Antietam video: A visit to seldom-seen Union hospital site

An early-morning view of seldom-visited site of the old Otho J. Smith farm. 
(CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE.)

PANORAMA: O.J. Smith farm on cold, misty morning.  (Click at upper right for full-screen experience.)
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In heart-rending accounts, nurses who served at the Otho J. Smith farm-turned-Union hospital near the Antietam battlefield wrote of wretched soldiers under their care. About one thousand Union wounded and some Confederates were patients at the division hospital for Union General William French after the battle on Sept. 17, 1862.

"Many last messages were taken and many precious treasures were committed to our charge to be sent along with a lock of hair and the last words to the sorrowing ones at home," recalled Maria Hall after the war.  Elizabeth Harris also aided wounded on Smith's farm, just off present-day Mansfield Road. She remembered:

"The first night we slept in our ambulance; no room in the small house, the only dwelling near, could be procured. The next day was the Sabbath. The sun shone brightly; the bees and the birds were joyous and busy; a beautiful landscape spread out before us, and we knew the Lord of the Sabbath looked down upon us. But, with all these above and around us, we could see only our suffering, uncomplaining soldiers, mutilated, bleeding, dying. Almost every hour I witnessed the going out of some young life. No words can describe the wonderful endurance -- not a murmur, not a word of complaint or regret."

In the video above, lifelong Washington County (Md.) resident and historian Richard Clem talks about the site of the former Union hospital where Alexander Gardner shot images in the fall of 1862. Smith's barn and house are long gone, and the privately-owned site is seldom visited by battlefield wanderers today. (Note: In the video, Clem refers to wounded at the Smith farm in the I Corps. He meant II Corps.)

In September 1862, tents for Antietam wounded occupied Otho J. Smith's field.
(Alexander Gardner | Library of Congress)

In this image by Alexander Gardner, 14th Indiana regimental surgeon Anson Hurd tends 
to wounded at the Otho J. Smith farm. (Library of Congress)

   Alexander Gardner shot first image above from approximately upper left of large field.
                                                               (Google Earth)

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-- Have something to add (or correct) in this post? E-mail me here.

SOURCES:

Moore, Frank, Women of The War, Their Heroism and Self-Sacrifice, Hartford: S.S. Scranton & Co., 1866.

Note from Antietam: 'You must be prepared for bad news'

Union surgeon Anson Hurd cares for wounded at the Otho J. Smith farm, near the 
Antietam battlefield. 108th Corporal Richard Morrell died there on or about Oct. 4, 1862.
(Library of Congress collection)

                  An Alexander Gardner photograph of the Otho J. Smith farm hospital.
       (HOVER ABOVE  FOR "NOW" PHOTO | Then: LOC collection | Now: John Banks.)

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When Richard Henry Morrell went into battle at Antietam the morning of Sept. 17, 1862,  he bore immense responsibility. The 45-year old shoemaker had a family that included his wife, Margaret, and 10 children -- four boys and six girls -- ranging in age from 11 months to 17 years. The Morrells had emigrated from England in the 1850s, settling in Rochester, N.Y.

"(He) is well cared for, but the Doct is much concerned about him,"
 S.D. Porter wrote of Richard Morrell, seriously wounded at
the Battle of Antietam. (National Archives via fold3.com)
CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE.

Despite his family obligations, Morrell enlisted in the 108th New York as a private in July 1862 -- he was promoted to corporal later that month. Less than two months later, he marched through a farmer William Roulette's field with rest of the 108th New York en route to an assault on the Rebels' position in a sunken farm lane.

Sometime during the attack on Bloody Lane, a bullet or piece or artillery shell tore into Morrell's arm, which required two amputations. He was taken to General William French's division hospital at Otho J. Smith's farm, less than a mile from the battlefield.

