious fighting.
Following its repulse on the third day of the Battle, the Confederate Army withdrew leaving approximately 2,000 wounded prisoners in Union hands together with 5000 severely wounded soldiers on the field. There were also over 14,000 wounded Union troops needing medical attention. The three-day Battle resulted in over 7,000 deaths, with the bodies requiring burial.
The situation produced a humanitarian and logistical crisis for the town of Gettysburg (population 2,400). The difficulty was compounded when the Union Army, in its pursuit of the retreating Confederates, took with it virtually all available medical personnel and supplies, leaving behind an inadequate team of surgeons and support personnel to offer treatment. In addition, because of exigencies before the Battle itself, the Union medical trains had been mostly left in the rear, resulting in a delay in getting supplies to the wounded.
Patterson's book details the sufferings and difficulties that followed in the wake of this, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. He praises the relief efforts mounted by many private organizations, particularly the United States Sanitary Commission and the United States Christian Commission. These organizations were rivals, in a sense, but both worked valiantly to bring relief to the wounded of Gettysburg. Catholic relief organizations, such as the Sisters of Mercy, other organizations, and private citizens also contributed immeasurably. Patterson also shows how some individuals behaved less nobly by trying to profiteer from the needs of the wounded and to gather relics from the Battlefield.
The book shows the many difficulties that needed to be addressed in short order. These included housing (many of the wounded were left an intolerably long time on the field), finding adequate medical supplies, providing food, restoring rail service and other transportation, performing necessary surgery, and much else. The military response was inadequate. But by late July, 1863, a camp had been established east of Gettysburg, known as Camp Letterman, which provided organized, centralized care for most of the remaining wounded of both armies. Without the assistance of the private organizations, the suffering would have been immeasurably more severe than it was.
Considerations of health, if nothing else, demanded the prompt burial of the Battle dead. Patterson describes their burial, exhumation, and reburial by details established for this purpose. He explains how the need to provide for the burial of the dead resulted ultimately in the formation of the Gettysburg National Cemetery and Gettysburg National Battlefield and also provided, more immediately, the impetus for Lincoln's Gettysburg address.
Patterson's book makes good use of first-hand sources. It introduces the reader to many of the women and men who provided humanitarian service following the Battle of Gettysburg. Interestingly, the book includes a brief but fascinating epilogue in which Patterson describes the subsequent careers of many who participated in providing medical care at Gettysburg, such as Confederate surgeon Simon Baruch, and Frederick Olmstead, the architect of Central Park.
This book presents in a thorough, convincing way a frequently overlooked aspect of the story of Gettysburg.
Robin Friedman
December 16, 2016
This is an outstanding look at the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg. When the Union Army of the Potomac left in pursuit of the Army of Northern Virginia, 50,000 casualties were left on the field, with 20 Union surgeons and barely more Confederate ones to take care of them. This book looks at how civil society came together to manage the broken remnants left behind - caring for the wounded, burying the dead, securing discarded ordnance and material, etc. The book offers a good look at the lifesaving role of the US Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission in easing suffering, the role played by the revolution occurring in military medicine, the role of the Provost Marshall in securing the remnants of battle, and the heroic effort of military and civilian surgeons and nurses in treating the badly wounded soldiers left behind as the war moved off to new fields.
March 10, 2019
Literally hundreds of books have been writtenon the battle of Gettysburg but very few, if any, have been written on the aftermat that the town had to endue when the battle ended. The stench of dead horses and humans that needed buried and the 21,000 wounded and hurting soldiers from both sides that laid throughout the town and surrounding country side.
This is the story of the civilians and their efforts, of volunteers that tried to get to the town to help as well. Soldiers were dying of dehydration because the citizens coulnd't get water to them fast enough, too many injured, not enough helpers.
What little supplies were left were used to help the injured leaving the bare minimum to the citizens that still lived in town.
This book is an eye opener on the aftermath of battle, picking up the pieces, who does it and how they must do it.
This is the story of the civilians and their efforts, of volunteers that tried to get to the town to help as well. Soldiers were dying of dehydration because the citizens coulnd't get water to them fast enough, too many injured, not enough helpers.
What little supplies were left were used to help the injured leaving the bare minimum to the citizens that still lived in town.
This book is an eye opener on the aftermath of battle, picking up the pieces, who does it and how they must do it.
August 21, 2016
An interesting little book about the aftermath of the battle and its impact on the town of Gettysburg and its inhabitants, the difficulty in treating the wounded in a timely manner, the lack of supplies and shelter, and the issues of transportation and communication. Always wondered how the battlefield was "policed" afterwards and this book discusses that as well. According to the author, Jonathan Letterman didn't play such a instrumental role as I thought. He joined Meade in pursuing the retreating Rebels and left the administration of care to subordinates despite "Camp Letterman" being named after him. Dr. Henry Janes of Vermont was left with much of the responsibility and he did an admirable job.
September 12, 2014
I've always been interested in the Civil War era, but no so much details about battles as personal stories. I'd never really thought about what happens after the battles are over, but the aftermath of such an epic battle in a very rural area had to be devastating. This book opened my eyes. It's well-written and researched, but not dry. Mr. Patterson follows several individuals through the 4 1/2 month "clean up" following the battle, right up to Lincoln's dedication of the national cemetery in November. Informative and, for me, fascinating.
October 5, 2013
Interesting. Colossal effort to take care of the wounded and all the debris.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews