The conditions were often cramped, which resulted in the rapid spread of contagious illnesses and infections. Many regimental hospitals were in nearby houses, while general hospitals for more in-depth treatment were sometimes set up in barns, churches, or other public buildings. If the surgeon could not treat the soldier, he might be sent to a hospital. During battles, the surgeon could be found in a makeshift or 'flying' hospital that consisted of a tent, an operating table, and some medical equipment. Military regiments had a surgeon on staff to care for the men, so the soldier's first stop would be with the surgeon.

To seek treatment for any serious ailment, a soldier would have had to go to a hospital of sorts. Because of this belief, doctors often prescribed bloodletting or medicine to induce vomiting or bowel movements to restore the balance. Many doctors believed that illness was caused by an imbalance of the humors, which were blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. Medicine of the time was practiced based on theories rather than on real scientific knowledge. People could call themselves doctors and begin practicing medicine after just a few years of apprenticing with another doctor. However, that was not the case in colonial America. To practice medicine today, doctors undergo years of intense study and training. Thankfully, modern medicine has come a long way, but just what did soldiers during the Revolutionary War have to look forward to if they needed medical help? Statistics show that a soldier had a 98 percent chance of survival on the battlefield but only a 75 percent chance in a hospital. If the war itself did not kill a soldier, seeking medical treatment for a wound or illness might. Died in 1867.Being a soldier in the Revolutionary War was risky business, and not just because of the battles. Fought in the Battle of Saratoga, and lived to 105 years of age. Samuel Downing: Enlisted at the age of 15 in 1777. He was born in 1761 and died in 1866 at almost 105 years of age. Lemuel Cook: The oldest surviving veteran of the Revolutionary War. Public Domain via Library of CongressĪlexander Millener: Enlisted as a drummer boy, and later saw action in several battles, including Yorktown. Public Domain via Library of CongressĪdam Link: Enlisted at age 16 and served three tours with the Pennsylvania Militia. Later served as chaplain of the House of Representatives at age 96, and died on Jt 101. Served for a year before being captured by the British. Public Domain via Library of Congressĭaniel Waldo: Drafted into the Continental Army at age 16. Fought at the Siege of Castine, was captured by the British, but released because of his young age. Here are their images, courtesy of the Library of Congress:Īn article in the website Photography Talk website tells their stories: Public Domain via Library of Congress It seems incredible that these photos could exist, but all of the men all enlisted at a very young age, and lived exceptionally long lives in order to be alive during the Revolutionary War and the eve of the Civil War. Their stories and picutres can be found in Hilliard’s book, The Last Men of the Revolution.

Their six subjects ranged in age from 100 to 105 – an amazing fact considering that the life expectancy at that time was about 40 years at the time. In the end they succeeding in producing the only photographic record of soldiers from the War for Independence. When the Reverend Elias Hillard and photographer Nelson August Moore set out in 1864 to take pictures of the last surviving veterans of the Revolutionary War, they knew time was running out. The last surviving soldiers of American’s War for Independence were captured on film in 1864.

Revolutionary war hospital pictures