Civil War writing - letter to Confederacy Vice-President Alexander H. Stephens about hospitals

Letter dated February 3, 1862 to Vice-President of the Confederacy Alexander H. Stevens by Mary H. Johnstone

As a nurse, I found this letter to be an excellent nursing leadership example of how an assessment about shabby patient care was reported to the executive branch of the Confederate Government.

Although I tried on-line searches to research more information abut Mary H. Johnstone, the author of the letter, I was only able to find one reference to her in another anthology about Civil War Women.  

I will post her letter in this blog to my Facebook page "Maine Nursing: Interviews and Histories about Caring and Competence" because Ms. Johnstone certainly raised the "competence" issue in her frankly worded assessment, sent to Vice President Stephens. 

Published in the anthology "Heroines of Dixie: Spring of High Hopes" by Katharine M. Jones, Editor "A moving first hand account of what life was like in the Confederacy," reported a review in the Christian Science Monitor.  (Mockingbird Books, Inc., St. Simons Island, Georgia, 1955, pp. 80-81.)

Mary H. Johnstone investigated hospitals in Northern Virginia at the request of the Confederacy Vice-President Alexander H. Stephens. In her report, she was caustically critical about the surgeons' inefficiencies. She attributed much of the incompetence she observed to heavy drinking. This observation was shared by nurses who worked with both the Union and Confederate hospitals 

The Stone House  
During the Civil War the house was twice engulfed in battle, serving alternately as hospital for the wounded of each side. Shells are still to be seen embedded in the walls.

1862 Savannah, Georgia

Katharine M. Jones Editor wrote: "Mary H. Johnstone- personal observations at some of the camps and hospitals. Mrs. Johnstone, of Savannah, George, at the request of Vice-President Stephens, made a survey of medical conditions at camps and hospitals in Virginia." 

Letter to Confederacy- Vice President Alexander H. Stephens

Private

Feby3rd, 1862

In compliance with a request made by Mr. Duncan in your name to my adopted son, Cap Waring, I committ to paper the result of my personal observation at some of the camps and hosptials in Va. No doubt, to the emergency, & to a want of practical experience in the organization & management on a large scale of this very necessary appendage to an army in war, may be attributed much that is reprehensible, but no great improvement can be expected so long as surgeon appointments remain a political preferment, and are consequently made with so little reference to the most important qualifications to the position.

The man's life in the Army is not sufficiently valued- though it is there of so great moment, and most recklessly in some cases have the scales of life been intrusted to inexperienced, if not incompetent hands. Suely, where neither Patient nor friend as a choice in the medical adviser, & the one freely offers his life for his country, the other more than life! Common justice requires a judicious selection by those in authority; above all, that power for good or for ill should not be confided to the Intemperate; Without desiring to make a charge, I simply ask, in the name of those being this sacrificed, that professional men of more experience be chosen, and that a more rigid examination into their habits be instituted. This one vice of Intemperance ought to be sufficient to condemn any applican for the post an dbe a reason for dismissal when already appointed....

....There should be local hospitals. Camp fevers, it is said, are incurable under canvass, & the camp Hospitals, where even under roof, are devoid of comfort, even necessaries, & yet to remove an ill person any distance is death in most cases. Supposing it be not possible to procure a suitable building in the direct vicinity of the encampment to form a proper hospital then it remains but to permit friends, or persons willing to receive a few, patients to do so...

It is a fact which came under my own knowledge that the private medicine chest of a company, recently arrived at Manassas, was in request immediately for the whole regiment to which it was attached.....

The few observations I was enabled to make upon my recent sojourn at Manassas are such as would strike any kind of practised eye, but many valuable suggestions might occur to one habitually a visitor, whose business it might be to investigate matters, & to be responsible for the faithful discharge of duty in every department. An Inspector General whose character & experience in his profession should command respect from his fellow surgeons, and of kindliness of heart not to consider the smallest matter that might contribute to the poor soldiers comfort beneath his notice.

This supervision should extend, not only over nurses & the minutiae of their duties, but also over surgeons themselves, and he should be invested with authority in turn, should be cashiered in default of moral courage to exercise this discretion.

Wishing you success in the beautiful & important work to which you are so charitably devoting your attention, I am, Sir, one most earnestly interested to the same cause.

Mary H. Johnstone