- Creator
- Van Buren, W. H. (William Holme), 1819-1883
- Call number
- MssCol 23350
- Physical description
- .25 linear feet (1 box)
- Preferred Citation
William Van Buren United States Sanitary Commission correspondence, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library
- Repository
- Manuscripts and Archives Division
- Access to materials
- Request an in-person research appointment.
Dr. William H. Van Buren was a member of the Executive Committee of the United States Sanitary Commission (USSC), as well as its Medical Committee. Other members of the executive committee were Henry W. Bellows, C. R. Agnew, Wolcott Gibbs, Frederick Law Olmsted, and George T. Strong. This collection of correspondence consists 103 items, most of which are letters sent to Van Buren by other members of the executive committee and by the U.S. Army Surgeon General's office. Some of Van Buren's outgoing letters are present. The correspondence includes discussion of the appointment of William A. Hammond as the U.S. Army Surgeon General, and subsequent tensions between Hammond and the Secretary of War, Edwin McMasters Stanton. Other subjects in the correspondence include the USSC's floating hospital, the Euterpe; hospital inspections; and requests for nurses, dressers, surgeons, and other medical personnel. The collection includes a "list of wounded for the engagement of October 21, 1861" (the Battle of Ball's Bluff), and a form recording wounds and injuries of John Smith of the 79th New York regiment, illustrated with figure drawings.
Administrative information
Custodial history
The Museum of the City of New York received this collection from the grandson of Dr. William H. Van Buren.
Source of acquisition
Donated by Museum of the City of New York, 2015.
Processing information
Compiled by Kit Fluker, 2016.
Key terms
Names
- Agnew, Cornelius Rea, 1830-1888
- Bellows, Henry W. (Henry Whitney), 1814-1882
- Gibbs, Wolcott, 1822-1908
- Hammond, William A. (William Alexander), 1828-1900
- Strong, George Templeton, 1820-1875
Subjects
Places
Material types
Using the collection
Location
Manuscripts and Archives DivisionStephen A. Schwarzman Building
Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018-2788
Brooke Russell Astor Reading Room, Third Floor, Room 328