The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-05-10
Last Wsana sf the Late General lack.
son Stonewalll- The Amputation Of
the Arm--lAis Last Moments and
Death.

Dcot0.
[By Hanter Mcclure, NJ. n, Professor OF Surgery
sa DrsssoT a. General @
Supported upon either side by his aids,
Captains James Smith and Joseph Morri-
son, the General moved slowly aud pain
fully towards the rear. Occasionally
resting for moment to shake of the
exhaustion which pain and the loss OF blood
produced, he at last reached the line OF
battle, where most of the men were lying
down to escape the shell and canister with
which the Fedcrals. rakcd the road; Gene
raj Fender rode mp here TO the little party
and asked who was wounded, and Captain
Smith. who had been instructed by Gene
raj jackson to tell no one of his injury,
simply answered, "a Confederate officer" !;
but Fender recognized the General, and
springing from his horse, hurricdly cX-
pressed his regret, and that his lines were
so much broken he feared it would be ne
cessary TO fall back. At this moment the
scene was a fearful one. The air seemed
to be alive with the shrieks Of shells and
the whistling Of bullets; horses, ridcrless
and mad with fright, dashed in every
direction; hundreds left the ranks and
lied to the rear; and the groans of the
wounded, and dying mingled with the
wild shouts of others to be led
again to the assault. Almost taintlng
as he was from loss &c blood, fearfully
wounded, and, as he thought, dying, jack
son was uudismaycd by this terrible scene.
The words of Fender seemed TO rouse him
to life. Pushing aside the men who sup
ported him. he stretched himself to his full
height, and answered feebly, but distinctly
enough to be heard above the din of the
battle, General Fender, you must hold
on to the field you must hold out to the
last" Ii was Jackson's last order upon
tile field of battle. Still more exhausted
by this effort, he asked to be permitted to
lie down for few moments, but the danger
from the fire, and capture by the Federal
advance, was too imminent, ana MS anus
hurried him on. A litter having been OBJ
tanned, he was placed upon 1t, and the
bearers passed on as rapidly as the thick
woods and rough ground permitted. IN
fortunately, another one of the bearers was
struck down, and the litter, having been
supported at each of the four corners by a
man, fell and threw the General TO the
ground. The fall was serious one, and
as he touched the earth he gave, for the
first time, expression to his suffering, and
groancd pitcously.
Captain Smith sprang to his side, and as
he raised his head bright beam of moon
light made its way through the thick foliage
and rested upon the pale face of the poor
sufferer. The Captain was startled by its
great pallor and stiffness, and cried out,
"Oh! General, are you seriously hurt ?"
No" he answered, "dOn't trouble your
self, my friend, about me-" andpresently
added something about winning the battle
first and attending to the wounded after
wards. He was placed upon the litter
again and carried few hundred yards,
when | met him with an ambulance. |
knelt down by him and said, 81 hope you
are not badly hurt, General" He replied
very calmly, but feebly, 81 am badly in
iurcd, Doctor fear / am dying" After
a pause he continued, 81 am glad you have
come. think the wound i'll my shoulder
is still bleeding" His clothes were satu-
rated with blood and hemorrhage was still
going on from the wound. Compression of
the artery with the finger arrested it until,
lights being procured from the ambulance,
the handkerchief which had slipped little
was readiustcd. His calmness amid the dam
gers which surrounded him and at the sup
posed presence of death, and his uniform po-
likeness, which did not forsake him even
under these, the most trying circumstances,
were remarkable. His complete control,
too over his mind, enfeebled as it was by
loss of blood, pain, &C., was wonderful.
His suffering at this time was intense; his
hands were cold, his skin clammy, his face
pale, and his lips compressed and blood
less; not groan escaped him-not Il sign
of suffering, except the slight corrugation
of his brow, the fixed, rigid face, and the
thin lips 50 tightly compressed that the
impression of the teeth could he seen
through them. Except these, he controlled
by his iron will all evidence of emotion,
and more difficult than this even, he con-
trolled that disposition to restlessnesS
which many of us have observed upon the
field of battle attending great loss Of
blood. Some whisky and morphia were
procured from DR.. Straith and admins
tered to him; and placing him in the ambu-
lance. it was started for the corps field
infirmary at the Wilderness Tavern. Colo
mel Crutchfeld, his chief of artillery, was
also in the ambulance wagon. lie had
been wounded very seriously in the leg,
and was suffering intensely.
The General expressed very feelingly
his sympathy for Crutchtield, and once,
when the latter groaned aloud, he directed
the ambulance to stop, and requested me
to see if something could not be done for
his relief Torches had been provided,
and every means taken to carry them to
the hospital as safely and easily as posi-
BILE. I sat in the front part of the am
bulance, with my finger resting upon the
artery above the wound, to arrest bleed
ing if it should occur. When was re-
cognized by acquaintance, and asked
who was wounded, the General would tell
me to say ga Confederate officer" AT one
time he put his right hand upon my head,
and pulling me down to him, asked if
Crutchtield was dangerously wounded.
When answered "No, only painfully hurt"
he replied, 81 am glad it is no worse"
In few moments after, Crutchfield did
the same thing, and when he was told
that the General was very seriously
wounded, he groaned, and cried out, ooh,
my Cod! 1t was for this that the Gene
raj directed the ambulance to be halted,
and requested that something should be
done for Crutchfield's relief.
After reaching the hospital, he was
placed in bed, covered with blankets, and
another drink Of whisky and water given
him. Two hours and half elapsed be-
fore sufficient reaction took place to war
rant an examination. AT 2 O'Clock Sun
day morning, Surgeons Black, Walls, and
Coleman being present, ! informed him