American Civil War Medicine & Surgical Antiques

Surgical Set collection from 1860 to 1865 - Civilian and Military

Civil War:  Medicine, Surgeon Education & Medical Textbooks

 Dr. Michael Echols  &  Dr. Doug Arbittier

 

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List of U. S. Navy Medical Officer Exam Applicants 1863

See: An example of a handwritten exam for the Navy Examination Board

 

PART TWO

    File:USS Hartford painting.jpg   

 

As you progress through the various Union Navy Medical Department exams below, note how much the educational background varied between applicants.  Their education levels and immaturity are reflected in the thoroughness and content of the answers.  Remember, all of these applicants were born before 1850, were not necessarily well-off financially, and were very young by today's standards for graduate medical professionals. 

 

Many of these young men graduated into the medical profession while still in their early twenties with only two years of formal medical education and basically no surgical experience.  Unlike the medical world in which we live, these individuals were only capable of the most basic medical procedures when entering the Navy or taking this exam.  The answers by the seasoned Assistant Surgeon applicants in the group, show how a few years in the real medical world can enhance the level of practical medical knowledge, not to mention the ability to bone-up on subjects that would be on the next exam.  There are applicants who are fresh out of medical school, some with a few years experience, more than a few with service time in the Navy or Army, and some without a clue.  It's a window into the education and experience of a physician/surgeon who was fresh out of medical school and volunteering to go to war for his country.

 

A word about a bias factor for this group of 93 candidates below.  As you will notice, most of the applicants in this 1863 group were tested at the Charlestown Naval Yard and were from  Boston, Massachusetts and surrounding New England states.  This would account for the heavy presence of Harvard trained applicants.  The same bias prevailed in earlier years (1861) when most testing took place at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and many applicants attended  New York City medical schools, such as Physicians and Surgeons, University of New York Medical Department and Bellevue Hospital Medical School.  And, for the Philadelphia Navy Asylum (1861 - 1862), significant numbers were from Philadelphia or the surrounding areas and were graduates of schools such as University of Pennsylvania and Thomas Jefferson Medical College.

tRegarding our sample size compared to that of the Officers of the Continental and US Navy during the Civil War... there were about 650 Navy medical officers (AAS, AS, PAS, Surg, Medical Inspectors and Medical Directors.  This project and study is in possession of 121 Navy surgeons exams.  Based on the data so far, we would tend to hypothesize that the candidates in 1864 & 65 were much the same caliber as the 1863 group (young, green and wet behind the ears).

See: An example of a handwritten exam for the Navy Examination Board

 

If you have additional information or images for any of these doctors, please contact us.

Click on the last names to go to the doctor's full application transcript

Additional information on each doctor in lower columns

 

PART TWO

 

Second Spreadsheet with additional information on each applicant

 

Click on the last names to go to the doctor's full application transcript

 

Last Name First Name Med School Grad App Type Service Rank & Service Dates Ships or Regiment
Allen   George  Harvard Univ (G)   Navy AAS 12/9/63 - 10/21/65  AS 3/3/68 - 3/17/73 USS Hampion, Franklin, Juliet Ohio
Butler George  Bowdoin Med  Univ Penn  Bellevue Hosp Med (G)   Navy AAS 1/9/64 - 8/16/66    PAAS 8/17/66 - 11/12/68 USS Mahaska
Belmana Francis  Med Col Barcelona Sp (G)   None    
Bruce  W.[illiam]   Med Coll Lexington Ky (G) Promotion to Surgeon  Navy AAS 4/6/63 - 9/29/64 Mississippi Squad
Brigham  Franklin  Harvard Univ (G)   Navy AAS 5/7/63 - 1/20/65 USS Kanawha
Brickett George  Dartmouth Col (G)   Navy AAS 1/15/65 - 2/1/66 USS Ohio
Bigelow  Benjamin  Harvard Univ   Navy AAS 12/12/63 - 5/5/65 USS Albatrose, Nyack
Burbank  Charles  Harvard Univ (G) Promotion to Surgeon  Navy AS 5/9/61 - 10/25/63   PAS 10/26/63 - 8/23/64 Surg 8/24/64 - 4/1/79  Med Insp 4/2/79 - 1/30/85 (Died) Naval Hosp - Pilot Town MS, USS Santee, Kearsarge, Housatonic,Marion, Powhatan 
Bowen  Thomas  Univ Penn   Georgetown Med (G)   Army AAS  Assistant Acting Surgeon Alexandria Hosp
Barbour James  Col Phy Surg (G)   Army  Navy Corp 8/9/62 - 8/21/62    Hos Ste 8/22/62 - 6/29/63    AAS 5/6/63 - 3/24/64 CT 17th Vol Inf Reg CT 21st Vol Inf Reg USS Iron Age, Emma
Bates William  Univ NY (NYU) (G)   Navy AAS 4/15/63 - 11/6/65 USS Memphis
Blackmer John  Harvard Univ (G)  

