United States Army Hospital Corps was organized in 1886 in order to recruit and retain competent medical enlisted personnel in the United States Army Medical Department for field service in the event of a foreign war. Existing Hospital Stewards were not trained to perform duties as field medical personnel. The Corps was recruited from enlisted men who had served one year in the line. After training they were transferred to a post where they would be assigned duties as nurse, cook or medical attendant. Privates having served twelve months in the Corps could be recommended for promotion. Having passed an examination they were promoted to Acting Hospital Stewards (Sergeant). Promotion to full Hospital Steward (Sergeant First Class) was possible after one year's service in an acting capacity and after having passed a second and more rigorous examination. The peak strength of the Corps was reached in November 1898, during the Spanish–American War, with about 6,000 men serving in the Corps.This lead is a summary of the text in this article. Citations are found in the main text below.
Background and Formation
The hospital corps was organized in order to enlist and retain competent medical personnel below officer rank. Hospital Stewards belonged to the Army Medical Department, performing tasks within the fields of pharmacy, minor surgery, simple dentistry and administration, as well as managing the army's post hospitals. They were enlisted by the Medical Department for service at specific posts, and were not trained for field service. The end of the Indian Wars being in sight, the U.S. Army at the end of the 1870s began to pay increased attention to the likelihood of a foreign war. The lack of trained medical personnel was seen as a major deficiency in the case of war, and the Surgeon General started a campaign to create an enlisted corps of medical attendants that could be trained for field service. Subsequently, the Congress created the United States Army Hospital Corps in 1886.Toby, James A. (1927). The Medical Department of the Army. Its History, Activities and Organization. The Johns Hopkins Press, p. 24.Gillet, Mary C. (1995). The Army Medical Department 1865–1917. Washington, DC: Center of Military History, United States Army, pp. 18–19.
Organization and Ranks Strength of the Hospital Corps 1888–1902 In service, June 30 Hospital Stewards Acting Hospital Stewards Privates Source 1888 15536 681 Surgeon General's Office (1888). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1888. Surgeon General's Office, p. 142. 188914150 588 Surgeon General's Office (1889). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1889. Government Printing Office, p. 10. 1891124 71 530 Surgeon General's Office (1891). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1891. Government Printing Office, p. 11. 189312272 585Surgeon General's Office (1893). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1893. Government Printing Office, p. 15. 189411775 585Surgeon General's Office (1894). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1894. Government Printing Office, p. 35. 1899189287 2,892 Surgeon General's Office (1900). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1900. Government Printing Office, p. 22. 1900167381 3,548 1901246388 3,702 Surgeon General's Office (1901). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1901. Government Printing Office, p. 36. 1902271405 3,366 Surgeon General's Office (1902). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1902. Government Printing Office, p. 25. The Hospital Corps was created in 1886 was to be composed of Hospital Stewards, Acting Hospital Stewards and Privates, the number of which were to be decided by the Secretary of War. Enlisted men not belonging to the Corps would not be detailed to medical service. The members of the Corps would perform all enlisted medical services in hospital and in the field.Gillet 1995 op.cit., p. 20. In 1896 the Congress fixed the number of hospital stewards to 100. The Corps then had about 100 acting hospital stewards and about 500 privates.Toby 1927 op.cit., p. 24. In 1901, the rank of Lance Acting Hospital Steward was given to prospective hospital stewards during a probationary period, and in 1903 the rank of Corporal was introduced; specifically created for those men who were good leaders but unable to pass the required examinations for promotion.Gillet 1995 op.cit., p. 330. In 1903, the ranks of the hospital stewards were put in line with the rest of the army; Hospital Stewards becoming Sergeants First Class, Acting Hospital Stewards becoming Sergeants, Lance Acting Hospital Steward becoming Lance Corporals.Emerson, William K. (2015). "The Evolution of Medical Chevrons, 1851–1903." The AMEDD Historian (11), p. 9. By 1909, the rank of Private First Class had been introduced, in the proportion not exceeding one to two privates. The Corps then had 300 sergeants first class, 300 sergeants and 20 corporals.Mason, Charles (1909). A Complete Handbook for the Hospital Corps of the U.S. Army and Navy. William Wood and Company, p. 3. The largest strength of the Corps occurred during the Spanish–American War; in June 1898 it contained 133 hospital stewards, 172 acting hospital stewards and 2,940 privates. The peak was reached in November the same year with about 6,000 men serving in the Corps, although about 22,500 were needed.Toby 1927 op.cit., p. 26.Gillet 1995 op.cit., p. 122.
