The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-07-09
A Hard Scr tence.

was converting, not long since, with
a returned volunteer. 81 was in the
hospital as nurse for long time" said
he, land assisted ia taking off limbs, and
dressing all sorts Of wounds; but the
hardest thing ever did was to take my
thumb of mans leg" "Ahl" said |,
chow was that?" Then he told me. II
was young man who had a severe
wound in the thigh. The ball passed
completely through, and Amputation was
necessary The limb was cut off close
up TO the body, the arteries taken up, aud
be seemed to bedding welt Subsequent
ly one Of the small arteries sloughed of.
An incision was made, and it was again
taken up. at is well it was not the
main artery" said the surgeon as he
performed the operation; "hs might
have bled 10 death before we could
have taken it up" But Charley got
on finely, and was a favorite with
US all. was passing through the ward
one night, about midnight, when sud :
denly, as | was passing Charities bed, he
spoke to me: I'll my leg is bleeding
again" l threw back the bed clothes,
and the blood spirited in the air. The
main artery had sloughed off. Fortu
nately knew just what TO do, and in
an instant had pressed my thumb on
the place and stopped the bleeding. II
was so close TO the body that there wal
barely room for my thumb, but sue.
ceeded in keeping it there and arousine
one OF the cOnvale5cents, sent him fol
the surgeons, who came in on the run
81 am so thankful, H, said he as b.
saw me, "that you were up anC
knew wha6 TO do for he mus
have BLEED 10 death before | coult
have got here" But on examination il
the case he looked exceedingly seriOu
and sent out for other surgeons. AL
came Who were within reach, and a con
sultation was held over the poor fellow
One conclusion was reached by all
There was no place TO work save the spo
where my thumb was placed they ooul'
not work under my thumb, and if
moved il he would bleed TO death bofor
the artery could be taken up Their
was no way TO save his life.
, Poor Charley He was very CALI
, when they told him, and requested this
his brother, who was in the same hOspi
tal might be called up. He came an
sat down by the bedside, and for thrs
. hours stood, and by the pressure of m
thumb, kept up the life of Charley, Will
the brothers had their last converse alto
on earth.
II was a strange place for me to be il
n to feel that l held tho life of fello
= mortal in my hands, as il were, an
4 stranger yet TO feel that an act Of miI
-, must cause that life 10 depart. Loyir
the poor fellow as did, it was a har
thought, bat there was no aiternat iy
- The last words were spoken. Charlie
"a had arranged all his business affairs, al
. sent tender messages TO absent ones, wi
% little dreamed how near their loved on
stood TO the grave. The tears Gil,
n my eyes more than once, as listened
h those parting words. All were said, al
he turned to me. "NOW Il, que
, you had better take OF your thumt
q 20, Charley how can IY /, "But
s, must be, you know" he replied chez
IA fully, II thank you very much for 20
kindness, and now good bye" He lur
ed away his head, / raised my thuu
rs once more the lite current gushsd lori
and In three minutes poor Chacley W
dead-9lHSay A9BiRg Chronicle