Wounded in War: The Hospital Cards of Samuel S. Glover, Jr.

I don't know if I have a single favorite ancestor to research in my family history, but Samuel Stillman Glover, Jr. would certainly be in my top five. I've always had a strong interest in Civil War history, and when I discovered that my second great-grandfather fought in the war, I knew I had to learn everything I could about his service.

The Civil War was one of the most devastating conflicts in American history, leaving hundreds of thousands of soldiers wounded or ill. To document these casualties, the U.S. government maintained extensive medical records, including Civil War hospital cards. Once I learned that Samuel had been shot while carrying dispatches to General Buell, I began searching for his hospital records. I used Gopher Records for the lookup, and their fast, reliable service made it easy to obtain what I needed—Samuel’s Civil War hospital cards.

Unfortunately, there were only two cards for Samuel, but two is better than none. The information provided was sparse, as you can see below. While I didn’t uncover anything new, the cards still served as another valuable source documenting Samuel’s military service.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Carded Medical Records for the Regular Army (1821–1884), Entry PI-17 529, Record Group 94, National Archives Identifier 655638. Washington, D.C.: National Archives.

Civil War hospital cards were created to track the treatment of Union soldiers in military hospitals. These records often include:

• The soldier’s name and rank

• Unit information (regiment and company)

• Admission and discharge dates

• The nature of the wound or illness

• Hospital name and location

• Treatment details and outcomes

The National Archives preserves these records as part of its broader collection of military medical documents. Researchers can access them by visiting the National Archives in Washington, D.C., or through NARA’s online catalog.

For those unable to visit NARA in person, hiring a professional researcher, such as Gopher Records, or requesting copies via NARA’s official request system can be a great alternative.

Adding hospital records to your family history not only honors your ancestor's service but also helps piece together a more complete story of their life and experiences.