Born | Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. | December 11, 1824
---|---|
Died | March 15, 1872 San Francisco, California, U.S. | (aged 47)
Buried | |
Allegiance | Union |
Service | Army of the Potomac |
Years of service | 1849–1864 |
Rank | Major |
Battles / wars | |
Relations | Mary Digges Lee Letterman (wife) |
Other work | Coroner in San Francisco |
Major Jonathan Letterman (December 11, 1824 – March 15, 1872) was an American surgeon credited as being the originator of the modern methods for medical organization in armies or battlefield medical management. In the United States, Letterman is known today as the "Father of Battlefield Medicine". His system of organization enabled thousands of wounded men to be recovered and treated during the American Civil War.