Collection Summary
G. R. B. Horner Papers
1826-1911
(bulk 1840-1870)
1826-1911
(bulk 1840-1870)
MSS52753
Horner, G. R. B.
(Gustavus Richard Brown), 1804-1892
4,900
items
14 containers
5.0 linear feet
English
Collection material in
English
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Naval surgeon and
author. Correspondence, daybooks, medical journals, manuscripts of Horner's
published books, registers of weather, and printed matter, chiefly relating to
Horner's career as a naval surgeon.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Deering, John--Correspondence.
Horner, G. R. B. (Gustavus Richard Brown), 1804-1892.
Horwitz, Phineas J. (Phineas Jonathan), 1822-1904--Correspondence.
Hull, Joseph B.--Correspondence.
Pettit, Robert--Correspondence.
Organizations
United States. Navy--Medical care.
Subjects
Medicine, Naval.
Meteorology.
Occupations
Authors.
Surgeons.
Provenance
The papers of G. R. B. Horner, naval surgeon and author, were
deposited in the Library of Congress in 1950 by the Naval Historical
Foundation. An addition to the deposit was made in November 1963 and the
collection was converted to a gift in 1998.
Processing History
The papers of G. R. B. Horner were arranged and described in 1970. The
finding aid was revised in 2010.
Additional Guides
The Horner Papers are described in
Bladen Dulany, Gustavus R. B. Horner, Daniel Todd Patterson: A
Register of Their Papers in the Library of Congress
. Washington:
Library of Congress, 1970.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of G. R. B. Horner
is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of G. R. B. Horner are open to research. Researchers are
advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many
collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these
items for research use.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container number, G. R. B. Horner Papers, Naval
Historical Foundation Collection, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1806
Born, Virginia
1826
Appointed surgeon’s mate by John Quincy Adams
1826
1828
Duty in Macedonian (frigate),
Brazil Squadron
1830
1831
Duty in Brandywine (frigate),
Gulf Squadron
1831
Commissioned as surgeon by Andrew Jackson
1831
1833
Duty in John Adams (sloop of
war), Mediterranean Squadron
1836
1838
Duty in United States
(frigate)
1839
Published
Medical and Topographical Observations Upon the
Mediterranean; and Upon Portugal, Spain, and Other Countries
.
Philadelphia: Haswell, Barrington, and Haswell
1840
1841
Duty at the United States Naval Asylum, Philadelphia,
Pa.
1841
1843
Duty in Delaware (ship of the
line), Brazil Squadron
1843
1844
Fleet surgeon, Mediterranean Squadron
1845
Duty at the United States Marine Rendezvous, Philadelphia,
Pa.
Published
Medical Topography of Brazil and Uruguay
.
Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston
1849
Duty in Savannah (frigate),
Pacific Squadron
1852
1855
Duty at the United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pa.
1854
Published
Diseases and Injuries of Seamen
. Philadephia:
Lippincott, Grambo
1856
1858
Duty in Wabash (steam frigate),
Home Squadron
1858
1860
Duty at the United States Naval Hospital, Warrington,
Fla.
1861
1862
Duty in Colorado (steam frigate),
Gulf Blockading Squadron
1862
1863
Duty in St. Lawrence (frigate),
East Gulf Blockading Squadron
1863
Duty at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
1863
1865
Duty in Mercedita (gunboat),
Niagara (steam frigate), and Marion (sloop of war)
1866
Retired from navy
Duty at the United States Marine Rendezvous, Philadelphia,
Pa.
1873
Appointed Medical Director by Ulysses S. Grant
1892, Aug. 8
Died, Warrenton, Va.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Gustavus Richard Brown Horner (1806-1892) span the years
1826-1911, with the bulk of the collection dating from 1840 to 1870. The papers
consist of correspondence, letterbooks, daybooks, medical journals, holograph
manuscripts, registers of weather, and printed matter. The papers are primarily
concerned with the medical aspects of Horner’s naval career and contain no
personal material.
The majority of the material is in handwritten bound volumes or
stitched folders. In the daybooks and medical journals, which cover most of
Horner’s tours of duty, are medical reports, patients’ case histories,
notes on the treatments he prescribed and the surgeries he performed, and
regulations and notices with regard to the duties of the staff. Among the
correspondents are John Deering, Phineas J. Horwitz, Joseph B. Hull, and Robert
Pettit.
In the book file are notes, drafts, and holograph manuscripts of
Horner’s writings. Under lists and indexes are found weather registers, which
give dates, times and places of the readings of thermometers and barometers as
well as descriptions of the condition of the wind and the sea, and the
proceedings of the United States Naval Medical Board, which include notes on
the examinations of assistant surgeons.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged by type of material.
