Finley General Hospital facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Finley General Hospital
Part of military hospitals in the United States
Washington, D.C.
Finley General Hospital looking south in 1864
Finley General Hospital
Coordinates	38°54′30″N 77°00′00″W / 38.908325°N 77.000122°W / 38.908325; -77.000122
Site information
Controlled by	Union Army
Site history
Built	1862
In use	1862–1865
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Finley General Hospital was a special hospital for soldiers during the American Civil War. It was run by the Union Army and was located near Washington, D.C.. The hospital helped injured and sick soldiers from 1862 to 1865.

This hospital was quite large, with enough space for 1,061 beds. On December 17, 1864, about three-quarters of these beds were being used by soldiers who needed care.

Where Was Finley Hospital?

The exact spot where Finley General Hospital stood is not known today. However, old writings and maps give us clues about its location.

What Did Walt Whitman Say?

Walt Whitman, a famous American poet, worked as a volunteer nurse in Washington, D.C., during the Civil War. He wrote about Finley Hospital in December 1862. He described it as a "little town" on a hill, but a town full of "wounds, sickness, and death." He also mentioned it was "northeast of the city, on Kendall Green."

Kendall Green was a piece of land donated by Amos Kendall, who was the Postmaster General of the United States. This land later became home to Gallaudet University, a famous school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

Old Maps and Descriptions

In 1902, a writer named John Wells Bulkley wrote about the war hospitals. He said that Finley Hospital was "North of Boundary Street, on the Bladensburg Road, near Kendall Green." This description helps us narrow down the area.

At the time, "Boundary Street" was a main road that was later renamed Florida Avenue in 1890. The "Bladensburg Road" he mentioned was not the same as the modern Bladensburg Road. It was an older road, sometimes called the "Old Bladensburg Road."

Nearby Hospitals and Camps

Finley General Hospital was not the only military hospital in the area. Another hospital, called Eckington General Hospital, opened in 1862 nearby. It closed in April 1863 and its patients were moved to Finley General Hospital.

There was also a military camp called Cantonment Sprague (or Camp Sprague) close by. This camp was used by soldiers from the 1st Regiment R.I. Detached Militia.

An old drawing from 1864 shows Finley Hospital with the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument visible in the distance. This helps us understand its general direction from the city's famous landmarks.

Images for kids

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  An 1862 map showing Eckington Hospital and Kendall Green, near where Finley Hospital was located.

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  A map showing Camp Sprague and its position near the Old Bladensburg Road.

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  A detailed section from a military map of Washington's defenses, highlighting the Old Bladensburg Road.

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  An 1861 map of Washington City, showing the location of Camp Sprague.

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  A bird's eye view of Finley Hospital in 1865, showing its layout.

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  A photo of a hospital camp on Kendall Green during the Civil War, likely Finley Hospital.