Did Civil War soldiers have any way to purify the water they would get from rivers and streams? If not, I assume dysentery ran rampant. And if it did, would a soldier be left behind to recover in a hospital, and then catch up to the army when well?

by Ekooing
cipher315

They had nothing. At this time the germ theroy of disease was not established. You are 100% correct about how rampant dysentery was. Like all wars of the era more died from sickness than enemy action. As for what happened to them. I sadly don't know enough about the civil war to comment with authority. Other than to say a lot of them died. That Oregon trial pun has history behind it.