The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-11-01
A Bulet-I,. Remarkable History.

Del. From the Boston Trsvellerl
On the evening of the 18th of February, 1868,
the then Capt. Russell II. Conwell, of the 46 h
Massachusetts infantry. was In command of the
post at Newport barracks, near Newbern, N. c.,
with force consisting of part OF the 46th Mas
sachusetts. of the Sd New York cavalry, of the
llth New York light battery Of part Of the 9th
Carolina troops. There aad been sharp brush
with the rebels that day. and their pickets were
still close upon our line. Capt. Conwell. with
orderly Parker, went the grand rounds to inspect
the pickets, and in jumping over fence In the
starlight, came sudd emily upon guard Of seven or
eight rebels, who fired aud fell back as is the
rule. The nearest Of them discharged revolver;
Capt. Conwell dropped; and orderly Parker,
musket at the rebels breast compelled sur.
render Our pickets were q few rods off
and the captain was taken into the camp. He
soon recovered, and experienced no further IN
convenience from the woand. little spot on the
shoulder showed where the revolver ball had en-
tered but IL could not be found. An inspection
of the rebel prisoners revolver showed the ball
to have been made Of brass, and to be o rihed
missile about the size Of al pea.
Captain Conw ell continued In service in various
POSITIONS, in action receiving ball in his knee
which still remains. His final retirement from
the service was caused by wound received at
Kensaw Mountain, he having been for some time
q lieutenant colonel on Gen. McPherson's sta.
The wound broke his arm below the elbow, diso-
Gated the elbow, broke the arm above the elbow,
and shattered the shoulder SONS, and was received
from O fragment of she'll He refused TO have II
amputated, and fortunately II got well. 10 the
meantime he was an invalid, and subsequently
was attacked with consumption. By the advice OF
physicians be travelled in Europe for some months,
and returned but little better. Ell
Coming to Boston, one of our surgeons again
examined him, told him he had no consumption,
and that his symptoms were caused By the lost
ball sinking down through his lungs. Its course
could be traced by sounding, and four weeks ago
il was found 10 have passed the lungs and the
pluera and was then just behind the fifth rib, and
the right side, in front-thsts near the waist. II
1t should drop down among the intestines II would
be fatal.
Col. Couwell has recently enjoyed excellent
health and last week attended the military con-
yention in Philadelphia. On his return on Satur-
day noon last at the residence of DR.. l.. L. Jacobs,
on the Fifth Avenue, New York, ether was ad-
ministered TO him-an instrument few feet long,
q hollow tube. little larger than pencil. with
sort of clasp at the end was thrust into his body,
below the rib, turned up behind the bone. the
oriice closed, the whole operations occupying
five or Elk minutes.
The patient lay for two hours insensible, the
weak condition of his right lung not enabling it
TO rally and his condition was thought for time
10 be critical. He finally recovered. took
carriage was lifted thence into his berth in the
steamboat, and reached Boston early next morn
ing whence he was conveyed In carriage to nis
residence on Winter Hill, near the Somerville
day he spoke In whispers, but TO day the I'm
proved condition Of his right lung, which Is
gradually recovering from the effects OF the
operation, enabled him to speak aloud be Is
able to walk around the house, looks the picture
OF health, and expects to be abroad in lew days.