How did Walt Whitman help wounded soldiers during the Civil War?

During the American Civil War, Walt Whitman provided compassionate care to wounded and dying soldiers in Washington, D.C., hospitals. While working in the paymaster’s office, he dedicated his spare time to visiting the wards to alleviate the physical and mental suffering of the men he encountered.12

Whitman’s efforts were characterized by a profound sense of humanity; he used his own limited salary to purchase small gifts for the soldiers, extending his support to both Union and Confederate troops alike. Beyond providing material aid, he offered his presence, described as his "cheer and magnetism," to comfort those facing bodily trauma and depression. This direct experience with the realities of the war profoundly influenced his writing, shifting his perspective from the initial excitement of the conflict to a deep, somber awareness of its true cost, as reflected in his poetry collection Drum-Taps.123