Navy

Army

AAS 12-7-63 - 9/23/64 then 11/14/64 - 8/18/65 USS Montgomery
Culver  Josiah Univ NY (NYU) (G)  

Army

Navy

AAS 9/62 - 3/63            AS 3/24/63 - 9/15/67 David's Island Hosp USS Philadelphia
Coles John  Jefferson Med (G)   Navy AS 5/6/63 - 1/13/67     PAS 1/14/67 - 1/5/73   Surg 1/6/73 - 2/6/85 USS John Paul, Minnesota, Lancaster, Nipsic
Colby  Edward  Long Island Col Hosp (G)   Navy AAS 4/7/63 - 4/11/65 USS Sciota, Rodolph
Cleborne  Christopher  Univ of Penn (G) Promotion to Surgeon Navy AS 5/9/61 - 10/25/63  PAS 10/26/63 - 11/23/64 Surg 11/24/64 - 1/6/78 Med Ins 1/7/78 - 9/17/87 Med Dir 9/18/87 -11/10/99 USS Jamestown. Dale, Aroostook, Ticonderoga, Rhode Island, Bienville, Saratoga. Powhatan, Juniata, Plymouth, Brooklyn, Congress, Tennessee
Commons William  Med Dept U Mich Med Col Ohio (G)   Navy AS 11/3/63 - 7/24/67 USS Hartford, Lancaster, Suwanee
Corbin Job  Univ Vermont Promotion to Surgeon  Navy AS 5/9/61 - 10/25/63   PAS 10/26/63 - 3/8/64  Surg 3/9/64 - 5/9/67 USS Savannah, Maratanza, Iroquois, Sabine, 
Coan Titus  Col Phy Surg (G)   Navy AAS 10/27/63 - 12/21/65 USS Sebago
Conor William  Jefferson Med (G)   None    
Dean  A.[shael]   Berkshire Med Col   Navy AAS 11/25/63 - 7/6/65 USS Harvest Moon
Darling  J.[ames]   Castleton Med Col (G)   Army Navy AS 11/25/62 - 6/27/63 AAS 12/4/63 - 12/12/65 Mass 51st Vol Inf USS Pursuit  
Draper  Lemuel  Univ of Penn (G)   Navy AAS 3/26/62 - 5/26/63   AS 5/27/63 - 2/2/65       AS 1/17/77 - 8/30/79 Died USS Somerset, Philadelphia, 
Drennan  Michael  Univ of Penn (G)   Navy  AAS 4/15/63 - 3/13/65  ASS 2/9/67 - 6/29/68     AS 6/30/68 - 6/12/70     PAS 6/13/70 - 4/19/79  Surg 4/20/79 - 5/27/95  Med Ins 5/28/95 - 4/15/99 Med Dir 4/16/99 - 10/24/99 USS Macedonia, Nantasket, Pawnee, Ashuelot, Kearsarge, New Hampshire, Vermont 
Donor  William      Army Navy  AS  3/22/63 - 2/17/64  AAS 2/23/64 - 10/10/65 Pa 11th Cav         USS Galatea
Dickson John  Univ of Penn (G)   Army AS 3/14/63 - 10/27/64   Surg 3/18/65 - 11/18/65  Pa 93rd Vol Inf Reg Pa 213th Vol Inf Reg
Emery  Alfred  Harvard Univ    Univ of Vermont (G)   Navy AAS 3/28/63 - 6/29/63  ASS 8/21/63 - 2/9/65 USS Keystone State
Fowler  Archibald Harvard Univ (G)   Navy

