“Wherever I may spend my little remainder of life, my frequent and latest prayer will be, ‘God save the Union!'” – General Winfield Scott
The story of the Civil War Tripler Ambulance emerged in layers. In 2o23, “His Sword A Scapel“, by Jack Dempsey, a book documenting Brevit General Charles Stuart Tripler, M.D, published. Dr. Tripler is my husband’s third great-grandfather on his mother’s side, and the first medical director of the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War.
As part of his research, Jack contacted my husband about the family. My husband was honored to provide details from the family archives. Personal letters with details came to light not available to the public. David was in his element as he contributed information to this project.
However, without the expertise of Jack, we would not have this well-researched and documented account of the life of Dr. Tripler. Along the way, we learned a great deal about this ancestral line from his work. For instance,
- We learned that two of the three Revolutionary War veterans interred at Jefferson Barracks come from this branch of the family tree. We visited the site, discovering a child buried with one of my husband’s ancestors. This led to correcting the record from granddaughter to grandson and providing a name, Thomas Hunt Snelling, for the headstone of a grandchild buried with his grandfather, Colonial Hunt.
- Dr. Tripler’s sister-in-law, Abigail Hunt, married Josiah Snelling, for whom Fort Snelling in Minnesota is named. It was her son, Thomas, who died while visiting her father, who is buried at Jefferson Barracks.
- Dr. Tripler and General Winfred Scott were long-time friends and Army colleagues. In fact, Dr. Tripler, in tending to General Scott when gravely ill, once forbade President Lincoln from visiting General Scott!
The Lifesaving Tripler Ambulance
Another detail we learned from the book was Dr. Tripler’s contribution of a horse-drawn ambulance assisting in the removal of up to eight wounded from the battlefields of the Civil War. Moreover, we discovered that a replica of this ambulance is on display at the Fort Scott National Historic Site in Fort Scott, Kansas, just a few hours east of us.
This summer, we made arrangements and traveled to see this artifact and to gather some answers about how it came to be at this particular site. Fort Scott, named for General Winfield Scott, Dr. Tripler’s long-time friend, to our knowledge, Dr. Tripler never visited Fort Scott. So why was the replica of the Tripler Ambulance there?
What We Discovered
When you think of the Civil War, Kansas may not be the first state that comes to mind. However, the Bleeding Kansas episodes were a part of the political storm that preceded the Civil War throughout the country. A hospital for refugees, former slaves, and the wounded from the surrounding battles occupied one of the Fort Scott buildings.
The National Park Service, in setting up the building to represent its function as a hospital and in its reenactments of these times, decided to have the Tripler ambulance replicated as part of its display. According to “His Sword A Scapel, the Tripler ambulance was:
- One of several “models” used. One method was to strap the wounded to hand gurneys on each side
Dr. Dave and Carl, our park ranger, with the Two Tripler books. of a horse for transport. Another used a one-horse cart to carry two to four wounded upright.
- The only one that could transport up to eight, with four lying down and four seated. It also sported undercarriage springs, providing a bit more comfort for the wounded.
- Actually designed in 1840 by Dr. Tripler, well before the war, at least 100 were built and used
- It was the foundation of not only the army ambulance corps but also the American ambulance system itself.
- Built in Horton, Kansas, by Werner Wagon Works, we hope to visit to see their amazing work.
The park staff were helpful, answering our many questions and listening to our family perspectives. We enjoyed seeing all of the wonderful exhibits. They graciously received our gift to the archives of both Tripler books.
Be Encouraged – Rescue Your Story!
I continue to be amazed at how the posting of one simple BLOG about a memoir of my husband’s ancestor continues to unfold. Eunice Hunt Tripler would be just as amazed to know how her story has spread. Yet, she would be pleased to know her husband, General Charles Stuart Tripler’s story; his voice is heard. She worked hard to keep his legacy alive while she could. It lives on.