From Chancellorsville to Gettysburg

Henry K. Neff, MOLLUS, U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA.

Henry Kauffman Neff (1823-1868), surgeon of the 153rd Pennsylvania in the 11th Corps, was taken prisoner at Chancellorsville with the wounded in the medical tent and hospital behind enemy lines. After four weeks in Libby Prison he was released due to illness from pneumonia and returned to recuperate at home in Hollidaysburg, Pa.

According to Assistant Surgeon Abraham Stout, Neff never returned to the regiment, but he made his way to Gettysburg, either during or after the battle. In his own account, he says he was assigned to the 11th Corps hospital by Jonathan Letterman. He remained there until July 18th, when he mustered out with his regiment in Harrisburg, Pa., on July 24th, and then returned to Gettysburg as a contract surgeon at Camp Letterman until August 27th.

Dr. Neff was an 1851 graduate of Jefferson Medical College. He was dismissed as surgeon of the 37th Pennsylvania, but was reinstated with help from Governor Curtin as surgeon of the 153rd Pennsylvania in October 1862. Major John Frederick Frueauff of the 153rd Pennsylvania later judged Neff “a very good surgeon…but subject to strong fits of intemperance which last for a couple of days.”

Serving as s contract surgeon, he was charged with neglect of duty in November 1863, but not convicted.

Another surgeon, Allston Waldo Whitney, 13th Massachusetts and medical director of the 2nd Division of the First Corps at Chancellorsville, was not at Gettysburg. He, too, was taken prisoner, but was held until November 1863. He was one of several Union surgeons being held as hostages at Libby Prison under threat of execution.

Images

Henry K. Neff, MOLLUS, U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA.

Chancellorsville Field Hospital, Edwin Forbes drawing, 1863.

https://loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.20538/