Support
National Museum of Civil War Medicine
  • Visit
    • National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, MD
    • Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum in Washington, DC
    • Pry House Field Hospital Museum on Antietam National Battlefield
    • Group Tour
  • Remote Learning Resources
  • Explore
    • Primary Sources
    • Artifacts Revealed
    • The Blog
    • Health Care Heroes
    • Videos and Digital Exhibits
    • Museum Publications
    • Bring the Museum to You
    • Ask A Question
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Walking Tours
    • Annual Conference
    • Letterman Award
  • Shop
  • Support
    • Become a Member
    • Donate
    • Volunteer

A Surgeon’s Role in Enlisting Civil War Soldiers

Posted on: July 2nd, 2018

The process of enlisting Civil War soldiers is often overlooked. We need your help to better tell that story in at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. With your help, we plan to update and upgrade our Recruiting Gallery to better tell this story. The upgrades will feature a new interactive digital kiosk exhibit and a replacement for the popular “Would You Become a Soldier?” display. Consider donating today to improve the museum for future generations.

Donate Today


To enlist, Civil War recruits had to pass a physical exam given by a military surgeon. Unlike today, those exams often included seemingly impractical activities, from hopping in a circle on one leg to flexing fingers. These lax recruiting practices led to the mustering of large numbers of recruits who were physically unfit for military service. This was extremely common during the early stages of the Civil War.

The United States Army made attempts to stop this stream of unqualified recruits from entering its ranks. The Surgeon General’s office ordered a book to be written in order to clarify and codify procedures for enlisting and discharging recruits. The resulting text, A Manual of Instructions for Enlisting and Discharging Soldiers, was published in 1863. The manual covered all possible disqualifications for service as well as all the proper procedures for mustering a recruit into the Union Army.

Previous manuals on the same subject existed in the United States, but they were not detailed enough for inspectors with no prior training. As the manual’s author, Roberts Bartholow, stated in the preface: “This work is not intended for professional experts, but for such examining surgeons, medical officers, and recruiting officers as have not had, heretofore, an opportunity to become informed on these subjects.”

You can find the full volume courtesy of archive.org below:

Tags: Books, Civil War, Civil War Medicine, physical exam, recruitment Posted in: Uncategorized

Quick Links

Plan your Visit Group Tour Support the Museum Learn Online
National Museum of
Civil War Medicine
48 East Patrick Street
Frederick, MD 21701
(301) 695-1864
Regular Hours
Friday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday - Thursday By Appointment
Last admittance to the galleries at 4:15 pm
Closed on New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and at 2 pm on New Year's Eve.
Clara Barton
Missing Soldiers Office
437 7th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 824-0613
The Museum will be open for reservations only beginning on February 15
Last admission at 4:30 pm
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Closing early on New Year's Eve.
Pry House Field
Hospital Museum
18906 Shepherdstown Pike
Keedysville, MD 21756
(301) 432-6352
Regular Hours
11:00am - 5:00pm
The Pry House is closed for the 2020 season due to NPS guidelines
Keep in Touch
  • About
  • Visit
  • Explore
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Support
In Affiliation With
American Alliance of Museums (AAM) National Parks Service (NPS) General Services Administration (GSA) City of Frederick MD U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Visit Frederick Maryland
  • The National Museum of Civil War Medicine on Facebook
  • The National Museum of Civil War Medicine on Twitter
  • The National Museum of Civil War Medicine on Instagram
  • The National Museum of Civil War Medicine Feed
  • The National Museum of Civil War Medicine on Trip Advisor
  • The National Museum of Civil War Medicine on YouTube
© 2021 The National Museum of Civil War Medicine - CivilWarMed.org.
All Rights Reserved.  |  Sitemap  |  Login

Website Design & Hosting by 270net Technologies, Inc.
MENU
  • Visit
    ▼
    • National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, MD
    • Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum in Washington, DC
    • Pry House Field Hospital Museum on Antietam National Battlefield
    • Group Tour
  • Remote Learning Resources
  • Explore
    ▼
    • Primary Sources
    • Artifacts Revealed
    • The Blog
    • Health Care Heroes
    • Videos and Digital Exhibits
    • Museum Publications
    • Bring the Museum to You
    • Ask A Question
  • Events
    ▼
    • Calendar
    • Walking Tours
    • Annual Conference
    • Letterman Award
  • Shop
  • Support
    ▼
    • Become a Member
    • Donate
    • Volunteer