Herbert R. Collins 



RED CROSS AMBULANCE OF 1898 



IN THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



Ambulances marked with a red cross were furtiished by the 

 German Army Quartermaster Corps as early as 1870, in the 

 Franco-Prussian War. This paper tells of the first concerted 

 effort of a civilian corps to provide ambulances at any battle- 

 front. The enterprise is significant, for while the six ambulances 

 sent by the Americati Red Cross to Cuba in 1898 did not serve 

 their intended purpose, the five sent to Puerto Kico and to Army 

 installations within the United States, did prove worthwhile 

 and effective. 



Among the latter, one sent to Camp Thomas, Georgia, carried 

 both Red Cross supplies and sick soldiers. It is most fitting 

 that this particular ambulance, noiv restored for display in the 

 Smithsonian' s Museum of History and Technology, has been 

 placed on exhibit where tnillions of Americans can view ivith pride 

 the achievements of such a notable group of citizens. 



The Author: Herbert R. Collins is assistant curator of 

 political history in the Smithsonian Institution s Museum of 

 History and Technology. 



A FEATURED OBJECT in the ncvv Museum of History Tliis ambulance, only known survivor of the eleven, 



and Technology of the Smithsonian Institution had been sent to Camp Thomas, Georgia, where it 



is a completely restored Red Cross ambulance of the served to convey sick soldiers and personnel. Follow- 



period of the Spanish-American War. One of eleven ing the war, it was shipped to Miss Clara Barton in 



ambulances procured by the American Red Cross Glen Echo, Maryland, and was later acquired by a 



for use in this conflict, it was acquired several years local vegetable peddler. Over the years, the ambu- 



ago by the American Red Cross and is now on loan lance received several coats of paint and became 



to the museum. badly weather-beaten, but its essential elements re- 



PAPER 50 : RED CROSS AMBULANCE OF 189 8 167 



