In the North, Philadelphia served as a railway hub, and thousands of the wounded passed through. Volunteers operated a hospital at a main depot.
In his history of Philadelphia during the Civil War, author Frank H. Taylor wrote:
"This beneficent establishment was located opposite the depot of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad. It was especially intended for the reception of the more serious cases of the sick and wounded constantly arriving from the army by train. It was a clearing house from which the patients were gradually distributed to other hospitals. Humane citizens of both sexes maintained volunteer committees at all incoming trains not only to give instant help to those in need of it, but to protect the soldiers from thieves and harpies, who were ever ready to mislead and rob them. The capacity of this hospital was 400 beds, but at times room was made for 700 men."
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