Human carnage is a tragic result of warfare. However, it is easy to forget that while wintering the average Civil War soldier suffered greatly due to the cold, poor sanitation, and the general boredom of camp life. Occasionally, tragic camp accidents would occur.
Such is the case in January of 1864 for both armies. On Sunday, January 17 a fire which destroyed large quantities of quartermaster supplies also killed two officers in their quarters at Camp Butler, Springfield, Illinois. On Monday, January 25, a sudden fire destroyed several Confederate hospital buildings at Camp Winder near Richmond, Virginia.
While not taking human life, the destruction of hospital facilities and critical medical supplies which were always in short supply in the South had tragic consequences for the future when large scale fighting resumed.