Civil War Convalescent Camps in Arlington (2023)

Did you know that our county was home not only to a ring of defensive forts but also to Civil War convalescent camps?

In 1862 the US Army established a convalescent camp north of Four Mile Run. The camp had barracks for 5,000 convalescents and tents for 1,000 men returning to their regiments. There were hospital wards for 500 patients, a bakery producing 16,000 loaves of bread each day, 2 reservoirs piping in fresh water, a post office, barber shop, “photograph gallery,” library, and a chapel. Civil War historian Michael Schaffner talks about how it worked, who was posted there, and how the camps changed as the war raged on.

This program was hosted by the Arlington Historical Society free and open to the public on June 8, 2023. This video lasts 54 minutes.