Recruitment and Promotion Strength of the Hospital Corps 1903–1915 In service, June 30 Sergeants First Class Sergeants Corporals Privates First Class Privates Source 1903279313 10 1,668 762 Surgeon General's Office (1903). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1903. Government Printing Office, p. 31. 1904274269 19 1,490 1,028 Surgeon General's Office (1904). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1904. Government Printing Office, p. 19. 1905275277 16 1,159 1,333 Surgeon General's Office (1905). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1905. Government Printing Office, p. 136. 1906290267 18 1,467 1,154 Surgeon General's Office (1906). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1906. Government Printing Office, p. 115. 1907266289 20 1,468 1,276 Surgeon General's Office (1907). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1907. Government Printing Office, p. 123. 1908277297 17 1,480 1,460 Surgeon General's Office (1908). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1908. Government Printing Office, p. 107. 1909299290 18 1,358 1,345Surgeon General's Office (1909). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1909. Government Printing Office, p. 129. 1910274339 44 1,295 1,266 Surgeon General's Office (1910). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1910. Government Printing Office, p. 128. 1911285333 40 1,270 1,330 Surgeon General's Office (1911). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1911. Government Printing Office, p. 173. 1912262341 392,654 Surgeon General's Office (1912). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1912. Government Printing Office, p. 179. 1913295336 382,560 Surgeon General's Office (1913). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1913. Government Printing Office, p. 165. 1914300399 413,135 Surgeon General's Office (1914). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1914. Government Printing Office, p. 157. 1915299408 423,057 Surgeon General's Office (1915). Report of the Surgeon General of the Army for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1915. Government Printing Office, p. 160. The Hospital Corps was recruited from enlisted men who had served one year in the line. The accepted candidate then received instruction at a detachment of the Corps, before being transferred to a post where he would be assigned duties as nurse, cook or attendant. Privates having served twelve months in the Corps, or graduates in pharmacy having served six months, could be recommended for promotion. Thus recommended were promoted to Acting Hospital Stewards after having passed an examination. Promotion to full Hospital Steward was possible after one year's service in an acting capacity, and after having passed a second and more rigorous examination.Smart, Charles (1898). Handbook for the Hospital Corps of the U.S. Army. William Wood and Company, pp. 1–3.
In 1909, privates and privates first class recommended for promotion could be detailed as lance corporals to test their ability to perform the duties of a non-commissioned officer. An examination was required in order to be promoted to Sergeant. Sergeants with one year time-in-grade, as well as other members of the Corps having served at least six months as Hospital Stewards of Volunteers during and since the Spanish–American War, could be promoted to Sergeants First Class after having passed a detailed and extensive examination.Mason 1909 op.cit., p. 4, 375.
Although the desertion rate of the Hospital Corps was only 2% annually, compared to the rest of the Army's 10%, the Medical Department found it difficult to recruit and retain a sufficient number of men in the Corps. Two years after its formation, the Corps still had 135 of 739 slots unfilled. It was especially difficult to find competent cooks. Experienced members also transferred to the line, where pay and promotion was better. A pay increase in 1892 led to better quality among the candidates for promotion to Hospital Steward. However, those passing the examination were the most intelligent men, rather than the best leaders.Gillet 1995 op.cit., p. 21, 101, 331.
Training Monthly pay of Enlisted Men 1898 Paymaster General's Office (1898). Manual for the Pay Department. Government Printing Office, pp. 40–41. Rank First year of enlistment Fifth year of enlistment Sixth and subsequent years of enlistment Hospital Stewards $45 $48 $50Acting Hospital Stewards $25 $28 $30Privates, Hospital Corps $18 $21 $23First Sergeants, Infantry $34 $37 $39Sergeants, Infantry $18 $21 $23Privates, Infantry $13 $16 $18 In spite of the objective behind the creation of the Hospital Corps, its members were mainly trained for peacetime tasks. Instructions were given in cooking, horseback riding, horse care, first aid, anatomy, physiology, nursing and pharmacy.Gillet 1995 op.cit., p. 100. In 1909, the training contained a basic course of discipline and the duties of a soldier, drill and field work, animal care and horseback riding, anatomy and physiology, first aid and personal and camp hygiene, and nursing for all candidates, and a complete course for those with special aptitude, which added army regulations, cooking, Materia medica and pharmacy, elementary hygiene, and clerical work to the basic course.Mason 1909 op.cit., p. 3-4. Examination for promotion to Acting Hospital Steward tested the candidates knowledge in the principles of arithmetic, in orthography and penmanship, regulations affecting enlisted men, care of sick, ward management, minor surgery, hospital corps drill and first aid, ordinary modes of cooking and elementary hygiene, as well as evaluating the candidates physical fitness, moral character and general aptitude.Smart 1898 op.cit., p. 3. The later examination for promotion to Sergeant had the same content.
Disbandment