Work

Combat casualty care in the American Revolution: Perils of a fragmented medical command structure

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT: In 1775, American medicine faced its first and arguably greatest test: building a military medical system while actively fighting a superior enemy. In the wake of the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Continental Congress hastily passed a perfunctory resolution creating the Continental Army Medical Department. Leaders of this fledgling department struggled to manage bitterly divided and inexperienced teams, critical supply shortages, and overwhelming patient numbers. With varying degrees of success, they worked to overcome these daunting challenges to care for America's army. This article explores leadership lessons from America's inaugural military medical system, offering actionable insights for modern surgical leaders striving to restore and sustain military medical readiness today. ( J Trauma Acute Care Surg . 2026;101: S1-S6. Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma.

Source: The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care

DOI: 10.1097/ta.0000000000005055

Authors: Karina M. Hiroshige, Jonathan Y. Stein, Benjamin J. Stewart, Justin Barr, Jeremy W. Cannon

Language: English

Topic: Trauma and Emergency Care Studies

Subfield: Emergency Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

OpenAlex ID: W7164506400

FWCI:

Cites: 4

Cited by:

Related to: 10