THE CRUTCH, Annapolis, Maryland, Feb. 11, 1865  

* Very rare Civil War publication
* U.S. General Hospital patients

This was: "A Weekly News and Literary Paper devoted to the Interest of the Soldier...At the U.SA. General Hospital, Div. No. 1, Annapolis" as noted on the front page.  A patriotically-themed masthead.
Among the articles are: "Stories of the President" "Our Prisoners" "A Pleasure Trip" "A Dangerous Game" and a poem: "The Dead Drummer Boy" and more.
Four pages, never bound nor trimmed, 10 1/4 by 13 1/2 inches, nice condition.

Background:The Crutch is considered a rare publication because it was a small, hospital-based newspaper with a very limited circulation, primarily intended for Union soldiers recovering at the U.S. General Hospital in Annapolis. Printed on inexpensive, fragile paper, most original copies did not survive, making existing issues uncommon and highly valued by collectors and historians. Edited by volunteer nurse Louisa Titcomb, the paper provided news, military updates, poems, stories, and morale-boosting content, reflecting both soldier life and the contributions of women in wartime nursing. Today, surviving issues are preserved in specialized collections such as the Maryland State Archives, where they are digitized to provide researchers and history enthusiasts access to this unique window into Civil War-era military hospitals.