Atrueconfederate: Not all Heroes carried Guns.

REGISTER OF CLOPTON HOSPITAL

Franklin St. 4^th house from

Corner of 4^th & Franklin Sts.

Richmond, Va.

On Wednesday, 28^th May 1862 the sick soldiers at Ashland were brought to Richmond and Capt. Jackson Warner opened this house on Franklin Street between 3d and 4^th and one between 4^th & 5^th and placed 290 men in them, where they remained until Saturday morning 31^st when by order of Genl. Winder they were transferred to the St. Charles Hospital. Since the 31^st of May the following patients have been received and treated in this hospital.

Dr. H. A. Tatum appointed Post Surgeon Mr. Brook, Steward

Dr. P. Brown has kindly given gratuitous advice and

Very efficiently aided in the organization of the Hospital.

(signed) Maria G. Clopton

There were hospitals set up all over the area as battles in Virginia continued to grow in intensity. They were found everywhere. In Richmond alone there were more than forty hospital, not counting the many private homes that accommodated the wounded.

Dr. Henry Augustus Tatum, of Richmond, Virginia was a skilled surgeon, and he saved many wounded men from losing a limb. The Clopton Hospital was publicly complimented by the Confederate Congress for its small percentage of deaths in comparison with all the other hospitals. One day 1,268 men were accepted into the care of the staff.

“The low mortality at Clopton and Robertson Hospitals, conducted by patriotic women,” was cited as an argument that women made the best nurses for the soldiers,” when the First Confederate Congress met in September 1862. The Clopton Hospital had a mortality of rate of two per cent. On average, where males were in charge, the mortality averaged ten percent, and with females in charge, only five per cent.

Where Mercy Dwelt

The Old Clopton Hospital Franklin Street

And the War-time Angel Who Directed It

Recalled in Newly Found Letters from

Grateful Confederate Families

BY CHARLOTTE CLOPTON

During the bloody summer of 1862 the Clopton Hospital near the northwest corner of Fourth and Franklin Streets was opened on May 28 as an emergency unit by Captain Is[rael] Warner. Two hundred and eighty men were brought from Ashland on May 31 by order of General Winder, according to old records now in possession of the Clopton descendants. All were retained with the exception of 12.

This hospital was opened exclusively for wounded officers of the Confederate Army and was established by the patriotic philanthropy of the widow of Judge John Bacon Clopton, who was Maria Gatesgill(sic.) Foster of England. It was located between Third and Fourth Streets in Mrs. Clopton’s home in the center then of the most fashionable neighborhood. The beauties and belles of the Confederate capital, many of them refugees from Maryland, flocked to it and tenderly administered to the suffering and wounded.

Among the volunteers was the brilliant Constance Cary who later was won by President Davis’ private secretary. In a magazine article she alluded to her experiences and told how when the wounded were taken to the receiving hospital downtown the soldiers would beg to be taken to the Clopton Hospital, for the fame of the practice of the surgeon in charge, Dr. Henry Augustus Tatum of Richmond, Va., was widespread. His assistant was young Dr. Patterson. The reputation he gained was that he saved the limbs which others would have amputated as a quicker method of healing. This reputation he gained the previous year in his practice at the Warm Springs Hospital.

The officers were as soon as practicable, transferred to the roomy cool and clean old house and carefully restored to health. Among those was a young officer, the nephew of Dr. Tatum whose right arm was shattered between the shoulder and elbow; it had gone forth that it must come off. He implored to be taken to his uncle'’ hospital to be created. This was done and the pieces of shattered bone were reunited as in nature and healed beautifully and in good time the gallant youth was on his horse, a volunteer on Stuart'’ staff. This indomitable spirit was Charles Augustus Boyd, son of James Magruder Boyd, of the well known firm of Boyd, Edmonds and Davenporrt.

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I was digging Around and found some old files on Dr Tatum, ya didn't have to carry a gun to be a hero.

source = http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~clopton/mint.htm#_ftnref52

UPDATE !

2/4/2021

I found out today that Dr Tatum's son was a member of the

2nd company Richmond Howitzers.