Mound City Civil War Naval Hospital, former hospital in Illinois, United States
The Mound City Civil War Naval Hospital was a medical facility in Illinois housed in a brick building during the American Civil War. The complex featured wards, kitchens, and offices spread across the grounds, providing significant treatment capacity for wounded patients.
The hospital opened in 1861 and became one of the largest Union hospitals in the western region of the country. It was operated by Catholic nuns from Indiana and remained active until sometime after 1865, when it eventually closed.
The hospital's name referenced naval service, yet it treated Army soldiers and freed slaves alongside sailors. This mix reflects how wartime medical care crossed typical institutional boundaries.
The site is located at the intersection of Commercial Avenue and Central Street and is accessible to visitors interested in Civil War history. Although the original buildings no longer stand, informational plaques on-site explain the history of the facility.
Notably, this site treated both wounded Union soldiers and Confederate soldiers as well as freed slaves. This shows the complex medical reality of the war, where healing patients took priority over their allegiance.
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