Christmas 1861

Potter, William W. One Surgeon’s Private War: Dr. William W. Potter of the 57 th NY, editor John Michael Priest et. al. Shippensburg: White Mane Publishing Company, 1996. P.13

William Warren Potter, Assistant Surgeon of the 49th NY Infantry, spent Christmas 1861 in winter quarters near Chain Bridge, Virginia.

“On Christmas Day the sick in hospital were furnished a special dinner by Dr. Hall and myself, consisting of oysters, turkeys, chicken and such other delicacies as were thought suitable to the occasion and to their stomachs. From this time until the end of the year I was busy, during all spare time with the quarterly return of medical and hospital property, and stores. The return was a complicated and perplexing one to make up at first, but I finally mastered it, finishing it by December 31st in the afternoon.”