Small private hospital financially subsidized by Confederate government. In home
of Judge John Robertson. Northwest corner of 3rd and Main Streets.
Opened from October 1861 through February 1865 with periods of closing. Capacity
22 patients. Miss Sally L. Tompkins, in charge. Surgeon A. Y. P. Garnett,
surgeon. John Taylor, steward. Thomas L. Latimer signs as Surgeon in Charge on
11/14/1864 (RG 109, Ch. 6, Vol. 364, p. 169). The register of patients from
Robertson Hospital is preserved at the Museum of the Confederacy.
|
Richmond
Enquirer |
4/15/1861; excellent description of the
reaction in Richmond to the news of the fall of Ft. Sumter - description of
parade to Tredegar Iron Works and Capitol Square - notes disappointed
reaction to Letcher's remarks, and the raising and subsequent lowering of
the Confederate flag on the Capitol roof; Judge Robertson makes a speech |
|
Richmond
Enquirer |
6/18/1861; Classified notice that Surgeon A.
Y. P. Garnett (surgeon at Robertson Hosp.) has come to Richmond. |
|
Richmond Enquirer |
8/5/1861; ladies of St. James Church have
established a hospital at the corner of Main and 3rd (probably Robertson
Hospital) |
|
Richmond
Whig |
8/6/1861; ladies of St. James Episcopal Church
have obtained Judge Robertson's house, corner of 3rd and Main, for use as a
hospital (later Robertson Hospital) |
|
Mary
Chesnut's Civil War; C. Vann Woodward, ed. |
8/5-26/1861; Accounts of Mrs. Chesnut's visits
to Robertson Hospital |
|
Richmond
Dispatch |
8/28/1861; death notice of a
soldier at Robertson Hospital |
|
Eleanor S.
Brockenbrough Library, MoC |
9/9/1861; Sally Tompkins' commission as a
Captain in the Confederate Army |
|
Richmond
Enquirer |
9/17/1861; "Hospitals in Richmond" list |
|
Richmond
Enquirer |
9/25/1861; list of hospitals in Richmond with
current capacities. Notes that POWs are at the General Hospital |
|
Richmond
Dispatch |
10/2/1861; very detailed account of
the ladies' & state hospitals in Richmond - gives statistics and
descriptions |
|
Richmond
Dispatch |
11/26/1861;
death notice for
Lt. A. B. Bird, H5TX, died Robertson Hospital – funeral from St. Paul’s
Chapel, 5th St. near Armory |
|
Richmond
Whig |
12/5/1861; List of patients at Robertson
Hospital |
|
Richmond Dispatch |
5/24/1862; A. Y. P. Garnett, Byrd Island Hospital, warns out-patients to
report or be AWOL |
|
Richmond
Whig |
5/29/1862; brief description of Robertson (“established nearly twelve months
ago”) and Henningsen Hospitals |
|
Richmond Dispatch |
6/7/1862; List of
donors & provisions for area hospitals |
|
Wadesboro
North Carolina Argus |
6/19/1862; great description of
Robertson Hospital |
|
Richmond
Dispatch |
7/8/1862; Wet nurse needed at Robertson
Hospital |
|
Richmond Dispatch |
7/15/1862;
Robertson Hospital adv. for strayed cow |
|
Richmond Dispatch |
7/18/1862; Dr. A.
Y. P. Garnett, in charge Byrd Island Hospital, thanks YMCA |
|
Ledger of Confederate Hospital Practice |
no date; List of Surgeons at Robertson
Hospital |
|
Richmond Dispatch |
8/5/1862; Dr.
Garnett adv. for wet nurse at Robertson Hospital |
|
Richmond Dispatch |
8/8/1862; Sallie
Tompkins thanks St. Paul’s Church, Hanover County, for money donated to
hospital |
|
Richmond Dispatch |
8/12/1862; W. H.
Taylor at Lee’s HQ adv or lost horse from Robertson Hospital |
|
Eleanor S.
Brockenbrough Library, MoC |
8/28/1862; order from A. Y. P. Garnett for a
cow to be delivered to Robertson Hospital |
|
Richmond
Enquirer |
9/30/1862; tabular report of sick & wounded
soldiers in the Hospitals in Richmond |
|
Richmond
Enquirer |
9/30/1862; Report of the Select Committee on
Hospitals; reports on hospitals in Richmond and elsewhere and what to do
about them - recommends reforms such as matrons, purchasing agents, and
effective hospital funds. Mentions many current matrons, including S. L.
