Civil War Surgeon’s Medical Bleeder, dug at Fredericksburg, as in museums and books (SOLD)

This is another nice piece being offered, it is an excavated Civil War Surgeon’s medical bleeder (fleam). The body is brass, and the iron components have rusted away. It measures 1 ¾” x 1”. It is a Civil War bloodletting spring loaded lancet. This unique relic was recovered from the Fredericksburg, VA Battlefield many years ago.

The purpose would be for the sharp blade to pierce the skin to release “bad blood”. Many Civil War surgeons continued the practice of bloodletting, simply because they had no other answer for treating the wounded or ill soldier. It can safely be said that this practice never benefited the patient and, in many cases, did more harm by causing infection.

On November 14, 1862, Union General Ambrose Burnside sent a corps to occupy the vicinity of Falmouth near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Lee reacted by entrenching his army on the heights behind the town. On December 13, after pontoon bridges were laid, Union forces crossed the Rappahannock River under fire.

Burnside mounted a series of futile frontal assaults on Prospect Hill and Marye's Heights that resulted in staggering casualties. On December 15, Burnside called off the offensive and recrossed the river, ending the failed campaign.

There are examples of this bleeder in “Civil War National Museum in Harrisburg, PA, and the Gettysburg Museum (see pictures). In my book “Battle of Gettysburg – The Relics, Artifacts & Souvenirs”, I show one of these bleeders from my collection (see pictures).

These bleeders can still be found today, but finding one which was actually used on a soldier and found on the battlefield is very rare. For a Civil War surgeon, his medical instruments were extremely important, it was very difficult to obtain replacements. This is a great medical artifact and it comes in the glass top display case pictured.