Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-12-10
| From Packard's Monthly.
AN "AVENGER OF BLOOD"
BY LEWIS GAYLORD. CLARK.

The subjoined brief narrative,
which was repeated to me by an
eminent surgeon in the United
States navy, may be classed under
the head of "Authentic Sensational
History" for it is literally true in
every respect in the record of the
strange discovery and catastrophe,
and in the minutest detail of the
singular events which led to both.
But. first, let me pay proper
tribute to the narrator-a fine spec
linen of what our "Young America
was composed Of in our struggle
with Great Britain. / must gossip
a little in SO doing; but my "twit-
teri shall be short and that is one
comfort in such things, any how.
I was surprised, not long ago,
upon reading the announcement in
the Providence Daily Journal, OF
the death of the venerable DR..
Usher Parsons. I was surprised,
because had supposed him to have
departed this life some ten years
ago; indeed, I was so informed at
the time by a former mutual ac-
quaintance in Providence. I am re-
joiced to learn that he was spared
until he was over four score years
old-dying, even at that advanced
age, while yet "his eye was not
dimmed nor his natural voice
abated."
While for a twelvemonth and
more I Glanced to be editor Of the
Providence Daily Journal more
years ago than 1 now care to speak
of became well acquainted with
DR.. Parsons, and his bodily image
is now distinctly before my mind s
eye. The sketch given by the doc
tor in the Journal is brief, but ex-
ceedingly comprehensive and well
written. Those who knew him as
he should be known will be glad to
recall the history Of the poor young
surgeon walking from Albany to
Buffalo, when the war broke out to
report himself to Com. Perry, car
eying his commission in his pocket
as surgeons mate.
In the great battle Of Lake Erie
he was the only medical officer on
duty in the entire squadron. His
eminent services and success in and
after the battle, led to his rapid pro
motion in the navy He afterwards
visited in his official capacity Glib
raltar, Minorca, Tunis, Sicily, Ma
pies and st. Petersburg-availine
himself Of leave Of absence to at
tend the hospitals and medical
schools in London, Paris and Edin
burg.
+. After his resignation from the
navy he rose to very prominent
position in Rhode Island q surgeon
and physician, and received the
highest medical honors in that gal
liant little State. He wrote in the
meantime several professional sub
jects, which became 'standard'' in
their kind and passed through nu-
merous editions; also, successful
medical dissertations, for which
premiums had been offered; four OF
the "Boylston Prize Essays"
first of which was a medical history
of the battle of Lake Erie and the
last a summary of his principal sur
gical operations-together with
many articles on diverse themes for
medical journals in different Ameri-
can cities.
But he once told me very start
ling story, which at my request, he
wrote for my especial qualification.
Itwas the only merely "sensational''
contribution of the doctor to the
public press that ever came from
his pen, prolific as it was in profes-
sional exercitations. The events
SAVIOR so much of modern fiction,
and so sanguinary are the incidents,
I will state, on the irrefragible au-
thority of the narrator himself, that
he was the surgeon of the ship on
which they occurred, and stated to
me that the material facts were just
as he had related them.
This exciting reminiscence, then,
of an actual scence on board a man
of-war 1 will call, if you please.
THE AvENGER OF BLOOD.
cit was on dark, tempestuous
night said the doctor, "that the
frigate Guerrero ploughed her way
through the gulf of Finland, rolling
and plunging at the sport of every
billow as 1t dashed in spray over
her deck. The incessant groaning
and creaking of the ships joints at
every surge were occasionally inter
rupted by the hoarse sound Of the
officers trumpet or the shrill pipe
Of the boatswain and the tramp of
men running with the haIyards.
s'Steward," said the catcher of
the ward-room, as we entered it
from deck, 'sinvite down all the Off
GERS of the mess about the galley,
and all the officers who can be