Introduction

From the first shot of the Revolutionary War, the survival of the revolutionaries’ cause relied upon the creation of functional field and military hospitals and effective nursing care. The Revolutionary War created an overwhelming demand for medical care. Of the estimated 25,000 American deaths during the course of the war, most resulted from disease rather than battle wounds. At times, half of all Continental Army soldiers were too sick to fight.

We have gathered these materials from scattered archives and private collections, which are often difficult to access. Assembling them together here is part of an effort to make these histories of care more visible and accessible to historians.