Field surgery focus of Spangler Farm program

The Spangler Farm is one of the Gettysburg Foundation’s several holdings that have been meticulously restored as near as possible to their original condition of about 150 years ago. Most importantly, the detailed history of these properties is the focus, where living history re-enactors, volunteer guides and informative plaques help recreate the past.

A group of about 20 students from Penn State Harrisburg were hosted at the farm Saturday by Bethany Yingling, director of the new Children of Gettysburg Museum at the Rupp House on Baltimore Street. According to their history professor, Dr. David Witwer, the students have been making periodic trips to Gettysburg this fall to learn about preservation efforts and how living history presenters bring the past to life.

One of those presenters, Harry Sonntag, president of Civil War Historical Impressions, engaged the students and other visitors with stories of field hospital treatment of wounded soldiers during and after battles. Sonntag portrays Confederate surgeon Hunter McGuire, personal aide to Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.

“Even though I portray a Confederate doctor, medical knowledge and procedures were basically the same for both armies of the North and South. There were very few medical schools, so most doctors had the same training. A lot of them were just small town country doctors who were enlisted to help with the war effort,” Sonntag said.

The students were particularly interested in amputations of arms, legs, feet and hands, and how the pain caused by those surgeries was treated.

“The soft lead of the Minie ball and it’s slow trajectory shattered the bone when it hit,” Sonntag said. “It destroyed the limb, so the only choice to save the soldier’s life was to cut it off.”

Sonntag displayed several types of bone saws for different procedures, and had a bucket full of fake bloody arms and legs that clearly showed the exact patterns of a surgeon’s use of the knife and saw.

“Wounds were rarely cleaned very well and after each surgery the doctor would simply wipe the knife across his already blood-stained apron, and start cutting the next patient. A good surgeon could remove a limb in 10 to 12 minutes,” he said.

Students and instructors alike had questions about the ordeal.

“Did soldiers get anything for the pain?” Witwer inquired.

Even in the Civil War-era there were some medical aids for the patients, Sonntag explained.

“Chloroform was administered to knock out the patient, and it was very effective,” Sonntag said. “Following the surgery, morphine was used to relieve some of the pain during recovery.”

Sonntag has been offering Civil War field hospital presentations for 16 years, and his display includes an extensive collection of medicine bottles, surgical instruments, wooden cabinets, and leather medical bags similar to those used by Civil War doctors.

The Gettysburg Foundation opens the George Spangler Farm to the public throughout the summer, and on seasonal special Saturday Family Days. There is no admission charge.