The Shockoe Examiner shared yesterday that Robert W. Waitt, Jr.’s Confederate Military Hospitals in Richmond, originally published in 1964 by the Richmond Civil War Centennial Committee, has been put online as part of VCU Libraries’ Digital Collections.
Both Howard’s Grove and Chimborazo Hospital get pages. Not so familiar with Howard’s Grove? The priceless Civil War Richmond has some more information:
The Grove was originally a popular Richmond picnic-recreation area. It was taken over by the Confederacy at the outbreak of the War as a drill and bivouac point for the first incoming troops to arrive in Richmond. Converted into a hospital area by the construction of buildings for ward and utility purposes and opened in June 1862. Occupied area now confined by the City streets of Mechanicsville Turnpike in the east, Coalter street in the west, Redd Street on the north, and Q Street (extended) on the south; and having an extension east of Mechanicsville Turnpike to 19th Street with T Street on the north and Fairmount Avenue on the south. An annex was located between 21st and 23rd Streets, T Street, and the ally south of Fairmount Avenue. Having a capacity of 659 in December of 1862. It was quickly expanded to over 1800. Employees averaged 85. A portion was set aside for the isolation of smallpox cases, both military and local civilians. It had its own laundry, bakery, storehouses, water supply, recreational facilities.
13 comments
Very interesting stuff! I knew about the asylum off Fairmount, but was unaware of Howard’s Grove.
It appears that the link “Military Hospitals in Richmond” is broken.
Frank Edwards
Where were the dead CSA soldiers carried to be buried? Is there a cemetery near by?
Is there a cemetery near by Howard’s Grove Hosp. that the CSA soldiers were buried?
S. A. Moss, Co. I, 14th SC REG, Inf., McGowan’s Brigade, died July 4, 1863 at Howard’s Grove General Hospital, Va. Have been unable to find where he was buried. Please Help!!
W.C. Eager, Musician, Co. C, 16th Miss. Inf., died in Howard’s Grove Hosp. in June 1864. I have the very brief notation of his death and list of his personal effects, but no indication of the disposition of the body. Very puzzling. It is possible that the body was released to his brother (my great-grandfather) and returned to Mississippi, because brother George started in the 16th Ms. Rgt but was in a Mississippi cavalry regiment in Gen. Richard Taylor’s command when he was paroled in 1865 in Alabama.
One of my great great great grandfathers was there at Howard’s grove . It says he died in Captivity in Howard’s grove hospital and buried in a mass grave in Kentucky. I have found nothing else
The graves were usually Oakwood Cemetery, there in Richmond. I think Oakdale was in Kentucky.
I too have an relative who died in Howard’s Grove and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery. Ive been to the cemetery and hopefully you can find the grave in the book there. At least the area based on the date of death. Seems they were in an order so you could get close anyway.
I have an ancestor, Alexander Moore, Sgt. 61st NC infantry who was wounded at Cold Harbor (near Richmond) June 3, 1864, and died of wounds a week later. Oakwood Cemetery does not seem to have a record of his burial. Does anyone have an idea on how to find where he is buried?
@9 Henry Dillard
Possibly why he is not seen in Oakwood is that he may have lived? Here is an Edward Alexander Moore who was wounded 1864 at Cold Harbor but was a Virginian – not NC. Just an idea 🙂
http://antietam.aotw.org/officers.php?officer_id=1148
Leroy Miller, 54th Georgia Infantry, Died of Small Pox at Howards Grove Feb 16, 1863.
I also would love to know where these Ancester Soldiers are buried.
My third great grandfather, John T.C. Moore, Pvt, Co K, 26 Reg’t, Miss Infantry, was admitted to Howard’s Grove May 15, 1864 with a disease listed on Muster rolls as V.S. Neck. What is that disease? He was furloughed for 60 days on May 28, 1864. Do you know why he would be furloughed?
Believe V.S. Neck means “vul scop” – neck — I was told by a park ranger that mean “shot in neck” wound.