Captain Sally Tompkins: Angel of the Confederacy

Ron Maggiano

Reprinted from the OAH Magazine of History
16 (Winter 2002). ISSN 0882-228X
Copyright (c) 2002, Organization of American Historians

Shortly after the first battle of Manassas in July 1861, the city of Richmond was flooded with wounded Confederate sol diers. Existing hospitals were quickly filled to capacity, and the Confederate government appealed to the local population for assistance. Scores of individuals and organizations quickly responded, establishing numerous private hospitals for the relief of the wounded.

The most famous and efficient of these facilities was founded by Sally Louisa Tompkins in the home of Judge John Robertson on the corner of Main and Third Streets. The Robertson Hospital, as it was known, treated patients continuously throughout the war, discharging its last soldier on 13 June 1865. During its four-year existence, Robertson Hospital treated 1,333 wounded with only seventy-three deaths, the lowest mortality rate of any military hospital during the Civil War.

For her charitable efforts on behalf of the wounded, Tompkins received a commission as Captain in the Confederate Cavalry (unassigned) from President Jefferson Davis on 9 September 1861, thus becoming the only woman officer to serve in the Confederate army. Her story demonstrates the significant contributions of countless southern women who gave of their time, talent, and treasure from Fort Sumter to Appomattox.

"Captain Sally" was born at Poplar Grove in Mathews County, Virginia, on 9 November 1833, the youngest child of Colonel Christopher Tompkins and Maria Patterson Tompkins. Her family had boasted a proud military tradition since the Revolutionary War when Sally's grandfather, Colonel John Patterson, was commissioned by General Washington after the Battle of Monmouth. That young Sally Tompkins was keenly aware of this tradition is certain. When one of her brothers left to serve in Texas during the Mexican-American War, Sally, then only thirteen years old, wrote: "I hope you will be able to distinguish yourself in the battle and be a second George Washington and come home to receive congratulations from all your friends."

This family tradition of martial valor led Tompkins to believe fervently in the southern cause. After the Confederate victory at Mannassas, she wrote to her sister, "I felt that we could indeed say 'thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power; thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy'."

The Tompkins family also shared a deep commitment to the Episcopal Church. Sally's sister, Elizabeth, had led the effort to restore the dilapidated Christ Church in Mathews County, and Sally soon dedicated herself to charitable efforts of the local parish. She had a natural talent for nursing and could often be found tending the sick, both free and slave, on nearby plantations.

After her father's death, Tompkins and her mother sold the family estate and moved to Richmond, where they joined St. James Episcopal Church. Here they encountered the wealthy and socially prominent of the city, including Judge Robertson. When war broke out in 1861, Robertson moved his own family to the country for safety. Tompkins implored him to allow her to use the vacant home for a hospital, and he readily agreed.

Now Tompkins called upon the women of St. James and other well-heeled friends for support. She formed the "Ladies of the Roberston Hospital" and converted the private home into a twenty-two bed hospital, largely at her own expense. The hospital officially opened on 31 July 1861, and the first patient was admitted the next day.

Tompkins was fortunate to acquire the services of Dr. A. Y. P. Garnett, a well-known physician from Washington, D.C., as her chief surgeon. At least a half dozen other doctors worked under Garnett and Tompkins. The remainder of the hospital staff consisted of female volunteers, cooks, and slaves, including "Mammy" Phoebe, a long-time Tompkins bondservant who had raised Sally. In addition, several wounded soldiers treated at the hospital and unable to return to active duty stayed on to help.

The hospital was noted for its efficiency and especially its cleanliness. At a time when the cause of infection was not completely understood, Robertson Hospital enforced the highest level of sanitation possible. One account describes Tompkins as "obsessed" with cleanliness, an obsession which no doubt saved the lives of many patients.

Not all private hospitals were run so efficiently—or honestly. Indeed, some of the private facilities had taken to charging exorbitant sums for their services. In some cases, patients were kept beyond the necessary time for full recovery, at the army's expense. These and other problems caused the Confederate government to close all private hospitals, including Roberston Hospital, on 5 September 1861.