AAS 6/18/63 - 10/27/67

USS Aries, Bibb
Gavin  Michael  Harvard Univ (G)   Navy  Army AAS 9/11/63 - 10/17/63   AS 5/8/65 - 7/30/65 USS Ohio              Mass 57th Vol Inf 
Gilmartin Peter  Queen's Col (Can) Harvard Univ (G)   Navy AAS 6/12/63 - 9/28/64 USS Osage
Goodhue David  Univ of Vermont   Dartmouth Col (G)   Navy AAS 1/4/64 - 10/9/65 USS Maumee
Gibson  John  Jefferson Med (G) Promotion to Surgeon  Navy AS 7/4/60 - 9/21/63     Surg 9/22/63 - 2/19/70 (Died) USS Cyane, Saranac,  Narrgansett, Princeton, Hartford, Oneida, De Soto
Gilfillan  Wiliam  Col Phy Surg (G)   Navy AAS 4/17/63 - 12/27/64 USS Nipsic
Goodwin R.[ichard]  Harvard Univ (G)   Army AAS 8/62 - 6/8/65  
Greene  R.[ichard]   Dartmouth Col (G)   Navy AAS 11/5/63 - 5/18/65 USS State of Georgia
Harris  George  Dartmouth Col (G)   Navy AAS 11/12/63 - 5/1/65 USS Magnolia
Hurley  John  Harvard Univ (G)        
Hyde James  Col Phy Surg,  Univ of Penn (G),  Promotion  to Reg Navy AS  Navy AAS 7/14/63 - 10/25/63   AS 10/26/63 - 12/30/67  PAS 12/31/67 - 2/27/69 USS Brandywine, Stepping Stones, Huchback, San Jacinto, Ticonderoga
Humphrey  Charles  Univ of Penn (G)   Army AS 5/28/63 - 3/16/65   Surg 3/17/65 - 6/12/65 Pa 142nd Vol Inf Reg   Pa 143rd Vol Inf Reg
Hamell  Benjamin  Univ of Penn (G)   Navy AAS 10/27/63 - 10/31/64  ASS 11/1/64 - 4/16/66 USS Chocura, Shokoken
Jillson H.[arvey]   Worcester Med Col (G),      Harvard Univ   None    
Jameson   R.[obert]  Harvard Univ (G)   Army Ho St 6/13/61 - 11/11/62  AS 5/8/63 - 7/29/65 Mass 11th Vol Inf  Mass 29th Vol Inf
James   Hiram  Univ of Penn (G)   Navy AAS 4/28/63 - 12/15/63   AAS 1/15/64 - 7/1/64  
Jones   William  Univ of Penn (G)   Navy AAS 4/6/63 - 8/11/63     AS 8/12/63 - 12/25/66   PAS 12/26/66 - 7/4/73  Surg 7/5/73 - 11/13/91  Med Ins 11/14/91 - 7/21/94 USS Pensacola, Marblehead, Tennessee, W G Anderson, Maumee, Jamestown, Saranac, Portsmorth, Michigan, Constitution
Jones  Samuel  Univ of Penn (G) Promotion to Surgeon  Navy AS 12/19/60 - 9/21/63  Surg 9/22/63 - 3/1/68 USS Minnesota, Portsmorth
Kemp   William  Univ of Maryland (G)   Navy Hosp Stew Summer 1862 AAS 5/8/63 - 9/4/63        AS 9/5/63 - 3/31/64 (Died) USS Patroon              Washington Naval Yd
Kennedy   S.[tephen]   Univ of Maryland (G) Promotion to Surgeon Navy AS 5/9/61 - Resigned 1865 Surg 1/5/66 - 10/14/81  Med In 10/15/81 - 11/20/83 USS Colorado, Mohawk, Preble, Hartford, Juliet, Lackawanna, New Hampshire, Ossipee, Powhatan, Monongahela
Light   Abian Univ of Penn (G)   Army Med Cad 9/24/61 - 9/24/62 AS 5/23/64 - 7/18/65  USA Medical Cadet   Pa 28th Vol Inf Reg
Laubach Alfred  Univ NY (NYU) (G)   Navy  AAS 10/27/63 - 4/21/65 (Died) USS Dawn
Mack, Jr David  Harvard Univ (G)   Navy AS 10/26/63 - 6/18/67   PAS 6/19/67 - 5/12/70 USS Genessee, Suwanee, Saranac, USS Guard
Morse   La Roy  Univ of Vermont, Georgetown Med,   Dartmouth Col (G)   Navy AAS 11/14/63 - 12/7/65 USS Restless, Proteus
Mackenzie  Alexander  Harvard Univ (G)   Navy AAS 11/21/63 - 12/18/66 USS Mystic
McLean   D.[aniel] Harvard Univ (G)   Navy AAS 10/3/63 - 12/28/65 USS Galatea
McSherry H.[enry] Univ Maryland (G) Promotion to Surgeon  Navy AS 6/23/60 - 9/21/63   Surg 9/22/63 - 10/1/67 USS Vandalia, Sciota, Wabash, Wyoming
Neilson, Jr William      Navy AAS 2/10/63 - 6/11/64 Potomac Flotilla
Nelson  H.[enry] Univ Maryland (G) Promotion to Surgeon Navy AS 5/9/61 - 10/25/63   PAS 10/26/63 - 10/24/64 Surg 10/25/64 - 4/19/79 Med Ins 4/20/79 - 4/23/84 USS Susquehanna, Pawnee, Sabine, Michigan, Benicia, Macedonian, Savannah, New Hampshire, Pensacola, Constellation
Nickerson  Franklin  Harvard Univ (G), Bellevue Hosp Col   Navy AAS 11/16/63 - 11/5/64 USS Shockokon
Osgood   George  Harvard Univ (G)   Navy AAS 2/26/63 - 1/19/66 USS Chillicothe
O'Callaghan Edward  Stevens Hos Dublin, Queens Col Cork Ireland   Navy Surg Stew 1862          AAS 12/23/63 - 9/6/65 USS Malvern
Parsons  John  Harvard Univ (G)  

