Civil War Surgeons of the 5th Army Corps Under General Meade

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.