About this collection
During his tenure as president of the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) from 1925-1956, Dr. William T. Sanger (1883-1975) directed the college staff to locate and gather in one place the historical records of the institution. The resulting compilation, known as the Sanger Historical Files, was transferred to the Tompkins-McCaw Library (now known as the VCU Health Sciences Library) Special Collections and Archives in 1970. The files consist of official records, publications, correspondence, reports, receipts, photographs, and other materials which document the history of MCV from the 1840s until 1968. One of the most complete segments of the collection is the letters, reports, and hospital records meticulously saved by Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Levin S. Joynes (1819-1881) who guided MCV through the tumultuous years of the American Civil War.
On the eve of the war, MCV opened its new hospital adjacent to the college building on Marshall Street. The 80-bed facility with gas lights and a surgical amphitheater was soon filled with sick and wounded soldiers. The Sanger Historical Files include a listing of discharged and deceased soldiers and inventories of the personal effects of those who died while patients in the college hospital. There are also letters which chronicle the difficulties of managing the hospital, obtaining provisions and medicine, and working with the Confederate government. MCV was strategically located in the Confederate capital and able to offer educational opportunities to hospital stewards stationed in the Richmond area. Their stories, as revealed in their letters, are found in this digital collection. The challenges faced by Dr. Levin Joynes while guiding his colleagues and sustaining the educational program during times of war can be gleaned from the faculty correspondence saved in the Sanger Historical Files. The dean's reports to the second auditor concerning college affairs and the "secession of southern medical students" are also a significant part of this digital collection.
VCU Libraries selected excerpts from the Sanger Historical Files for its contribution to the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries' (ASERL) collaborative digital project, Civil War in the American South. This project is no longer maintained, but the archived website can be viewed here. The materials presented in this digital collection tell the story of the Medical College of Virginia's struggle and ultimate survival during the internecine conflict that defined the United States in the nineteenth century.
Each selected item from the Sanger Historical Files is presented as a PDF. Transcripts, with minimal annotations enclosed in square brackets, are included to enhance access to these rich resources.
Copyright
This material is in the public domain in the United States and thus is free of any copyright restriction. Acknowledgement of Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries as a source is requested.
Credits
VCU Libraries digitized this collection in 2011. Digital Specialist Jennifer Cason was in charge of the digitization and quality control. Metadata Librarian Mary Anne Dyer created the metadata for this digital collection. Transcriptions were done by VCU Special Collections and Archives.
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Letter from M. Howard to the faculty, 1863
M. (Marion) Howard
Letter from Marion Howard to the Faculty of the Medical College of Virginia resigning his post as Demonstrator of Anatomy.
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Medical College Hospital statistics of mortality 1861 + 1862
L. S. (Levin Smith) Joynes and Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
List of mortality statistics from the Medical College of Virginia Hospital for 1861 and 1862.
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Medical College of Virginia statement of graduates, 1863-1864
L. S. (Levin Smith) Joynes and Medical College of Virginia
List of graduates from the Medical College of Virginia who entered the Confederate services as medical officers of the Army or Navy, 1863 and 1864.
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Letter from Franck to Park, 1862 December 20
Franck
Letter from Franck to Park mentioning previous morphine use, financial problems, and conditions during the war.
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Receipt from Captain C. Morfit, 1862 October 7
C. (Clarence) Morfit
Receipt from Assistant Quartermaster Captain C. Morfit to L. S. Joynes acknowledging the receipt of personal effects of deceased soldiers.
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Letter from L. S. Joynes to F. Sorrel, 1862 September 17
L. S. (Levin Smith) Joynes
Letter from L. S. Joynes to Inspector of Hospitals F. Sorrel requesting his aid in obtaining coke for heating the hospital or use of a canal boat to send to the mines for the supply needed.
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Receipt from Captain C. Morfit, 1862 August 20
C. (Clarence) Morfit
Receipt from Assistant Quartermaster Captain C. Morfit to L. S. Joynes acknowledging the receipt of personal effects of deceased soldiers.
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Inventory of moneys on hand belonging to deceased soldiers who left no other effects, 1862 August 9
F. M. Parrish and Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of moneys on hand belonging to deceased soldiers who left no other effects, signed by F. M. Parrish, Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., August 9, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Samuel P. Leroy, 1862 August 9
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Samuel P. Leroy, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., August 9, 1862.
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Letter from B. R. Wellford and L. S. Joynes to F. Sorrel, 1862 August 5
B. R. (Beverley Randolph) Wellford and L. S. (Levin Smith) Joynes
Letter from B. R. Wellford and L. S. Joynes to Inspector of Hospitals F. Sorrell [i.e. Sorrel] requesting permission to purchase supplies from the commissary department.