Army

Navy

AS 3/18/63 - 7/30/63   AAS 10/10/63 - 3/23/66  PAAS 3/24/66 - 12/8/66 Mass 28th Vol Inf  USS Cayuga
Parker Scollay Harvard Univ (G)   Navy AAS 9/6/63 - 5/14/66   PAAS 5/15/66 - 1/19/68 USS Ratler, Glaucus, Yucca
Page  Charles  Dartmouth Col, Harvard Univ (G) Promotion to Reg Navy AS Navy AAS 2/2/63 - 9/21/63     AS 9/22/63 - 12/24/67 USS Eutaw, Hartford 
Plympton   Henry  Harvard Univ (G), Col Phy Surg (G), Bellevue Hosp (G)   Navy AAS 3/25/63 - 4/28/63 USS North Carolina
Parker Joseph  Med Col Virginia Promotion to Reg Navy AS  Navy AAS 3/16/63 - 10/12/65  AS 11/24/66 - 12/30/67 PAS 12/31/67 - 8/12/76 Surg 8/13/76 - 11/29/94 Med Ins 11/30/94 - 6/17/98 Med Dir 6/18/98 - 6/20/03 Hosp'l Ship Pickney, USS De Soto, Tallapoosa, Potomac, Nantasket, Yantic, Washusett, Swatara, Ossipee, Charlston 
Pickering  David      Navy Surg Steward  
Poole   Isaac  Berkshire Med Col (G)  

