The "Coolidge" Ambulance Wagon

[corp141stpa]

Hi everyone. I am in the prossess of collecting money and information to building the Coolidge Ambulance. Does anyone know where i can find original plans or sketches of the ambulance wagon? Should I look in the Nat. Archives? Any info will help and if you would like to donate money to help build this ambulance it would be greatly apperciated.

Thanks,
Your Obedient Servant,
Michael Merritt
Head Cadet, Medical Cadet Corps
Cpl, Susquehanna Mess

[verg]

Re: The "Coolidge" Ambulance Wagon

Dear Michael,

Please go to this website: http://www.thefieldhospital.com/

Click on "ambulance" and you will see elements of the Ambulance Corps of 1st Division, 2nd Corps. Note that you will see 6 "Coolidge" pattern ambulances. The image has been indentified by different sources as Chancellorsville, May '63 and Chancellorsville, spring '64. Either way, it seems to discount the statement in many secondary sources that the army did away with the two wheel pattern in '62.

Next, click on '"primary" documents, here you will see a coorespondent's pre-publication sketch of "Coolidges" pattern ambulances being used to bring invalids to the evacuation trains in the Peninsula.

Below the image, the first primary document listed, is a blank contract for the "Coolidge" pattern ambulance. The contract specifies all the particulars you are looking for. Read through some of the other primary documents and you will get idea how these particular vehicles got the rep they did. Mostly shoddy workmanship by some contractors . . . Properly built, they function OK.

As to building one, the chassis will cost you abour $2,800 from a good wagon maker (I can recommend one in New Holland, PA) If you can build the body yourself, it is only about another $1,600 in materials and speciality hardware. If not, then figure on another $2,800 for the body. About $5,600 total. A far cry from the $140 they originally cost!

Harness is another trial, but should come in below $900.

We should have our prototype ready for this spring. We will post pics documenting problems we find. Another is slated to begin construction late summer or early fall depending on a number of factors.

Let me know if I can be of further help

Yours,

John