According to contemporary accounts, Tompkins protested this decision, even as ambulances arrived to remove her patients. Accompanied by Judge William W. Camp, assistant secretary of the treasury, she made a personal appeal to President Davis. Tompkins showed her hospital register to the president and pointed out the high percentage of men returned to active duty after recovering from their wounds.

Davis relented and offered Tompkins a commission in the Confederate cavalry. In this way, Roberston Hospital would be under control of the army and eligible to receive medicine, bandages, and other supplies. Tompkins readily agreed but refused to accept any payment for her service. On her military commission, dated 9 September 1861, she wrote, "I accepted the above commission as Captain in the C.S.A. when it was offered. But, I would not allow my name to be placed upon the pay roll of the army."

For the duration of the war, Tompkins labored to relieve the pain and suffering of the Confederate wounded. Carrying her Bible and medicine bag, she spent endless hours comforting and healing those in her care. Some called her "the little lady with the milk-white hands." Others saluted her as "dearest of captains." Mary Chesnut, a frequent visitor to the hospital wrote in her diary, "Our Florence Nightingale—is Sally Tompkins." The more than 1,300 men fortunate to be sent to Robertson Hospital called her simply "Captain Sally."

After General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox, Tompkins remained in Richmond, devoting her time and what was left of her treasure to a variety of charitable and religious causes. She never married and eventually took up residence at the Richmond Home for Confederate Women in 1905, her personal wealth totally depleted. She died there on 25 July 1916, at the age of eighty-three.

Sally Tompkins was buried with full military honors at Christ Church in Mathews County, where an eight-foot monument now marks her final resting place. In the 1960s the Captain Sally Tompkins Memorial Window was officially commemorated in her honor at St. James Episcopal Church in Richmond. Both remain fitting tributes to Sally Tompkins, a true Angel of the Confederacy.

The story of Sally Tompkins provides a vivid example of the important role women played during the Civil War. In this lesson, students will interpret the life of Captain Tompkins using primary and secondary sources, including photographs, monuments, and the text of Tompkin's obituary.

By examining the experiences of Sally Tompkins during the Civil War period, students will learn and understand the following concepts:

1. Women made important contributions to the war effort on the "homefront" during the Civil War period.

2. Women were provided with new opportunities as a result of the war.

3. The social and economic status of women changed, in some cases dramatically, as a result of the Civil War and its aftermath.

4. Primary sources, such as obituaries and photographs, can be examined to provide insight into the daily life of a particular historical era.

5. Monuments and other artifacts can be examined to provide insight into historical events and individuals.

1. Explain to students that Tompkins was the only woman commissioned as an officer in the Confederate army and that she operated a military hospital in Richmond during the Civil War. Then instruct students to read the article "Captain Sally Tompkins: Angel of the Confederacy," which begins this lesson. After they have read the article, lead a class discussion using the following questions:

1. What factors led President Davis to commission Tompkins as a captain in the Confederate army? Why was this considered so remarkable at the time?
   
2. What factors helped Tompkins become so successful in her position at Robertson Hospital?
   
3. What personal traits did Tompkins possess that contributed to her success at Robertson Hospital?
   
4. Sally Tompkins's family is known to have owned slaves and Sally's cook at the hospital, Mammy Phoebe, was a long-time Tompkins family slave. How does this change your opinion of Captain Tompkins? Should she be judged by current standards or the standards of her own day?
   
5. What factors may have led Tompkins to remain single until her death in 1916? Why would she not marry, even though she was a wealthy and socially prominent woman?
   
6. What question would you like to ask Captain Tompkins? What questions were raised or left unanswered by the article?
   

2. Distribute copies of the primary source document, "Obituary of Captain Sally Tompkins" (Handout 1). Tell students that historians often refer to obituaries for historical information. Instruct them to read the document and then lead a class discussion using the following questions:

1. What is the tone of this document? What words are used to describe Tompkins?
   
2. What was the attitude of the people of Richmond toward Tompkins? How is this revealed in the document?
   
3. What does this document say about life in the United States at the time it was written?
   
4. Why are obituaries such as this one important sources of information for historians?
   

3. Have students study the following images of Captain Sally Tompkins included with this article:

1. Portrait of Sally Tompkins from the Museum of the Confederacy, <http://rootsweb.com/~vamathew/sally.htm>.
   
2. Stained glass window of Sally Tompkins from St. James Episcopal Church in Richmond, <http://rootsweb.com/~vamathew/sally.htm>.
   
