The Red Cross as an International Neutral in the Civil War

In 18 64, congress passes the ambulance corps act. It established a standardized system of ambulances in the united states. The red cross was adopted as the international symbol for emergency medical responses which were to be treated as neutral parties. In 18 65, the commercial hospital in cincinnati is the first one in the united States to have a hospital based ambulance service. A bellview hospital would follow in 18 69.