Tompkins, Mrs. Clopton, Mrs. Hopkins, several heretofore unknown
matrons at Winder Hospital, and many others. Gives statistics of Winder and
Chimborazo Hospitals. Excellent article. |
|
Library of Congress |
10/6/1862; reports on the capacities of
Richmond Hospitals and empty beds |
|
Library of Congress |
10/16/1862; reports on the capacities of
Richmond Hospitals, empty beds, and Patients in them |
|
Inspection Report |
10/24/1862; Wm. Carrington finds the site
excellent, but recommends removal of patients to Genl Hospitals. |
|
Library of Congress |
11/1/1862; reports on the capacities of
Richmond Hospitals, empty beds, and Patients in them |
|
Richmond
Whig |
12/3/1862; excellent description of
the Robertson Hospital; describes admission procedure as well as the fact
that the "hospital is often in charge of a solitary young lady, who reads
prayers to the men every morning." |
|
Garnett Family Papers |
1/26/1863; Surg. A.Y.P. Garnett is under attack by
"persons inimical to me," who have revived old charges of official
misconduct which Garnett was acquitted of, and writes to Benjamin to send
him the results of his investigation in order to defend himself; 1/28/1863;
Benjamin replies to Garnett's request for results of the investigation into
Garnett's official misconduct which consisted of treating patients in his
private time, accepting funds, and recommending their discharge. Benjamin
deemed that he was working very hard "visiting gratuitously the hospital on
Main Street near Third" as well as private residences, and was guilty of an
error of judgment only. 11/9-11/1863; series of letters between Jefferson
Davis and Dr. A.Y.P. Garnett involving a perceived disrespect by Garnett.
Very testy at times, regarding Garnett sending Mrs. Davis' "love" to Gen.
Wise, and joking with Davis over kissing the girls in Selma. Eventually
Garnett talks his way out of it. |
|
William A.
Carrington CSR (M331-roll 49) (no. 22) |
1/28/1863; Order closing down Robertson,
Samaritan, and Soldiers Home Hospitals. |
|
Richmond
Sentinel |
8/10/1863; list of hospitals in Richmond and to
which hospitals soldiers from the various states are sent |
|
Richmond Sentinel |
9/21/1863; list of hospitals in Richmond and to
which hospitals soldiers from the various states are sent |
|
CSMSJ Vol. I, No. 2 |
2/1864; report by Surg. A. Y. P.
Garnett on the use of Nelaton's probes - includes a case of a patient at
Robertson Hospital. Mentions being assisted by Surg. Bolton. |
|
Richmond
Enquirer |
5/13/1864; describes Richmond during the Battle
of Drewry's Bluff - notes on the admission procedures for the wounded and
gives numbers admitted; notes on the hospitals for various states |
|
Richmond
Sentinel |
5/17/1864; list of hospitals in Richmond and
to which hospitals soldiers from the various states are sent |
|
Alexander Hunter,
Johnny Reb & Billy Yank |
May-June 1864, pp. 563-565; Hunter was
transferred from Chimborazo and gives a glowing description of Robertson
Hospital. |
|
National Archives, RG 109, Ch. 6, Vol. 364, p. 110 |
6/6/1864; excess patients at Robertson are to
be transferred to Stuart Hospital - Carrington threatens to close Robertson
if excess patients are taken again |
|
Surgeon A. Y. P
Garnett CSR, M331 |
6/7/1864; letter from Surgeon Garnett
explaining why the actual number of patients in the hospital is less than on
the returns - says the current arrangement was made by the "lady in charge,"
with no input from him |
|
RG
109, Ch. 6, Vol. 337, p. 6 |
6/8/1864; GH#9 is directed to send no more
patients to Robertson Hospital - effectively closing down Robertson |
|
Sally
Tompkins letter |
6/9/1864; letter to W. A. Carrington,
explaining details of the hospital in regard to number of patients and
Surgeon Garnett. Carrington sought to shut down the hospital. |
|
National Archives, RG 109, Ch. 6, Vol. 364, p. 116 |
6/15/1864; Carrington revokes the order closing
Robertson hospital, with the stipulation that it be under Surg. Garnett's
control, not Tompkins'. |
|
National Archives, RG 109, Ch. 6, Vol. 364, p. 117 |
6/15/1864; Carrington informs Sally Tompkins
about the new order about Robertson Hospital, and regrets that the matter
had become personal |
|
R. A. Lewis
CSR, M331 |
6/22/1864; notes on patients in private
quarters, and notes that Robertson Hospital sends its convalescents to
Stuart Hospital |
|
Eleanor S.