3. Detail from stained glass window showing the Robertson Hospital.
   
4. Monument to Sally Tompkins at Christ Church, Mathews, Virginia (1925), with inscription (Handout 2), <http://www.pages.prodigy.net/eagle30/sally/memor/htm>. Then instruct students to choose one of the images and complete the Photograph Analysis Worksheet from the National Archives and Records Administration, <http://www.nara.gov/education/teaching/analysis/photo.html>.
   

Students should research another famous or interesting woman from the Civil War period, <http://womanandthecivilwar.org/>. They should then complete one of the following activities using information from their research. Students may work alone or in small groups, as appropriate.

1. Design and color a stained glass window illustrating the life and achievements of a woman from the Civil War period. The window must include the following:

1. An image of the person engaged in an activity.
   
2. Symbols or items appropriate to the person's achievement (flags, books, etc.).
   
3. Details showing the person's accomplishments and activities.
   
4. An inscription, including name, date of birth, and date of death.
   

2. Design an appropriate historical monument illustrating the life and achievements of a woman from the Civil War period. The monument must include the following:

1. The name of the person.
   
2. The date of birth, place of birth, date of death, and place of death of the person.
   
3. An inscription of at least fifty words relating the significant accomplishments of the person.
   
4. The name of the organization(s) responsible for erecting the monument.
   
5. A fitting quote or epitaph.
   

3. Write an interview discussing the life and achievements of a woman from the Civil War period. The interview may be with the actual historical person or with a fictional person such as a descendant or acquaintance.

4. Write a poem of at least one hundred words celebrating the life and achievements of a woman from the Civil War period. The poem may be in any form (blank, free-verse, rhyming, etc.) and must include specific historical information including the who, what, where, when, and why of the person's achievements.

5. Write a one-page obituary noting the life and achievements of a woman from the Civil War period. The obituary should include a photograph (if possible), date and place of birth, date and place of death, biographical information (parents, surviving relatives, etc.), significant achievements, funeral arrangements, and place of burial. q

Alvord, Reed. "Captain Sally." Civil War Times (October 1998).

Coleman, Elizabeth Dabney. "The Captain was a Lady." Virginia Cavalcade 6 (Summer 1956-Spring 1957): 35-41.

"Death Claims Woman Officer of Confederacy." Obituary. Richmond Times-Dispatch, 26 July 1916.

Furgurson, Ernest B. Ashes of Glory: Richmond at War. New York: Vintage Books, 1996.

Haerman, Keppel. Dearest of Captains: A Biography of Sally Louisa Tompkins. White Stone, VA: Brandylane Publishers, 1996.

Hagerman, George. "Confederate Captain Sally Tompkins was the Only Woman to be Commissioned an Officer in the Civil War." America's Civil War 10, no. 2 (May 1997): 10-16.

Massey, Mary Elizabeth. Women in the Civil War. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1966.

Taylor, Fielding Lewis. "Capt. Sallie Tompkins." Confederate Veteran 24 (1916): 521-24.

Waugh, Charles G., and Martin H. Greenberg, eds. The Women's War in the South: Recollections and Reflections of the American Civil War. Nashville: Cumberland House, 1999.

Woodward, C. Vann, ed. Mary Chesnut's Civil War. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1981.

Woodward, C. Vann, and Elisabeth Muhlenfeld, eds. The Private Mary Chesnut: The Unpublished Civil War Diaries. New York: Oxford University Press, 1984.

Ron Maggiano teaches American history at West Springfield High School in Fairfax County, Virginia. He also mentors first-year teachers and has published several articles on the Civil War in Virginia.