The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1863-06-12
A Touching Scene.


returned volunteer.
ii was in The hospital as nurse, for a
long time," be said, ''and assisted in
taking off limbs, and dressing all sorts Of
wounds, but the hardest thing ever did
was 10 take my thumb off mans leg"
"Ah |" said /, how is that p Then
ne told me
at was young man who had severe
wound in the thigh. The ball passed
completely through, and amputalion was
necessary. The limb was taken of close
to the body, the arteries taken up, and he
seemed to be doing well. Subsequently,
one Of the arteries sloughed of. An in.
cision was made, and it was again taken
up. 1t is well il is not the main artery
said the surgeon as be performed the op.
eration; he might have bled 10 death be.
fore we could have taken /! up But
Charley got on finely, and was iavOrite
with us all.
was passing through the ward one
night about midnight, when suddenly as
was passing Charley's bed. he spoke to
me:
il, my leg is bleeding again"
Il threw back the bed clothes, and the
blood spirited in the air. The main artery
had sloughed off.
Fortunately, 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 was
barely room for my thumb, but succeeded
in keeping il there, and, arousing one oI
the convalescents, sent him for the sur.
geon, who came in on the run. Il am so
thankful, H. said he as he saw me,
that you were up. and kEew what 10 do,
for be must have bled to death before |
could have got here
But, upon examination Of the case, he
looked exceedingly serious, and sent for
the other surgeons. All came who were
within reach, and a consultation was held
over the poor fellow. One conclusion
was reached by all. There was no spo
to work save the spot on which my thuml
l. was placed they could not work unde
my thumb, and, il l moved it, he woul'
0 bleed to death before the artery coul,
be taken up. There was no way 10 saw
4 bis lie.
, Poor Chnley He was very calm
when they told him, and requested tha
, bis brother, who was in lhe same hospital
might be sent for. He came. sat down BY
the bedside, and for three hours . stood
|, and by the pressure Of my thumb kept W
the life of Charley, while the brother
! had their last conversation on earth. 1
a was strange place for me to be in, to fee
Q that held the lie Of fellow mortal i
y my hands. as il were, and stranger yet t
feel that an act OF mine must cause ths
u life TO depart. Loving the fellow as die
II was hard thought, but there was n
a alternative.
The last words were spoken. Charlie
had arranged AL his business affairs, an
: sent tender messages to absent ones, VIII
Q little dreamed how near their loved on
J, stood to the grave. The tears filled m
}. eyes more than once, las listened TO thos
}, p,rting words. All was said, and b
n turned 10 me-
!. "Now, H, guess you had bette
take off your thumb"
"Ob. Charley how can I ?" I said.
"But it must be, you know" he re
> piled cheerfully--"I thank you very niue
g. for your kindness, and now, good bye.
g. He turned away his head, l raised N
IN thumb, once more the life current gush,
10 forth, and in three minutes poor Charlt
- was dead Weslfeld Republican.