Albumen photograph, 10 x 13.25 in., on 14 x 18
in. mount. Wenderoth & Taylor & Brown: Philadelphia, August 1864.
Penciled notation on verso: "Portion of the Staff at the McClellan
USA Gen. Hospital / Lewis Taylor Surgeon USA / in charge. August
1864." The photo shows the Doctors of the 5th Army Corp under
General Meade and was taken in August of 1864 prior to or during the
Siege of Petersburg, Virginia. The subjects are identified on verso,
including the original owner of the photograph, Dr. William Darrach,
the surgeon in the middle sporting the mutton chops. Identified
subjects include (as written on verso, some names difficult to
discern): H. Buehler, C.H. Budd, Wm. Darrach, Wm. L. Wells, H.J.
Primrose, Sm? Hey, and Brown.
Dr. William Darrach, Jr. (1839-1881) was born in Philadelphia, PA,
the son of Dr. William and Magaretta Monroe Darrach. Research
indicates that he enlisted 6/26/1863 (incorrectly listed as surgeon)
as assistant surgeon in the 32nd Regiment Pennsylvania Emergency
Militia Infantry raised during Lee's invasion of the north. He
mustered out 8/1/1863 and must have later joined the United States
Volunteer Medical Staff Department of which records are not collated
or readily sourced. Assistant Surgeon Darrach is recorded as a
member of the medical staff at Cuyler Hospital, Philadelphia (date
unknown) based on a single reference (p. 122) in the authoritative
Medical & Surgical History of the War of Rebellion (1861-1865).
Darrach survived the war and returned to Philadelphia. He is buried
in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.
Provenance: Descended Directly in the Family of Dr. William Darrach,
Jr.
