The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-03-06
From the Newsdealer.
A True Incident of the War.

was conversing, not long since, with a
returned volunteer.
L was in the hospital as nurse, for long
ume' sald ne, " and assisted in taking of
Limbs, and dressing all solts of wounds; but
the hardest thing ever did was to take my
thumb off from mans leg"
"Ah :" said |, " how was that?" Then he
told me.
at was young man who had a severe
wound in the thigh. The ball passed COM
pletely through and amputation was necessa-
~. 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
mace and it was again taken up. 1t is well
1t was not the main artery said the surgeon
as ne performed the operation; he might
have bled to death before we could have ia
ken If up But Charlie got on finely and
was favorite with US all.
was passing through the wards one night
about midnight when suddenly as wa. pas
sing Charles bed he spoke 10 me. H
my leg IS bleeding again threw back the
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. 1t was so
close to the l'ody that there was barely room
Tor my thumb, but succeeded in keeping it
there and rousing one Of the convalescents,
sent him for the surgeon who came in on the
run. "a / am so thankful, H (said he as
ne saw mel that you were Up and knew what
TO do for he must have bled TO death before /
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
ellow. One conclusion was reached Nv all.
there was no place TO work save the spo:
where my thumb was pressed; they could
not work under my thumb and if removed
ii he would bleed 10 death before the artery
could be taken up. There was M way 10
save his life.
Poor Charlie, He was very calm when
they told him, and requested that his bro
ther, who was in the same hospital, might be
called up. He came and sat down by the
bedside and for three hours / stood and br
the pressure of my thumb kept up the life in
Charlie while the brothers had their last eon-
verSailon on earth. II was strange place
for me 10 be in, 10 feel :hat held the life Of
a fellow mortal II my hands As it were, and
stranger yet, 10 feel that an act of mine must
cause that life to depart. Loving the pocr
iello~ as / dld, 1t Was hard thought, but
there was no alternative.
Ae last words were spoken. Charlie
had arranged all his business affairs and sent
tender messages TO absent ones who little
dre5med how near their loved one stood tn
the grave. The tears filled my ewes more
than once, rs | listened ID these barring
words. Al were sid and he turned TO M
Now H, | guess yoa had better take off
Your thumb '0h, Charlie. how can I?'
L said RuI II mus. be, YOU knoS,' ne re-
Pi'ti- o'r-rrfIiiy-- L thank you very much
Tor ,ear kindness and now, good bye
"lle turned away his head. raised my
thumb Oace more the crimson life-currert
sushed forth. In three minutes poor Char
lie WIS dead"