Dr. Hettie K. Painter’s Civil War Era Photos of New Jersey Volunteers

Abstract

Dr. Hettie K. Painter was a Civil War field hospital organizer, hospital manager, and state agent for New Jersey and Pennsylvania. As a state agent, she was responsible for visiting the recuperating troops in field hospitals and then communicating their whereabouts to the State. She also ensured that the needs of the injured were met. This paper uses the photographs of New Jersey Volunteers that Dr. Painter collected to illuminate her roles during the Civil War. Nine of the photos feature members of the 1^st New Jersey Volunteers and two of the 7^th New Jersey. Dr. Painter’s husband served in both regiments. There are photos of three quartermasters, a sutler, a surgeon, a brother-in-law, four men who were possibly patients, and a posed photo of New Jersey troops outside their tents that was taken by Mathew Brady.