Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1866-02-17

A Reminiscence OF StonewaI jackson

ReminisCenCe or St0neWall jackson.
His Wound at The Battle of Manassas.
In the February number of The Rich.
moBd Medical Journal, we find en- able
paper on "gunshol wounds of joints"
from the pen Of DR.. Hunter Mcclure,
Professor of Surgery in the Virginia Med
ical College, and, during the war, chief
surgeon on the slaff of General Stonewall
Jackson. In the course Of his remarks.
speaking Of gun,ho. wounds in the hands,
the doctor cites The case Of the wound re.
ceved by his renowned chief a, the frs,
battle Of Manassas. The doctor writes ::
When he made the celebrated charge
with his brigade, which turned the for
tune of The day. he raised his left hand
above his head 10 encourage the troops,
and while in this position, the middle hn-
ger Of the hand was struck just below the
articulation between The first and second
phlsnges. The ball struck the finger a
lule on one side, broke it, and carried off
small pi,ce OF the bone. He remained
on the field. wounded, as he was, Till the
| fight was over. and then wanted 10 take
part in The pursuit, bu, was peremptorily
ordered back TO The hospital by the gensr-
al commanding.
On his way to the rear. the wound
panied him so much that he stopped al
The frs. hospital he came 10. and the sur
gson there proposed to cu. The finger of;
but while the doctor looked for his insiru-
ments, and for moment turned his back,
the General silently mounted his horse,
rode off, and soon afterwsrd found me.
was busily engaged with the wounded.
but when saw him coming, | left them
and asked him If he was seriously hurt.
"No." he answered, "not half as badly
as many here, and | will wsi,." And he
forthwith sat down on the bank Of little
stream near BY, and positively declined
any assistance Until "his turn came J"
We compromised, however, and he agreed
TO let NE attend 10 him after had finish.
ed the case was dressing when he arri-
we'd. determined TO save the finger. if
possible. and placed asplin, along the
palmer surface 10 support the fragments
retained it IN position by a strip or two Of
adhesive plaster, covered The wound with
lint. and told him TO keep i. wet with
cold water. He carefully followed this
sdvice. | think he had a fancy for lhi.
kind Of hydropsthic treatment, and have
frequently seen him occupied for several
hours pouring cup after cup of water over
his hand, with that patient perseverance
for which he was so remarkable. Pas
sive motion was Instituted about the TWEEN.
lielh day, and carefully continued. The
mo,on of the join, improved for seversl
months after the wound Had healed, and
in the end, the deiormi!y WAS very ,ri.
fling.
During the treatment, the hand was
kept elevated and confined in sling. and
when the use Of this was discontinued.
and rhe hand permitted to hang down.
there was, Of course, grsvislion Of blood
toward it. Under the circumstances you
would expect this. In consequences OF it,
however, the hand, was sometimes swell.
len and painful, and to remsdy this, he
often held il above his head for some
moments. Hs did This 30 frequently ths,
it became a, length hsbi. and was con-
,inued, especislly when he was abstract
ed. after all necessity for it had ceased. l
have seen il stated some where that, when.
ever during battle his hand was thus
raised. hs was engaged in prayer; but !
think the explanation l have given is the
correct one. believe he was the truesi
and most consistent christian | have eve:
known, bu, don't believe he prayed
much while he was fighting.
Remember Me.