Army

Navy

Private 4/23/61 - 7/22/61  Private 9/19/62 - 9/1/63 AAS 11/23/63 - 5/13/65 Mass 3rd Vol Inf  Mass 47th Vol Inf  USS Ohio, Kansas 
Quimby   Samuel  Harvard Univ (G) Promotion to Reg Navy AS  Navy AAS 2/19/62 - 10/15/63 USS Wamsutta
Quinn  John  Jefferson Med (G) Promotion to Surgeon  Navy AS 5/9/61 - 10/25/63   PAS 10/26/63 - 12/29/64  Surg 12/30/64 - 6/6/69 USS St. Lawrence, Sebago, Minnesota, Frolic, Saratoga
Robinson  Somerset  Georgetown Med (G) Promotion to Surgeon  Navy AS 5/9/61 - 10/25/63   PAS 10/26/63 - 12/17/64 Surg 12/18/64 - 4/30/70  Med Ins 5/1/64 - 8/15/87 USS Katahdin, Cyane, Saranac, Plymouth, Minnesota
Robinson  J.[ohn] Univ Michigan (G)   Army AS 8/29/63 - 2/3/64 NY 15th Cav
Riglander J.[acob]   Med Col Cleveland (G)        
Rice   John  Univ of Penn (G)   Navy AS 4/28/63 - 7/13/68 USS Eutaw, Richmond, Ossipee
Robbins  Eugene  Harvard Univ (G)   Navy AAS 2/6/63 - 7/23/63 USS Choctaw
Reber   William  Jefferson Med (G)   Navy AAS 4/6/63 - 9/21/63      AS 9/22/63 - 12/19/68 USS Moose, Lachawanna
Sturtevant Charles  Harvard Univ (G)   Navy ASS 9/5/63 - 1/18/66 USS Calypso, Lillian 
Sturtevant Charles  Harvard Univ (G) Promotion to Reg Navy AS  Navy ASS 9/5/63 - 1/18/66 USS Calypso, Lillian 
Sawyer R.[ufus]  Bowdoin Med (G)   Navy AAS 12/29/63 - 5/18/65 USS Massasoit, Sciota
Smith  Henry  Dartmouth Med (G)   Navy AAS 11/29/63 - 4/21/65 USS Thomas Freeborn, 
Shively   Joseph  Cleveland Med Col (G) Promotion to Surgeon  Navy AS 10/25/61 - 9/21/63  Surg 9/22/63 - 3/15/65 USS Mississippi, Vermont
Smith Jacob  Jefferson Med (G)   Navy AAS 3/14/64 - 10/9/65 USS Owasco
Spear  John  Univ of Penn (G) Promotion to Surgeon  Navy AS 5/9/61 - 10/25/63   PAS 10/26/63 - 6/22/64  Surg 6/23/64 - 10/5/78  Med Ins 10/6/78 - 9/14/88 USS Roanoke, Mahaska, Minnesota, Seminole, Swatara, Monongahela, Franklin, Omaha, Potomac, Dictator, Trenton 
Smith Samuel  Univ of Penn (G)   Navy AAS 4/1/63 - 6/30/63  
Stein Edw.[ard]  Univ of Penn (G) Promotion to Surgeon  Navy AS 7/31/61 - 6/21/64   PAS 6/22/64 - 5/11/66   Surg 5/12/66 - 7/13/77 (Died) USS Wabash, Weehawken, Savannah, North Carolina
Scholl  Erastus Penn Med Col (G)   Army Surg 10/15/61 - 2/19/63 PA 76th Vol Inf Reg
Stimson William  Buffalo Med Col (G)   None    
Tryon James  Univ of Penn (G)   Navy ASS 3/19/63 - 9/21/63   AS 9/22/63 - 12/21/66  PAS 12/22/66 - 6/29/73 Surg 6/30/73 - 9/21/91  Med Ins 9/22/91 - 1/20/97 Med Dir 1/21/97 - 9/24/99 USS Colorado, Idaho, Alaska, Quinnebaug, Chicago
Thorp Abner  National Med Col (G) Promotion to Reg Navy AS  Navy AAS 5/15/63 - 11/1/65 Naval Hosp - Memphis, Tenn
Vose Edwin  Bowdoin Med (G), Harvard Univ   Navy AAS 12/2/63 - 3/22/64 USS Florida
Whidden  Philon Harvard Univ (G)  

Army

Navy

Priv 7/16/61 - 12/11/63 AAS 12/16/63 - 10/19/65 Mass 13th VI Co. B USS Ohio, James S Chambers, Wando
Whitney  David  St. Louis Med Col (G)  

Army

Navy

AS/Surg  Mar 62 - 6/15/63         AAS 5/26/63 - 9/21/63   AS 9/22/63 - 5/8/66 Mo 4th S M Cav         USS Lehigh, Vermont
Willard  Robert  Harvard Univ (G)   Navy AAS 5/6/63 - 5/31/63     AS 6/1/63 - 5/31/65 USS John Adams, Catskill, Susquehanna, Colorado, Richmond
Wentworth  Walter  Albany Med Col, Col Phy Surg (G)   Navy AAS 4/28/63 - 11/28/65 Bark J C Kuhn, USS Juliet

 

See: An example of a handwritten exam for the Navy Examination Board

Go to back to Part One

 

Medical Antiques Index

American Civil War Medicine & Surgical Antiques Index

 

Topical Index for American Civil War Surgical Antiques 


 

Contact Dr. Arbittier with questions or if you have Civil War medical related items for sale

 

 

Civil War Medical Collections    Sitemap for entire website 

 

Direct links to all medical & Civil War collections on this site           

American Surgical Sets:

Pre-Civil War:  1 | 2  -   Post-Civil War:  3  -  Civil War 1861-1865:  4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8   INDEX

Medical Text-Books:

1 | 1a | 2 | 2a | 3 | 3a | 4 | 4a | 5 | 5a | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9a | 10 | 11 | 12    INDEX

Surgeon General's Office Library printed catalogues: 1840 | 1864 | 1865
Medical Lecture Cards: 1a | 1b 2 | 34 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21    INDEX

Medical Faculty and Authors:

INDEX

Navy Surgeon Exams:

1863 Navy Surgeon Applicant Exams with Biographies   INDEX ONE | INDEX TWO

Surgeon CDVs, Images

Surgeon's Medical Service Swords, and Pistols

Army: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8    INDEX    

M.S. Surgeon Swords and Pistols:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4  INDEX

Navy: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8   

Hosp Dep't Bottles, Tins, 

U.S. Army Pannier:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

American Civil War Medicine & Surgical Antiques

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Last update: Tuesday, February 01, 2022