The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-03-27
! 4 True incident OF t9ae War.

From the Newsdeae,.
was conversing not long since with a
returned volunteer.
Il was IN the hospital as nurse, for
long time,'' said he, land assisted in TAX
ing off limbs, and dressing all sorts Of
wounds; but the hardest thing ever did
was to take my thumb Off q mans leg"
"Ah." said I chow was that ? -
Then he told me-
"It was a young man who had a severe
wound in the thigh. The bail passed COM
pletely through, and amputation was ne
cessary The limb was cut Off close up to
the body, the arteries taken up, and he
seemed to be doing well. Subsequently
one of the small arteries sloughed Off. An
incisiOn was made, and it was again taken
up. 1T is well it was not the main ar
terry said the surgeon, as he performed
the operation; 'he might have bled to
death before we could have taken it up.
But Charley got on finely, and was ia
vorite with us all
Twas passing through the wards one
night about midnight when suddenly as l
was passing Charleys bed he spoke to me.
Oh my leg is bleeding again. | threw
back the clothes, and the blood spirited in
the air. The main artery had slouched
off!
Fortunately knew just what to do, and
in an instant had pressed my thumb on
the place and stopped the bleeding. twas
so close to the body that there was barely
room for my thumb, but l succeeded in
keeping it there and rousing one of the
convalescents, sent him for the surgeon,
who came in on the run. 81 am so
thankful, H. said he as he saw me,
"that you were up and knew what to do,
for he must have bled to death before I
could have got here"
But on examination of the case he
looked exceedingly serious and sent out
for other surgeons. All came who were
within reach and consultation was held
over the poor fellow One conclusion was
reached by all. There was no place to
work save the spot where my thumb
pressed; they could not work under my
thumb and if l moved he would bleed to
death before the artery could be taken
up. There was no way to save his life.
Poor Charley! He was very calm when
they told him, and requested that his
brother, who was in the same hospital,
might be called up. He came and sat
down by the bedside, and for three hours l
stood, and by the pressure of my thumb,
kept up the life in Charley while the
brothers had their last conversation on
earth. 1t was strange place for me to
be in, to feel that l held the life of fell
low mortal in my hands as it were, and
stranger yet, to feel that an act of mine
must cause that life to depart. Loving the
poor fellow as did, it was hard thought,
but there was no alternative.
The last words were spoken. Charley
had arranged all his business affairs and
sent tender messages to absent ones who
little dreamed how near their loved one
stood to the grave. The tears filled my
eyes more than once as listened to those
parting words. All were said and he turn
ed to me. "Now H, l guess you had
better take off your thumb" ooh, Char
ley! how can II" I said. "But it must
be, you know" he replied cheerfully-"I
thank you very much for your kindness
and now, good bye."
He turned away his head. raised my
thumb. Once more the crimson life-cur-
rent gushed forth. In three minutes poor
Charley was dead"