Lieutenant Edward Borck, A.M., M.D., U.S.V.

Edward Borck, First Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon, U.S.V.- The sketch of the above named will show what is termed a self-made man. Edward Borck was born in the free city of Hamburg, Germany, April 18, 1834. His father was a German surgeon, his mother a highly-educated Danish lady, and from her he received his early education and training. At the age of nine years he was sent to a private school and progressed rapidly. At the age of thirteen years he passed a successful competitive examination for a scholarship into the High School; about two years later he gained in addition, by examination, a free seat in the Anatomical School, the study he was very fond of. When the war broke out between Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark he obtained by special permission leave to enter the German army as a volunteer medical cadet, 1848. Already trained to some minor surgical manipulations by his father, here was offered to him a field for further improvement, of which he took due advantage.

After the war he graduated at the above institutions, October, 1851. He being an American in principle and by heart, he preferred to come to America. He landed in New York in March, 1852, without any friends and little else but his youth and ambition. He adopted Baltimore, Maryland, as his home, and started out to earn a livelihood with teaching, with calligraphy, with the practice of minor surgery and dentistry, and with the only object in view to keep in the profession and educate himself for a surgeon. While thus engaged he mastered the English language and matriculated in the University of Maryland.

He placed himself under the preceptorship of the celebrated surgeon Professor Nathan R. Smith, M.D., and other eminent men. He graduated at the School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, March, 1862. While a student he entered the volunteer service at the Military Camden Street Hospital, in charge of Surgeon Bartholow, U.S.A.

As soon as he had graduated he went before the Army Board, passed, and entered the army, and was at once assigned to duty as acting assistant surgeon U.S.A., at the West Building Military Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, in charge of George Rex, surgeon U. S. Volunteers. September 25, 1863, he was commissioned assistant surgeon Tenth Maryland Infantry Volunteers, and did field duty at Maryland Heights, Harper's Ferry, Martinsburg, Frederick City, and at the skirmish at Charlestown, Virginia. February 3, 1864, he was commissioned first assistant surgeon Third Maryland Cavalry Volunteers, and ordered by General Lockwood to accompany recruits to New Orleans via New York. He sailed with the steamer " McClellan," latter part of February, and arrived in New Orleans early in March, to join his regiment. He reported for duty at head-quarters, and was ordered to Algiers. Most of the time he was on detached duty, holding positions from an assistant to brigade surgeon. He served in General Banks's Red River expedition, and had charge of a hospital at Alexandria, Louisiana, April 3-28. At Shreveport he had charge of an ambulance train. At Manganzia, La., from May to June 28, he had charge of a brigade of cavalry. He was stationed at Donaldsonsville and Carrollton July 4-24. From August until December 10, 1864, he was post-surgeon at Fort Gaines, Dulphine Island, Alabama; also at Fort Mason under Major-General Gordon Granger. He resigned on account of sickness and was honorably discharged.

He went home, not expecting to recover. After regaining his health he entered upon private practice. In 1872 he removed to St. Louis, Missouri, his present home. His success as a surgeon needs no comment; he is known by reputation throughout the United States and the greater part of Europe through his contributions towards surgical literature. He was Professor of Surgery in the College for Medical Practitioners, a delegate to the Eighth International Medical Congress, Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Tenth, at Berlin, Germany, from the State of Missouri and American Medical Association. He belongs to many home and, foreign medical and scientific societies, being the president and vice-president of some (see French R. Stone's " Biographies of Eminent American Surgeons"). He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and a Companion of Loyal Legion. Married, but childless.

Dr. Borck is the author of many valuable medical works, too numerous to mention in this sketch, but some of which are " Hypodermic Injections," " Fracture of the Femur," " Paralysis in Children," " On Permanent Wound-Dressing," " Ovarian Tumors," etc.

Source: Officers of the Volunteer Army and Navy who served in the Civil War, published by L.R. Hamersly & Co., 1893, 419 pgs.

Related Links:

• Civil War Records
• Civil War Microfilm at the National Archives
• Borck Surname

 

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