Brockenbrough Library, MoC |
8/25/1864; Maryland Aid Society gives a
donation to Sally Tompkins |
|
RG 109, Ch. 6, Vol. 151, p. 51 |
9/1862 - 9/1864; Statistics of Robertson
Hospital - hospital closed after September, 1864 |
|
Eleanor S.
Brockenbrough Library, MoC |
10/28/1864; patient transferred from
Chimborazo to Robertson, by order of the surgeon in charge at Robertson |
|
Richmond
Sentinel |
11/5/1864; William., slave of Sally Tompkins
charged with burglary |
|
Richmond
Whig |
11/5/1864;
slave of Sally Tompkins arrested for
burglary |
|
National Archives, RG
109, Ch. 6, Vol. 709, pt. 2, p. 259 |
1/14/1865; cases of
Fracture of the Maxillary Bone are to be
transferred to Robertson Hospital |
|
National Archives, RG 109, Ch. 6, Vol. 365, p. 60 |
4/1/1865; dentist is assigned to
Stuart, St. Francis de Sales, & Robertson
Hospitals and officers in private quarters |
|
Eleanor S. Brockenbrough Library, MoC |
no date; list of the "Ladies of Robertson
Hospital" - a page in the back of the Robertson Hospital register |
|
Eleanor S. Brockenbrough Library, MoC |
no date; list of the "Surgeons of Robertson
Hospital" as well as stewards - a page in the back of the Robertson Hospital
register |
|
Eleanor S.
Brockenbrough Library, MoC |
no date; "Sallys recipe for Soap" & yeast. From
a page in the the ledger book of Robertson Hospital |
|
Judith McGuire Notes |
various dates from 1862-1865; many
anecdotes relating to Judith McGuire's service at Robertson Hospital - Sally
Tompkins mentioned repeatedly; her husband gets a job at the "Officers'
Hospital" (GH#1) as post chaplain; mentions nursing briefly at Jackson
Hospital, and gives a description of the place |
|
Brown Memoir - Garnett |
8/4/1868; notes on a post-war
meeting with Dr. A. Y. P. Garnett; Garnett says many "officers of high rank"
tried to get him to talk to Pres. Davis on their behalf because he had "the
President's ear." Garnett also says that Davis was very slow at making
decisions. Describes Garnett as "a good-natured, gentlemanly, garrulous man,
barely above mediocrity, if not below it" and notes that his patients at
Robertson got little of his attention - he was too powerful to be removed,
however. |
|
R. A. Brock notes |
1880; notes on various Richmond
sights and their current condition - mentions Libby Prison, Castle Godwin,
Castle Thunder (recently destroyed by fire), Robertson Hospital (great
physical description), Drewry's Bluff, and the Union Hotel (now used to
train missionaries) |
|
Confederate Veteran, Vol. 16, p. 72 |
1908; Anonymous, "'Captain' Sally Tompkins";
describes Tompkins and her work for Robertson Hospital |
|
Richmond
Times-Dispatch |
7/26/1916; obituary for Sallie L. Tompkins |
|
Confederate Veteran, Vol. 24, p. 484 |
1916; notes that the room in which Sally
Tompkins died has been turned in to a memorial room |
|
Confederate Veteran, Vol. 24, p. 521-524 |
1916; "Captain Sallie Tompkins"; notes that
Sally Tompkins has died, and gives descriptions of her life |
|
Eleanor S. Brockenbrough Library, MoC |
no date, but post-1916; Biographical sketch of
Sally Tompkins, by Mrs. Wm. B. Lightfoot |
|
Robertson Hospital Registry |
VCU/MoC Website |
| Richmond Magazine (May
1931), pp. 13-18. |
Fitzgerald, Mary Maury. "Captain
Sally Tompkins, C.S.A." |
|
Virginia Cavalcade, vol. 6 (summer
1956-spring 1957), pp. 35-41. |
Coleman, Elizabeth Dabney. "The
Captain Was a Lady." |
| "Captain
Sally" |
Civil War Times Illustrated, Oct. 98; Brief
Biography of Sally Tompkins. |
