Civil War 'contract' Surgeons hired by the U. S. Army and the use of U. S. Army Form No. 18

By Dr. Michael Echols: American Civil War Surgical Antiques

(The following are the personal edited research notes of Dr. Michael Echols, the source of which may or may not be completely documented)

Part II of information on use of contract surgeons during the Civil War and the disposition of their surgical sets.

The following information regards surgical sets owned by 'contract' physicians and surgeons. The first two pages, in yellow, is data from the National Archives obtained by Richard Cies, and the rest is directly from the Medical and Surgical History of the War of Rebellion database to support the use of 'contract' surgeons and the existence of U. S. Army Form No. 18 used to pay contract physicians.

Much more on Civil War Contract Surgeons .

The big point to consider is whether or not contract surgeons performed surgery, and if so, did they bring their own instruments as pointed out in the yellow pages.  Personally I think contract physicians were used in an auxiliary role to maintain patients and other than the first few months of they War, were not allowed to perform major surgery on any military patients.  Surgery or amputations were only performed by U. S. Army certified surgeons or assistant surgeons, if in doubt, you need to read the following: The Truth about Civil War Surgeons by Dr. Jay Bollet, which you can find via Google books or on Amazon.

The reason this information is so important and needs further study is because of all the surgical sets that are floating around out there, which are claimed to have been used during the Civil War by contract surgeons.  No one can prove it, but this information would certainly point toward the possibility...

 Above left: example of Form 18 from the Army Regulations

Above right: example of an actual contract with a physician to work in Washington, D.C.

Below: Documentation from the Medical and Surgical History database:  Army Form No. 18
O.R.--SERIES III--VOLUME IV CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, REPORTS, AND RETURNS OF THE UNION AUTHORITIES FROM JANUARY 1, 1864, TO APRIL 30, 1865

EXTRACTS FROM GENERAL REGULATIONS OF THE ARMY,ARTICLE XLI.--Public property, money, accounts, and contracts.

1304. When it is necessary to employ a private physician as medical officer, the commanding officer may do it by written contract, conditioned as in Form 18 (Medical Regulations, U. S. Army), at a stated compensation, not to exceed $50 a month when the number of officers and men, with authorized servants and laundresses, is 100 or more; $40 when it is from 50 to 100; and $30 when it is under 50.

1305. But when he is required to abandon his own business, and give his whole time to the public service, the contract may be not to exceed $80 a month, and not to exceed $100, besides transportation in kind, to be furnished by the Quartermaster's Department, where he is required to accompany troops on marches or transports. But a private physician will not be employed to accompany troops on marches or transports, except by orders from the War Department, or in particular and urgent cases by the order of the officer directing the movement, when a particular statement of the circumstances which make it necessary will be appended to the contract.

1306. And when a private physician is required to furnish medicines, he will be allowed, besides the stipulated pay, from 25 to 50 per cent. on it, to be determined by the Surgeon-General.

1307. In all cases a duplicate of the contract will be transmitted forthwith by the commanding officer to the Surgeon-General, and the commanding officer for the time being will at once discontinue it, whenever the necessity for it ceases, or the Surgeon-General may so direct.

1308. The physician's account of pay due must be sent to the Surgeon-General for payment, vouched by the certificate of the commanding officer that it is correct and agreeable to contract, and that the services have been duly rendered. But when it cannot conveniently be submitted to the Surgeon-General from the frontier or the field, it may be paid on the order of the commanding officer, not to exceed the regulated amount, by a medical disbursing officer, or a quartermaster.
 
From the OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS,
New York City, February 19, 1862.  Maj. W. S. PIERSON,
Commanding Depot of Prisoners of War, Sandusky, Ohio.

With Doctor Woodbridge's acceptance of the appointment of medical officer at the depot at $100 per month is just received. I send a telegram to you requesting you to employ him immediately. Make a contract with him according to Form 18, medical regulations, specifying that he is to receive the fuel and quarters of an assistant surgeon. When I return to Sandusky I will approve the contract and forward it to the Surgeon-General. If I should not return you can forward it as having been made by my order. While the men are suffering with the mumps it may be well to quarter some of them in the officers' block nearest to the gate, north side, in the inclosure.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
 W. HOFFMAN,  Lieut. Col. Eighth Infantry, Commissary. General of Prisoners 

 EMPLOYÉS.

140. Employés will be paid, at the end of each calendar month, on receipt rolls (Form 18), in duplicate, which they must sign with their own hands. One person can sign for another only by a power of attorney, a copy of which must, in each case, accompany the signature.

141. When employés are not present at the district headquarters to sign the receipt rolls, their accounts may be made out on separate vouchers. (Form 19.)
 
SPECIAL ORDERS No. 90.
HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE TENNESSEE,
Young's Point, La., March 31, 1863.
 
VIII. The commanding officer of the Sixteenth Army Corps will cause to be built on one of the islands of the Mississippi somewhere between Columbus, Ky., and Memphis, Tenn., a suitable log or frame prison for the accommodation of 1,000 prisoners. The island so occupied will be garrisoned by such a force as the corps commander may deem necessary for the safe-keeping of all prisoners intrusted to them and for holding the post. One contract physician will be habitually kept to take charge of the sick in prison and more should the number requiring medical attendance make it necessary. The expense of building such structure will be defrayed by the quartermaster's department from funds received through the provost-marshal's department.     
By order of Maj. Gen. U.S. Grant:
JOHN A. RAWLINS, Assistant Adjutant-General.
COLUMBUS, OHIO, August 14, 1862.  

W. A. HAMMOND,  Surgeon. General U.S. Army:

Allow me to draw your attention to Camp Chase. There are now 1,600 prisoners; one regiment and two-thirds three-months' men on guard duty. Two new regiments are nearly filled. Orders, No. 65, has brought to camp over 3,000 sick soldiers to be examined. The regimental surgeons are busy inspecting their own men and taking care of them. Up till now we got along by employing a contract surgeon and using the paroled surgeons. They are now ordered to report to their regiments, and therefore we now need more help. A first-class man with five good assistants ought to be appointed for this post at once. The examination of sick soldiers being very important ought not to be intrusted to poor hands. A first-class man cannot be procured at the usual rate. Do give me authority to organize a staff for above camp and what compensation will you allow? There are now more than 500 soldiers waiting examination. Answer immediately.  GUSTAV C. E. WEBER, Surgeon-General.

Summary:

Again, the point of interest for my research into Form 18 is to determine if contract physicians brought their own instruments or not.  Apparently in the early months of the War, they were encouraged to bring their own instruments, but as supplies and problems increased, they were not.

For additional information on this topic, please search for Dr. Michael Echols, American Civil War surgical Antiques.  Dr. Echols is a collector/researcher and is not a dealer.