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Jonathan Letterman Correspondence and Diary

 Collection
Identifier: MS C 96

Abstract

Telegraph transcripts of military orders and directives sent and received by Letterman during his Civil War service. The diaries describe a trip from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Union, N.M. and back. Evidence indicates that the diary was not kept by Letterman.

Dates

  • 1860-1864; 1924; 1972

Extent

0.21 Linear Feet (1 box)

Creator

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Language of Materials

Collection materials primarily in English

Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Copyright and Re-use Information

The National Library of Medicine believes these materials to be in the public domain. Archival collections often contain mixed copyrights; while NLM is the owner of the physical items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. It is the user's responsibility to research and understand any applicable copyright and re-publication rights not allowed by fair use. NLM does not grant permissions to publish.

Privacy Information

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Biographical Note

Pennsylvania native Jonathan Letterman, 1824-1872, graduated from Philadelphia's Jefferson Medical College in 1849. From 1849 to 1860 he served as an assistant surgeon for the Army Medical Department in Florida, Fort Ripley, Mn., Fort Defiance, N.M., and Fort Monroe, Va. When the Civil War began he was serving in California. In 1862 he was appointed Medical Director of the Army of the Potomac. In this capacity, Letterman reorganized medical treatment of wounded by establishing mobile field hospitals, triage, and efficient distribution of medical supplies. For this work, he became known as the father of battlefield medicine. He left the army in 1864, relocated to California and was coroner of San Francisco when he died.

Collection Summary

Telegraph transcripts of military orders and directives sent and received by Letterman during his Civil War service. Also includes letter from Surgeon General William A. Hammond declaring that Letterman was detailed for duty with the Army of the Potomac as medical director. The diaries describe a trip from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Union, N.M. and back. Evidence indicates that the diary was not kept by Letterman.

Abstract

Telegraph transcripts of military orders and directives sent and received by Letterman during his Civil War service. The diaries describe a trip from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Union, N.M. and back. Evidence indicates that the diary was not kept by Letterman.

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Provenance

Unknown.

General

Processed by
HMD Staff
Encoded by
Jim Labosier
Processing completed
2007
Title
Finding Aid to the Jonathan Letterman Correspondence and Diary, 1860-1864; 1924; 1972
Status
Unverified Partial Draft
Author
HMD Staff
Date
2007
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid is written in English
Edition statement
1.0

Collecting Area Details

Part of the Archives and Modern Manuscripts Collection Collecting Area

Contact:
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1-888-FINDNLM (1-888-346-3656)