2025 News

The Gettysburg Foundation and the Blue & Gray Hospital Association will co-sponsor and present the 4th Annual Civil War Medicine Symposium Saturday, May 3, 2025. This daylong event will take place in the Ford Motor Company Fund Education Center in the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center.

With check-in starting at 7:45 a.m. and presentations commencing at 8:15 a.m., the annual symposium provides attendees a profound exploration into the effort to save lives behind the lines—the individuals, medical practices and innovations that shaped Civil War medicine.

This year’s program highlights untold stories, battlefield breakthroughs and the lasting impact of disease, trauma care and field hospitals, bringing to life a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of the American Civil War.

2025 Symposium Schedule

7:45–8:15 a.m. | Registration & Check-in (Continental breakfast provided)

8:15–8:30 a.m. | Welcome & Introduction

8:30–9:30 a.m. | Diseases with Daryl Crawford
Explore how disease—not combat—claimed many lives during the American Civil War. From measles and malaria to typhoid and dysentery, this session examines the devastating health threats that overwhelmed camps and medical staff alike.

9:30–10:30 a.m. | Dr. Zabdiehl Boylston Adams with Dr. Jon Willen
Discover the remarkable story of the only surgeon with a monument at Gettysburg. Adams’ battlefield heroics, resilience and later service in the infantry illuminate the courage and complexity of Civil War medical service.

10:30–10:45 a.m. | Break

10:45–11:45 a.m. | Cornelia Hancock at Gettysburg with Carolyn Ivanoff
Meet the young Quaker woman who became the first to reach the 2nd Corps Hospital after the Battle of Gettysburg with a goal to serve her country as a nurse. Hancock’s service offers a powerful window into the critical role women played as caregivers.

11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m. | Lunch (On your own; on-site dining options available)

1:15–2:15 p.m. | Trauma Care in the Civil War (Part II): The Confederate Perspective with Mark Quattrock
Building on a previous session on trauma care, this presentation explores the Confederate medical system—from its origins and innovations to its battlefield realities—and compares it with Union practices, highlighting advancements in medicine still being used today.

2:15–2:30 p.m. | Break

2:30–3:30 p.m. | Hidden History: The Granite Schoolhouse Hospital with Ron Kirkwood
Uncover the forgotten story of one of two major hospitals at the George Spangler Farm. This session sheds light on the wounded treated there after the fighting in The Wheatfield, Rose Woods and Stony Hill.

3:30–4:15 p.m. | Wrap-Up & Interactive Discussion
Engage with presenters and ask questions in a concluding dialogue on Civil War medicine and its legacy.

Registration & Member Discount
Reservations are required by April 28, 2025, for both in-person and virtual attendance. Blue & Gray Hospital Association members and Friends of Gettysburg receive special discounted rates.

To register, call 877-874-2478 or 717-334-2436 or visit the Gettysburg Foundation online at GettysburgFoundation.org.