Description:

Large, important archive of approx. 80 items, including CDVs, letters, documents, covers, etc. documenting the service and activities of Dr. John M. McCalla, Jr., while on contract with the U.S. Army. Born in Lexington, KY, John Moore McCalla, Jr. (1832-1897) moved with his family to Washington, DC in 1845 when his father, General John McCalla (Sr.), a hero of the War of 1812, received a government appointment as second auditor of the US
Treasury by President Polk. After completing school, he attended Columbia College and National Medical College, graduating with a degree in Medicine. In June 1860 Dr. McCalla was given a temporary position as Special Agent for the US Government on the "Star of the Union" during an American Colonization Society trip to Liberia to repatriate slaves. The Star carried 383 persons from the slave ship Bogota. The government promised that the return voyage would be nothing like the trip to the Americas. The Star of the Union was one of three ships making the return, with 1,138 people total. However, disease took a large toll: only 823 survived, most succumbing to illness, many having never recovered from the first ocean voyage. In 1863 McCalla signed a contract with the government as Acting Assistant Surgeon for $100 per month if in Washington, $113 if in the field, a position he held at least into November of 1865. The first item in the archive is McCalla's contract as a private physician with the US Army, Sep. 15, 1863, signed by Medical Director of the Army Robert Osborne Abbott and McCalla. Another order dated Sep. 15, 1863 sends him to the Seminary Hospital in Georgetown, DC, to report to Henry W. Ducachet. Also present are two letters with accompanying CDVs. One, from William H. Finn, asks
McCalla to send him any mail that has accumulated in his Post Office Box and relates the small gathering they had for the holidays. He writes from a Hospital Transport near City Point, which suggests that he may be another contract physician. Like McCalla, he is not listed in the Civil War Database. The other is from a patient, Cornelius McLean, lieutenant, 39th NY Volunteers, thanking Dr. McCalla for his care. There are several other "Thank you" letters without photos, from "E. Greenough", "N. Willard", and "L. Blois". The archive contains numerous instructions for patient pickups, for example, a
note on Medical Director's Office letterhead, January 4, 1865: "Sir: You are directed to take charge of Seven (7) patients that will arrive at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Depot this City at 5 1/2 o'clock A.M. 6th inst. and accompany them to Carlisle Barracks, Penna. On your arrival at that place you will report to the Commanding Officer of the Post, and when the patients have been provided for will return, with nurses, and report
in person to this office." Most of these are signed R.O. Abbott (Surgeon US Army), but a good deal many are signed by other surgeons, such as Johnson Van Dyck Middleton, Andrew Flint Sheldon, and Elisha Griswold. Several payment receipts for expenses incurred during some of these trips are included, as well as receipts for personal items such as a uniform (October 8) and drawers and undershirts. In addition to the orders to pick up patients, lists of those patients for Dr. McCalla to attend to are also included. One noteworthy form is from the "Office Surgeon attending Sick & Wounded Volunteer Officers" with instructions on who the doctor is to visit and their address in Washington. Another order dated July 21, 1865 puts Dr. McCalla in charge of Wards 1, 2, 11, and 12 at Stanton General Hospital in Washington, relieving Acting Assistant Surgeon Cyrus Powers, signed by Benjamin Buck Wilson (Surgeon US Vols). In April, 1864, McCalla was granted a leave of absence for 10 days to go to New York for private business. He applied for another leave in March 1865 and August 15, 1865, the latter two were for just a few days. Additional documents include: prescriptions, a bordered mourning envelope and note requesting that Dr. McCalla be a pallbearer for Dr. B.J. Heller; several blank forms, such as Sanitary Commission supply orders, Record of Treatment and Diet, Order for Stimulants (for the most part the choices were alcohol - whiskey, sherry wine, porter, milk punch and brandy), Account of Private Physician under Contract, Requisition for Fuel, and another alcohol order form (Ale, Brandy, Whisky, Wine and Rum). The last document in this group is dated November 2, with many soldiers still too ill or damaged to return home. Expected wear and condition throughout with several letters with fold separations, else very good. This is an exhaustive surgeon's grouping, quite complete, with far more content than we could quote here. A great lot for research.

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February 18, 2019 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

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