
Depot Field Hospital
'Depot Field Hospital' was one of seven
hospitals operated at
City Point, Virginia during the
Siege of Petersburg during the
American Civil War.
The largest was the Depot Field Hospital which covered nearly 200 acres (800,000 m²) and could hold up to 10,000 patients. Twelve hundred
tents, supplemented by ninety log
barracks in the winter, comprised the compound, which included
laundries, dispensaries, regular and special diet
kitchens,
dining halls, offices and other structures. Army
surgeons administered the hospital aided by civilian agencies such as the
United States Sanitary Commission and the
U.S. Christian Commission. Male
nurses, drawn from the ranks, made sure each patient had his own bed and wash basin; and regularly received fresh pillows and linens. The excellence of the facilities and the efficiency and dedication of the staff not only made the Depot Field Hospital the largest facility of its kind in
America but also the finest.