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm70052753]
Container List
Container
Contents
1
Journal, correspondence, and
letterbooks
1
Journal, United States (frigate),
1836-1837
1836-1837
1
Correspondence,
1835-1872
1835-1872
1
Letterbooks
1
United
States (frigate),
1836-1838
1836-1838
1
United States Naval Asylum,
Philadelphia, Pa.,
1838-1841
1838-1841
1
Delaware (ship of the line),
1841-1842
1841-1842
1
Wabash (steam frigate) and United States Naval Hospital,
Warrington, Fla.,
1856-1860
1856-1860
2
Gulf Blockading Squadron,
1861-1862
1861-1862
2
Colorado (steam frigate),
1861-1862
1861-1862
2
St.
Lawrence (frigate),
1862-1863
1862-1863
2
Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn,
N.Y.,
1863
1863
2
United States Marine
Rendezvous, Philadelphia, Pa.,
1864-1866
1864-1866
2
Order book and letterbook,
Lackawanna (screw sloop of war),
1878-1883
1878-1883
3
Daybooks and medical
journals
3
John
Adams (sloop of war),
1831-1834
1831-1834
3
United States Naval Asylum,
Philadelphia, Pa.,
1838-1841
1838-1841
4
Delaware (ship of the line)
4
1841-1842
1841-1842
5
1844
1844
5
Savannah (frigate),
1849
1849
5
United States Navy Yard,
Philadelphia, Pa.
5
1852
1852
6
1853-1855
1853-1855
6
Wabash (steam frigate)
6
1856-1857
1856-1857
7
1858
1858
7
Colorado (steam frigate),
1861
1861
7
Monocacy (side-wheel gunboat),
1873
1873
8
Proceedings of the United States
Naval Medical Board,
1844-1852
1844-1852
9
Book file
9
Drafts,
Diseases and Injuries of Seamen
9
Holograph manuscript, “Naval
Hygiene and the Enlistment of Seamen”
9
Notes on Italy, Spain, and
Brazil
9
Notes on the medical topography
of Panama
10
Holograph manuscript, “Summary
of Advice to Invalids Travelling in the Mediterranean”
10
Medical Topography of Brazil and
Uruguay
10
Index
10
Notes
10
Miscellaneous notes
(3
folders)
11
Lists and indexes
11
List of assistant surgeons,
1826
1826
11
Cases of smallpox,
Macedonian (frigate),
1828
1828
11
Register of weather,
John Adams (sloop of war),
1831
1831
11
United
States (frigate)
11
List of men vaccinated,
1836
1836
11
Cases of disease,
1836-1838
1836-1838
11
Register of weather,
1836-1838
1836-1838
11
List of medicines,
1838
1838
11
Delaware (ship of the line)
11
Cases of diseases,
1841-1844
1841-1844
11
Examination of the crew,
1841
1841
11
Account of stopped rations,
1841
1841
11
Examinations of persons, United
States Marine Rendezvous, Philadelphia, Pa.,
1845-1867
1845-1867
11
Register of weather,
Savannah (frigate),
1849-1850
1849-1850
12
Examination of recruits, United
States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pa.,
1852
1852
12
Regulations of the medical
department, Wabash (steam frigate),
1856
1856
12
United States Naval Hospital,
Warrington, Fla.
12
Regulations,
1858
1858
12
Contents of the museum,
1860
1860
12
Catalog of the library,
1860
1860
12
Index of patients,
1858-1860
1858-1860
12
Examination for warrant officers,
Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N.Y.,
1863
1863
12
List of treated patients, United
States Marine Hospital, Key West, Fla.,
1861
1861
12
East Gulf Blockading
Squadron
12
Medical stores,
1861-1862
1861-1862
12
Register of weather,
1861-1863
1861-1863
12
Diseased and injured crew,
St. Lawrence (frigate),
1862-1863
1862-1863
12
Candidates examined for United
States Naval School, Newport, R.I.,
1864
1864
13
Printed matter
13
United States Senate and House
reports on the possible acquisition of Cuba,
1859
1859
13
Pamphlets on epidemic cholera,
military hygiene, naval surgery, and other medical topics,
1850-1911
1850-1911
13
Reprint of the article “Asiatic
Cholera,” by W. E. Horner,
1835
1835
14
Pamphlets on naval rank and
uniform regulations,
1841-1850
1841-1850
14
Reports of the United States
Sanitary Commission,
1862
1862
14
Annual reports of the surgeon
general,
1879-1889
1879-1889