Following the August 10, 1861 Battle of Wilson’s Creek, Union authorities in St. Louis found themselves quickly overwhelmed by the large number of wounded Union soldiers who were transported to the city for treatment.
General John C. Fremont soon made a decision that would significantly impact the lives of countless Union soldiers and refugees. General Orders, No. 159, issued by Fremont on September 5, 1861, established the Western Sanitary Commission. The order authorized the Commission to “select, fit up and furnish suitable buildings for Army and Brigade Hospitals, in such places and in such manner as circumstances require.” The Commission was also allowed to select men and female nurses, work with surgeons and camp commanders to improve sanitary conditions among the troops, and solicit donations of “amenities” that were not furnished by government regulations.
Fremont appointed prominent St. Louis minister the Reverend William Greenleaf Eliot as a commissioner, along with banker James E. Yeatman, physician John B. Johnson, and grocers Carlos S. Greeley and George Partridge.
The WSC played a critical role in helping to alleviate the suffering of Union soldiers and refugees in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. The Commission established and equipped hospitals, hired nurses, outfitted railroad hospital cars, and solicited contributions of clothing and other supplies.
Image Courtesy Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield; WICR 11457
