The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1863-07-02

n06O - A1ubs
The most extraordinary cases Of sur.
vlving, apparently mortal wounds that
has ever come under my observation, is
that Of John w. Vance, Company B,
72d Regiment Of Indiana Mounted In.
fantry, commanded by Col. Miller.
Early in April made briel report
ofthe case, in letter from Murfrees.
boro at that time had no idea Of the
severity Of the wounds. The demon.
ical malignity that could have induced
any one bearing the human form, tc
have inflicted suoh wounds, under the
circumstances, seems almost beyond
conception, 81
If the spontaneous malignity Of this
horrible rebellion 10 ever fully written,
it will surpass that Of the darkest agos
OF savage barbarian.
Take this ,one example: While the
regiment to which young Vance belong.
ed, was scouting near Taylorsville, Ten.
nesses he and companion were taken
prisoners. During the next twenty
four hours their captors treated them
kindly. They neithe, heard nor saw
anything to lead them 70 suspect that
any different treatment was in store for
them until they came within mile or
two of lebanon. Here tho rebels w,sh.
ed to be free from the care Of their
prisoners. They, therefore, tied them
to tree. A Captain French of the
rebel army objected to the plan Of leav-
ing them thus pinioned; and At once
cody and calmly drew his revolver, and
fired three shots through the head Of
each IS they we're pinioned to the trees.
His companion was at once dispatched;
but as he was unfastened he foil for
ward on his face, and another Of the
rebel band, named Cartwright, fired
the fourth shot through the victims
head.
Vance assures me, that he did not
at any time lose his conciousness. lie
heard all they said and knew all they
did. Here he lay twenty-six hours,
during the 4th and 5th Of April, whom
he was discovered by some Of our
troops and brought into camp and his
wounds were dressed by Surgeon Of
one Of the Ohio regiments. Nothing
was done for him till ,hir,y.four hours
after he was wounded. Those are the
facts. Now for the nature of the
wound:
They were inflicted by large rcvol.
ver, used by our cav airy and the cold,
blooded murderer fired within yard
Of the pinoned victims head.
The frst slot took effect about An
iuch back and below the right check
hone, and cnme ont on the opposite
side about the same distance from the
left check bone.
Tie second bali entered about an
inch and half below, and little near.
er the ear than the frat, and passed
through IN the same line cf the first
breaking The jaws aud loosening the
teeth.
The third entered the neck Just be.
low and "a line vertical to tho lower
tip ofthc ear. This lodged in tho op.
posite side Of the mock from whence
the surgeon removed it.
The fourth--the ono that had been il,
flicted BY Cartwright, after he had
been thrown on his face-entered back
Of his ear, about the center Of comba.
tiveness, and escaped through his left
eye-completely destroying it.
And vet John w. Vance lives and
looks we'll and hearty. He is An intel.
ligcpt, fine looking young man, just ar.
rived at his majority. I sat half an
hour, on aD adjoining cot, and oonvers-
ed with him and examined his wounds
while he was eating his dinner.