The U.S. Navy Medical Department in the Civil War

The Civil War U.S Navy--charged with blockading the Southern coast, controlling the Mississippi River and participating in Army-Navy operations--faced daunting medical difficulties. These included not only combat injuries but also malaria, yellow fever and other infectious diseases that all hampered the Navy's ability to wage war. The tremendous wartime expansion in naval personnel and vessels outpaced the ability to provide sufficient qualified medical personnel, and the initial absence of Union naval hospitals in the South forced officials to improvise care for the most seriously ill or injured sailors and marines. The wide dispersal of vessels and facilities necessitated changes in the distribution of supplies. The U.S. Navy Medical Department responded to these challenges creatively, transforming their methods, calling on other government entities for assistance and applying political maneuvers.