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Inventory of the effects of Amos S. Tomlin, 1862 July 28
A. C. Tomlin and Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Amos S. Tomlin, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., July 28, 1862. Signed as received by A. C. Tomlin, July 30, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of James H. May, 1862 July 23
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of James H. May, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., July 23, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of James H. May, 1862 July 23b
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of James H. May, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., July 23, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of George W. McGahaha, 1862 July 19
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of George W. McGahaha, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., July 19, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Nelson S. Thomas, 1862 July 17
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Nelson S. Thomas, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., July 17, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Nelson S. Thomas, 1862 July 17b
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Nelson S. Thomas, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., July 17, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Anthony W. North, 1862 July 11
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Anthony W. North, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., July 11, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Harvey C. Goodwin, 1862 July 11
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Harvey C. Goodwin, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., July 11, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of John Lesky, 1862 July 11
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of John Lesky, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., July 11, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Jacob H. Stephens, 1862 July 5
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Jacob H. Stephens, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., July 5, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Jessie Reid, 1862 July 5
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Jessie Reid, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., July 5, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Samuel Trickle, 1862 June 25
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Samuel Trickle, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., June 25, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Samuel Trickle, 1862 June 25b
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Samuel Trickle, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., June 25, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Anthony McK. Blanton, 1862 June 23
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Amack [i.e. Anthony McK.] Blanton, who died at the Hospital of the Medical College, Richmond, Va., June 23, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of B. Hendon Hailey, 1862 June 23
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of B. Hendon Hailey, who died at the Hospital of the Medical College, Richmond, Va., June 23, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Elisha Van Sickler, 1862 June 21
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Elisha Van Sickler, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., June 21, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Andrew J. Vaughan, 1862 June 17
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Andrew J. Vaughan, who died at the Hospital of the Medical College, Richmond, Va., June 17, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of James B. Hicks, 1862 June 17
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of James B. Hicks, who died at the Hospital of the Medical College of Va., Richmond, Va., June 17, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of William Jones, 1862 June 16
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of William Jones, who died at the Hospital of the Medical College, Richmond, Va., June 16, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Frank Hall, 1862 June 15
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Frank Hall, who died at the Hospital of the Medical College, Richmond, Va., June 15th 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of William Wheeless, 1862 June 14
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of William Wheeless, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., June 14, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of John R. S. McKee, 1862 June 7
Daniel Aderhold, Isaac M. McKee, and Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of John R. S. McKee, who died at the Hospital of the Medical College, Richmond, Va., June 7, 1862. Note from father, Isaac M. McKee, authorizing Daniel Aderhold to secure goods belonging to John R.S. McKee, signed July 15, 186-.
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Inventory of the effects of Lemuel Mason, 1862 May 28
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Lemuel Mason, who died at the Hospital of the Medical College, Richmond, Va. , May 28, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Nathaniel A. Dunn, 1862 May 28
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Nathaniel A. Dunn, who died at the Hospital of the Medical College, Richmond, Va., May 28, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Mitchell Story, 1862 May 24
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Mitchell Story, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., May 24, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of James M. Mount, 1862 May 23
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of James M. Mount, who died at the Hospital of the Medical College, Richmond, Va., May 23, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of William Garrett, 1862 May 19
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of William Garrett, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., May 19, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of John J. Jordan, 1862 May 18
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of John J. Jordan, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., May 18, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of John Luffman, 1862 May 15
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of John Luffman, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., May 15, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Thomas A. Forrest, 1862 May 14
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Thomas A. Forrest, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., May 14, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Laban Watkins, 1862 May 6
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Laban Watkins, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., May 6, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of William T. Spinks, 1862 May 1
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of William T. Spinks, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., May 1, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of James Flinchin, 1862 April 30
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of James Flinchin, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., April 30, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Alexander McFarland, 1862 April 27
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Alexander McFarland, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., April 27, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of James Dorian, 1862 April 26
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of James Dorien [ i.e. Dorian], who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., April 26, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of John W. Swindell, 1862 April 20
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of John W. Swindell, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., April 20, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Generous Barden, 1862 April 19
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Jenerous [i.e. Generous] Barden, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., April 19, 1862.
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Inventory of the effects of Paulite Le Marble, 1862 April 18
Medical College of Virginia. Medical College Hospital
Inventory of the effects of Paulite Le Marble, who died at the Medical College Hospital, Richmond, Va., April 18, 1862.