The
following is a dictated translation of the hand-written application to
the U. S. Navy Examination Board during the Civil War by a civilian
physician/surgeon for a position as a medical officer in the Federal
Navy or for promotion to Assistant Surgeon by an Acting Assistant
Surgeon. The actual
applications are in the possession of the author and presented to
enlighten the general public and other researchers as to the education
process before and during the Civil War, the personal history of the
applicants, as well as to show their personal level of medical knowledge
in answering the questions asked by the Navy Board of Examiners.
(Some applicants failed to pass and did not serve or served in the Union
Army.)
This written presentation was first of a part of a two-part exam consisting of a written
exam and an oral exam.
Many of these applications are rich
with highly detailed medical content offering an interesting perspective
on the medical knowledge and practices of the period.
A broad sampling of these exams is presented to
give you a 'picture' of the type of applicant being examined and
admitted to or rejected by the Federal Navy in 1863. Much more detail
on the individuals and their personal and naval history will be
presented in a forth-coming book by Dr. Herman.
(The actual written exam photos are available, but not presented on
these pages due to the size of the files. An
example
of a hand-written exam is on the
List of all Applicants page)
If you have additional information or images for any of these
doctors, please
contact us.
A list with links to
all applicants in this survey of U.S. Navy Applicants for 1863
Example of a handwritten exam given by the Navy Examination Board
Applicant: James E. Barbour, M.D.
To the board of Medical Examiners
Gentlemen:
I
was born the city of New York on the 17th day of November
1862 [sic], and resided in said City for the space of ten years;
afterwhich I removed to Norwalk, Conn. where I at present reside.
During my school days I received an English education, with the addition
of Latin and Drawing. With reference to the department of Natural
History, I would say that I have ever been interested in anything
appertaining [unclear] Nat. Philosophy, Chemistry, Botany, th***te
[unclear], Geology, Mineralogy, and the like I have paid some attention
to. The modern languages have not claimed my thought to any extent.
For the past three years I have been a student of Dr. Saml. Synes of
Norwalk, Conn., but have not as yet graduated. In the drug business I
have been engaged for nearly five years, paying attention during that
period to Pharmacy, etc. Since last August I have been connected with
the 21st Regt., Conn. Vols., a portion of the time as
Hospital Steward; the remainder as Actg. Assist. Surgeon.
My
address, when at home is Norwalk, Conn.
V. T. Yours [sic]
James E. Barbour
April 23rd, 1863.
(As James E.
Barbour was appointed Acting Assistant Surgeon on May 6, 1863, 13 days
after this sketch was written, it can only be surmised that the Q & A
were misfiled.)