While Morrell recuperated there, a man from Rochester visited with the grievously injured soldier, whom he noted was in dire condition. "[He] is well cared for, but the Doct is much concerned about him," S.D. Porrter wrote Sept. 28 in the one-page note, presumably to Margaret. "He may recover, but you must be prepared for bad news."

The bad news came in a short note to Morrell's wife dated Oct. 14, 1862, from Bolivar Heights, Va., and signed by two 108th New York officers:

"Dear Madam, I take this opportunity to inform you of the death of your husband. He died on or about the 4th day of this month after having his arm amputated twice. Once at the elbow and again at the shoulder. He seemed to be getting along well when lockjaw set in and after intense suffering [of] three days died. His remains were neatly draped and he was buried at Sharpsburg, Maryland. His personal effects I will forward to you by Express tomorrow. Anything further in regard to him will be cheerfully furnished by your obdt. svt. and sympathy in affliction."

Although Morrell's final resting place is unknown, he may be buried among the thousands of other Union soldiers at Antietam National Cemetery.

LETTER TO THE WIDOW: "HIS REMAINS WERE NEATLY DRAPED"

PAGE 1: National Archives via fold3.com
CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE.

PAGE 2: National Archives via fold3.com

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Have something to add (or correct) in this post? E-mail me here.

SOURCES:

-- Richard Morrell widow's pension file, National Archives & Records Administration, Washington, D.C., via fold3.com.

Antietam hospital scene: 'Hold my hand till I die'

        (HOVER OVER IMAGE | Then: Library of Congress collection | Now: John Banks.)

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In 1862, this farm was owned by Dr. Otho J. Smith, whose property was used as a hospital for Union and Confederate wounded after the Battle of Antietam. On or about Sept. 20, 1862, Alexander Gardner shot four photographs at the farm, about a mile from the battlefield (see Google Earth view below), while wounded soldiers occupied Smith's barn and outbuildings. (See here, here, here and here.) Other wounded were cared for in makeshift tents covered with straw.

Elizabeth Harris, wife of a Philadelphia physician, and another nurse, Maria Hall, aided the wounded on Smith's farm, the division hospital for Union General William French. Harris described a heart-rending scene:

"... then came on to French's Division hospital, where were one thousand of our wounded, and a number of Confederates. The first night we slept in our ambulance; no room in the small house, the only dwelling near, could be procured. The next day was the Sabbath. The sun shone brightly; the bees and the birds were joyous and busy; a beautiful landscape spread out before us, and we knew the Lord of the Sabbath looked down upon us. But, with all these above and around us, we could see only our suffering, uncomplaining soldiers, mutilated, bleeding, dying. Almost every hour I witnessed the going out of some young life. No words can describe the wonderful endurance -- not a murmur, not a word of complaint or regret.

"Many such expressions as the following have been heard: 'Yes, I have struck my last blow for my country; whether I have served my country well others may judge. I know I love her more than life.' The lip quivered with emotion, and the face was full of meaning, as he added, 'I am done with all this, and must meet eternity. I have thought too little of the future. I had a praying mother. O that I might meet her!' Another, a mere youth, with full, round face and mild blue eyes, said, 'Hold my hand till I die. I am trying to think of my Saviour; but think of my mother and father; their hearts will break.' "

Smith's farmhouse, barn and outbuildings were torn down about the turn of the 20th century. My friend Richard Clem, a Washington County (Md.) historian, told me that on sunny days, he saw broken glass from old medicine bottles glistening in this field -- further evidence of the farm's long-ago use as a hospital.

Cropped enlargements of the original Gardner image reveal interesting details:

Split-rail fences -- including a broken section ...

... a massive hay stack and a soldier apparently staring at Gardner and his camera ...

... and one of several tents covered with straw, a temporary shelter for wounded soldiers. Who knows what suffering took place there?

         Alexander Gardner shot image from approximately upper left of dark-green field.

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SOURCE:

-- Moore, Frank, Women of The War, Their Heroism and Self-Sacrifice, Hartford: S.S. Scranton & Co., 1866.