General Hospital #10
Information about General Hospital #10 in Richmond, VA during the Civil War.

General Hospital #10 was also called Union Hospital, Union Hotel Hospital, and United States Hotel Hospital. It was formerly the Union Hotel.

The Union was a unique building rich in local history. It was built in 1817 by Dr. John Adams and designed by Richmond’s first architect Otis Manson and was the first real hotel to be built in the City.

It was used by the medical College of Virginia as its fist Richmond home when it was begun in 1838. After 1845 reopened as a hotel and named United States Hotel. It was a Confederate hospital from July 1862 to the close of the War. For many years it was the home of Richmond Theological Seminary from which developed the present Virginia Union University. In its latter years was the home of Richmond Methodist Mission. It was torn down in 1911.

General Hospital #10 was generally used for officers. Dr. William A. Carrington, was the surgeon-in-charge and it had a capacity of over 300 patients.

The building was located on the southwest corner of 19th and Main Streets, facing on Main presently the site numbered 1821-3-5 East Main Street.
From Confederate Military Hospitals in Richmond by Robert W. Waitt, Jr., Official Publication #22 Richmond Civil War Centennial committee, Richmond, Virginia 1964.

Written Accounts

1864-08-04, Richmond Examiner; North Carolina Soldiers' Home is at the old Union hotel; surgeon from GH#24 is in charge of relief assn.
1864-11-15, National Archives; Summary of Daniel O’Donnell File
1866-01-01, Richmond Examiner; important description of 24 hours of “outlawry” in Richmond. Woman shot at the United States Hotel, now a brothel. Same shooter then shoots a policeman on 17th street. Man shot and robbed by three soldiers in his store. 24th
1866-01-13, Richmond Examiner; description of the “lowest of the low” brothel on Main Street – compared to the old U. S. Hotel in depravity. Patronized by soldiers.
1866-02-03, Richmond Examiner; prostitutes have been ejected from the United States Hotel (former GH#10)
1879-08-26, Richmond Dispatch; Castle Thunder and adjoining building burn down spectacularly. Important and lengthy description of the fire. United States Hotel mentioned
1891-04-19, New York Times; part eleven of serialized account of life in Libby. Recounts the author's near-exchange, and subsequent return to Richmond, only to be put in General Hospital #10
1891-04-26, New York Times; part twelve of serialized account of life in Libby. Good description of GH#10 as a Union prison hospital - indicates that the hospital was in conjunction with Libby Prison in 1864.
Images of General Hospital #10
Ledger of Confederate Hospital Practice; List of Surgeons at General Hospital #10

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