The Army Medical Department and the Civil War: historical lessons for current medical support

With the resurgent interest in the operational level of war and the art of military campaigning, how the United States Army updates its combat service support doctrine could have a significant impact on future field medical support concepts. Historically, the Civil War provides important lessons that must not be forgotten by today's military medical leaders concerning casualty evacuation and its control during military campaigns. To prevent the repetition of earlier mistakes in future conflicts, military medical leaders must appreciate the painful lessons of war and actively communicate these lessons to the larger military community. This article provides some insight into that history and those lessons.