Learning Resource Center: U.S. Sanitary Commission Materials: Subject Guide

About the U.S. Sanitary Commission

The U.S. Sanitary Commission was founded in 1861, a private relief agency created to support ill and wounded soldiers of the Union Army during the Civil War. Primarily staffed by volunteers, often women, the Sanitary Commission raised money, made uniforms, collected food and other supplies, and ran hospital ships and soldiers’ homes for the U.S. Army.

About the Sanitary Reporter Collection

The Sanitary Reporter Collection, 1863-1865, includes the entire run of Volume I and Volume II of the Sanitary Reporter, published by the U.S. Sanitary Commission. The Sanitary Reporters reported on the workings of the Sanitary Commission, including information about Army surgeons and their duties, ambulance corps, available supplies, financial reports, hospital reports, and sanitary fairs.

The Finding Aid for this collection is linked below. The other links are a selection of The Sanitary Reporter issues that have been scanned by the Archives. The complete collection can be viewed and downloaded by searching the Archives' digital collection under the heading Military Medical History Documents.

Sanitary Commission Reports

The Sanitary Commission released several reports on topics including the practices and protocols of surgeons in the field, pensions for wounded soldiers and sailors, and support for the families of servicemen. The USU Archives has scanned a number of these reports and they can be viewed and downloaded from the Archives' online collections.

The following links are examples of the Sanitary Commission publications that have been scanned by the Archives. The complete collection can be accessed by searching the Archives' digital collection under the heading Military Medical History Documents.

Sanitary Commission Materials in the LRC Catalog

Rare Book Collection

The USU Archives features rare books on the U.S. Sanitary Commission from the 1800s. Due to age and fragility, these volumes are kept in the USU Archives space.

Letters from the Army of the Potomac: Written during the Month of May 1864 to Several of the Supply Correspondents of the U.S. Sanitary Commission.

The Western Sanitary Commission: a Sketch of Its Origin, History, Labors for the Sick and Wounded of the Western Armies, and Aid given to Freedmen and Union Refugees, with Incidents of Hospital Life.

The U.S. Sanitary Commission in the Valley of the Mississippi during the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866.

Hospital Transports.

The Sanitary Commission of the United States Army: a Succinct Narrative of Its Works and Purposes.

History of the United States Sanitary Commission Being the General Report of Its Work during the War of the Rebellion.

The Other Side of War; with the Army of the Potomac.

The United States Sanitary Commission A Sketch of Its Purpose and Its Work.

LRC History Collection

The LRC History Collection contains material related to the U.S. Sanitary Commission. The catalog records of selected materials are linked below. Additional material on this topic can be located by searching the LRC Catalog.

Civil War sisterhood: The U.S. Sanitary Commission and women's politics in transition.

The other side of war on the hospital transports with the Army of the Potomac: letters from the headquarters of the United States Sanitary Commission during the Penisular Campaign in Virginia in 1862

Lincoln's fifth wheel: the political history of the United States Sanitary Commission

USU Archives Subject Guides

USU Historical Materials The University Collections in the USU Archives contain a multitude of material relating to the founding, growth, and operations of the Uniformed Services University. This subject guide provides a brief overview of the University's history with a sample of corresponding documents.
American Civil War Materials The USU Archives has a number of items relating to the American Civil War across various collections. These materials include publications and reports by the U.S. Sanitary Commission, memoirs by doctors and nurses, correspondence, and numerous books about various subjects relating to medicine during and after the war.
World War I Materials The USU Archives has a number of items relating to World War I across various collections. These materials include U.S. Government publications about hospitals, books about shell shock, contemporary newspapers, and numerous books about various subjects relating to medicine and World War I.
World War II Materials The USU Archives has a number of items relating to World War II across various collections. These materials include U.S. Government publications dealing with field medicine, reports from the German Medical Consultants Conferences, contemporary reports and publications, and historical accounts.
U.S. Sanitary Commission Materials The U.S. Sanitary Commission was founded in 1861, a private relief agency created to support ill and wounded soldiers of the Union Army during the Civil War. Primarily staffed by volunteers, often women, the Sanitary Commission raised money, made uniforms, collected food and other supplies, and ran hospital ships and soldiers’ homes for the U.S. Army.
Combat Disorders and Field Medicine Materials The USU Archives has a number of items relating to combat disorders and field medicine in both the manuscript and Rare Book collections. Combat disorders are defined by the National Library of Medicine as "Neurotic reactions to unusual, severe, or overwhelming military stress". Field medicine (also called combat casualty care) is the treatment of wounded individuals in areas of combat.
Tropical Medicine Materials Tropical Medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with health issues that are more common or are harder to control in tropical and subtropical regions. Tropical Medicine is a topic of particular importance at USU due to the international nature of military medicine. The USU Archives has a number of items relating to Tropical Medicine across various collections. These materials include U.S. government publications, rare books, papers by USU faculty and students, and historical publications.
Medicine in Extreme Cold Weather The USU Archives has a number of items relating to medicine in extreme cold weather in both the manuscript and rare book collections. Exploration and scientific research have taken people to the coldest places on Earth, requiring the study and development of the effects of extreme cold on the human body, and what prevention and treatment can be used in these circumstances.
Manuals and Instructions in the USU Archives The USU Archives has a number of U.S. Government and military bulletins, guidebooks, and manuals in its collections, ranging from medical officer reference books to aids for using pack animals. A number of these items have been scanned and can be viewed and downloaded via the Archives online collections, while others can be searched via their collection's finding aid and viewed in person.
Women During Wartime The USU Archives has several items relating to women's contributions during wartime. These materials span various collections and include U.S. Government publications, contemporary newspapers, biographies, and memoirs.
Pandemics The USU Archives and the LRC collection have a number of items that relate to both historical and contemporary pandemics. These materials include books, military medical publications, and other items.
Prisoner of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA) Materials The USU Archives has a number of items relating to Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA) in the manuscript and rare book collections. The LRC general and history collections also have a number of related materials.