Tarnished Scalpels: The Court-Martials of Fifty Union Surgeons

by Thomas P. Lowry, Jack D. Welsh, Robert K. Krick (Foreword)

"Amid the flood of Civil War books that washes over us each year, Dr. Thomas Lowry's works have long stood out for their brilliant research, originality, and insight. Now, with his accomplished co-author Dr. Jack Welsh, he has produced a work as fascinating to the average reader as it is useful to the specialist. Tarnished Scalpels offers us a richer portrait of our greatest war's reality than could any other ten books on the subject. These are tales of folly, fear, and shame, well told by men who understand both medicine and good writing." -Owen Parry, author of Faded Coat Of Blue As in his previous book, Tarnished Eagles (0-8117-1597-3), Thomas Lowry-this time with Jack Welsh-brings to light the various misdeeds of Union officers. In this new book, the authors examine the relationship between the principles of the medical profession and the often byzantine regulations of the army. As a result, the courts-martial in this book primarily fall into two categories: failure to practice proper medicine and failure to follow the procedures and administrative rules that govern army life, with some overlap. As usual, Lowry peppers many of these accounts with his dry wit, but he also offers penetrating analyses of the problems faced by many of these doctors, who often were forced to work under intolerable conditions. Thomas Lowry, a retired psychiatrist, is the author of several books on the Civil War, including the controversial The Story the Soldiers Wouldn't Tell: Sex in the Civil War (0-8117-1515-9). Jack D. Welsh, professor of medicine emeritus at University of Oklahoma, has written for and edited many medical journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine. He is also theauthor of Medical Histories of Confederate Generals and Medical Histories of Union Generals.

Genres: Civil War, History, Medicine

258 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2000

About the author

Thomas P. Lowry is a retired psychiatrist and associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Francisco. He is the author of Curmudgeons, Drunkards, and Outright Fools: Courts-Martial of Civil War Union Colonels, available in a Bison Books edition, and The Story the Soldiers Wouldn’t Tell: Sex in the Civil War.

Reviews

[Boots LookingLand]

is it schadenfreude to really love a book like this? there's something so amusing about reading of men in positions we consider so elevated brought to the lowest of lows: on charges of trotting prostitutes around, disgusting drunken displays, patient cruelty, and other derelictions of duty so blatant during a time when you think they might have been a little more focused on the epidemic proportions of their duties during the war.

but those epidemic proportions are no doubt what caused many a medical man to go astray, and Lowry doesn't glorify in the sordid details (except where quoting charges, accusations, and testimony). handling each case in relative fairness, Lowry posits plausible theories as to why some men so completely threw away their careers and reputations.

this book reads sorta like fifty mini-mysteries. presenting some alternate viewpoints and defenses, the medical staff being court-martialed proves equal parts grossly incompetent, politically attacked, sadly overwhelmed, and, in a few interesting cases, heroically vindicated. many of the stories will leave you wanting to know more, but unfortunately just as many have no further information to follow, with post-war records leaving little in the form of satisfactory denouement.

and, of course, there's plenty here for the ghouls: hair-raising descriptions of decapitations, mutilations, and more. enjoy!

[Meaghan]

Anyone interested in medical history or Civil War history will find this book very engrossing. The author, who has written several books on Civil War related topics, briefly summarizes the court-martials of fifty surgeons from the Union Army during the war. He explains the charges, the evidence and testimony, the verdict, and what happened to the doctor afterward, then he provides insightful comments about the case at the end of each summary.

The book has revealed some colorful characters, some truly heroic physicians and some buffoons. One doctor was charged with, among other things, using the regiment's ambulance to escort a known prostitute to the theater. Twice. Another was charged with desertion after he briefly left his regiment in the middle of winter to use his own money to buy lumber with which to make a roof and floor for the regimental hospital, which had neither.

I learned a great deal about Civil War conditions and also medical thought at the time, and gained new insight into just how difficult a war surgeon's job is. My interest in this book was such that, although I could not remove it for the library, I went back to read it on site several times over the course of about three months until it was finished.

[Meagan]

It was interesting at certain points! Other stories felt a bit repetitive. I thought it was funny how the authors would offer their 2 cents about the proceedings. It felt like getting to gossip.