Gutbusters: The Development of Civil War Ambulances

Prior to the Civil War, the U.S. Army did not use ambulances, nor were such vehicles used in civilian life. Drawing from European examples, however, both the Union and Confederate military made extensive use of ambulances during the conflict. And at war’s end, ambulances immediately became a fixture in day-to-day American life.

This talk will examine how ambulances were developed and used during the Civil War, and also take a look at the many ambulance models, both good and bad, that were developed between 1861-1865.

The talk will be led By Dana Shoaf, Director of Interpretation at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine!