Soldiers Aid Societies in the Union

Sanitary Commission Headquarters

Chicago

 

 

I named my latest Civil War reproduction collection Metropolitan Fair to remember women's fundraising efforts during the war.

 

 

 

The Metropolitan Fair and many of the other ladies' fairs benefitted the United States Sanitary Commission. By the end of the War the Commission, much like the Red Cross in 20th-century wars, was well organized with offices and warehouses throughout the Union. The national and regional organizations coordinated efforts of Soldier's Aid Societies large and small. The millions of dollars raised by the Fairs went to maintaining the organization as well as assisting the soldiers.

Headquarters, New York, in the center storefront

Interior of the Boston office

with socks on the table and a quilt on the chair

 

The warehouses stored items to send to the Soldier's Hospitals and Recovery Homes.

See details of the photo above here:

http://users.stlcc.edu/mfuller/luas/luastext/items.htm

 

 Christian Commission Headquarters,

probably in Washington City

The Christian Commission did similar service on a smaller scale. Here: wounded soldiers and crates (full of quilts?)

 

Philadelphia

With the red, white and blue bunting you couldn't miss it.

 

This photo of a building on the corner of

F Street in Washington City

is captioned "Sanitary Commission Warehouse"

but it probably includes the offices too.

 

Both organizations were quick to move into battlefield locations and set up headquarters.

 

Sanitary Commission Headquarters, Federicksburg

 

The Christian Commission in a brush arbor at Germantown.

 

"The Shebang," the USSC headquarters at Brandy Station

 

 

And as the Union occupied the South, buildings were commandeered for soldier's aid society offices in Southern cities.

 

NewBern, North Carolina

University of North Carolina Collection

 

Christian Commission

Richmond, Virginia

 

Sanitary Commission

Richmond

 

It is amazing to see the detail in these photos, many of them from the Library of Congress.