Chief Surgeon Asbel Woodward

Chief Surgeon Asbel Woodward

Born in 1804, Asbel Woodward graduated from medical school at Bowdoin College in 1829.  In the early days of the war Dr. Woodward was appointed by Governor Buckingham to serve on the board of examiners to assess the qualifications of surgeons selected to serve with the Union Army.  In 1863, when nearly sixty years of age, Dr. Woodward decided to volunteer his services to the army and became the chief medical officer in the 26th Connecticut and medical director in the Dept. of the Gulf.

While stationed at Camp Parapet, Dr Woodward wrote of the misperceptions of his position: "Popular impressions with regard to the peculiar duties of the army-surgeon are for the most part widely at variance with the truth. Many imagine that he is chiefly occupied in amputating limbs, probing gunshot wounds, extracting bullets, sewing up saber cuts, and dressing bruises. They always picture him as busy with the implements of his art -- hardly less terrible than the weapons of his enemy. * * * In the army, however, as well as out of it the time and energies of the medical department are mainly devoted to the treatment of diseases."