Mary Loomis Explained

Mary Loomis
Occupation:Nurse

For the fictional character, see Psycho II (film).

Mary Loomis was a Union nurse during the American Civil War. Loomis served for a total of two and a half years.[1]

Civil War service

When the Civil War broke out, Loomis was living with her first husband, George W. Van Pelt, in Coldwater, Michigan. She enlisted in the service as a volunteer nurse alongside her husband in May 1861 as Mary Van Pelt; they were both in the 1st Michigan Light Artillery.[1] [2] She was later appointed to Hospital Number 13 in Nashville, Tennessee, to serve as the hospital matron.[3] She worked at this location from September 1862 until January 1863.[1] In Nashville, Mrs. Van Pelt served under a surgeon by the name of H.J.Merrick, MD. She then went on to the Number 20 hospital, also in Nashville, until May. Once again, Van Pelt served as a matron, this time under the surgeon J.R. Goodwin, MD.[4] Van Pelt only served in hospitals for a year of her service. The rest of the time, she was in camp with her regiment or marching from one place to the other with them.[2] Her husband died in the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863, and Mary left the service shortly after in November.[1] [3]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Holland, Mary G.. Our Army Nurses. Roseville. Edinborough Press. 9781889020044. 167.
  2. Book: Hall, Richard. Women of the Civil War Battlefront. Lawrence. University Press of Kansas. 9780700614370. 85.
  3. Book: Logan, Mrs John A.. The Part Taken by Women in American History. 334. mary loomis civil war nurse.. 1 January 1912. Perry-Nalle publishing Company. Internet Archive.
  4. Book: Holland, Mary G.. Our Army Nurses. Roseville. Edinborough Press . 9781889020044 . 167.