New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-09
Wounds Received In Battle.

Wounds Received In Battle.
"Of guns, and drums, and wounds-GOd
save the msrk' protests valiant Hotspur;
and these are assuredly subjects which
should not be dealt with save by him who
knows from experience whereof he speaks.
Reading over the noteworthy explanation
of the excellent fighter, as above, in which
these strong words occur, l was just now
led to reflect that an interesting article
might be penned upon the subject Of wounds;
not from the professional standpoint by
any means, but in the way of giving some
details of curious experience curing the war
of the rebellion as to the nature and effects
of wounds inflicted by bullets, shells, can
non balls, grape, ETC., propelled by that
"villainous saltpetre," which Hotspur's fop
declared lit was great pity, 80 it was, that 1t
IS should be digged
Ont Of the bewel Is Of the harmless earth,
Which many good tall fellow had destroyed
Those who have had much experience
with tho effects wrought by the missiles of
modern warfare have been impressed by
two very curious facts-frst, that very
slight wound is often sufficient to produce
death; and, second, that human being
may receive almost desperate and appa-
rently fatal injury from these dreadful
sibly Just as long as though no wound had
been received, and finally die from other
causes. The experience OF almost every
soldier of the late war abounds in ilustra-
ton of these facts, and also OF the other
interesting fact that the most dis6guring
and inconvenient wounds often do not pro-
duce death. A few instances from my own
observation may be set forth.
A soldier accidentally wounded in the
<ko ohop nf hia hot
before Port Hudson, in June, 1863, died
while chlorOform was being administered
to him preparatory to amputatiOn. 1t may
be Questionable in this case whether the
fatal result is properly attributable to the
nervous attack, the fright, or the effects of
the chlOroform. 1t ia we'll known that
in raro cases the administration of this
apn sthetic is necessarily fatal.
Spent balls have sometimes produced
death. At the battle of Winchester, in
September, 1864, the present writer was
knocked down by q musket ball, which did
not even indent the skin. In some cases OF
this kind the shock to the nervous system
has been sufficient to kill without drawing
q drop OF blood.
At the assault of Port Hudson, j une IA,
1863, one of our soldiers in reserve saw .
cannon ball, apparently spent, rolling over
the ground near him. He csrelessly reached
out his foot and tried to stop it. The result
was q mangled foot, which had to be am
| putated.
In marked contrast with the above were
| the following cases. all occurring within my
| personal knowledge:
A major of Connecticut volunteers. before
Port Royal on the tweRty-seventh OF May,
| 1863, was struck in the breast by grape
shot, which traversed the body and was
taken out from the back. Contrary to ex-
recitation, he did not die Immediately, and
was laid aside without attention until he
should die But a couple of days passed.
and he still survived. He was sent
down the river to New Orleans,
| with some hundreds of others, and
Law there in the hospital for several
months. Still he did not die-would not
die. and becoming we'll enough to travel,
| was sent home. At that time 1t was not
within the expectation of any person who
knew ANYTHING about the case that he would
ever be able to perform the slightest mill
tary duty again. And yet, on October 49,
1864. lust sixteen months after the wound
was received, the Major was in command OF
his regiment at the bloody bat tile OF Cedar
creek, Virginia. He escaped the periIt
of that day unframed, and for aught
know to the contrary is alive and well
Not to speak too much in the first per
son. at the assault of Port Hudson, june
IA. 1868, l was Frustrated by bucksho,
lust above the hip. After being taken to the
rear the wound was probed by surgeon
and the shot could not be found. "This is
serious" he said; and his face expressed
his sincerity. was laid aside t. die, anG
others for whom something could pOssibly
! be done we're placed on the table. Three
DAYS passed, and l lived; ate vigorously
and felt we'll, except for the condemnation
of the surgeon, which seemed to settle i
that l ought to have died within twenty
four hours. My persistency, not alone IL
living, but in feeling we'll, excited renewed
attention, and the case was re-examlned
It was then discovered that the bucksho
had struck rib, followed its general cours
around to the front, and buried itself in tn
abdominal integuments so deeply that l
could not be extracted. Aud there it lie
to-day. A heavy feeling in that vicinlt.
sometimes reminds me of it, and occasion
ally pain from the spot whore the shot en-
tered; but my life has probably not bee
shortened day by the wound.
BEFORE Port Hudson, June 10. 1868. Coz
poral Medbury, of my company, on dut
with fatigue party constructing militar
road, was seriously wounded by mini
ball striking him just back OF the RICH
shoulder Joint. The wound was probed. tn
ball lay too deep to be extracted. the patlen
was considered as fatally hurt. He wa
|
A week later found him there, with hi
arm in q sling, walking about, feeling cheer
tul and well, and expecting to recover en-
tirely in a few days. In five DAYS ate
that Medbury was confined to his he'd;
two DAYS more he was dead! A post-mO
ten examination showed that the bullet ha
passed through one lung and halt throug
. the opposite one. The death was cause
nv mortifcatiOn-and was net
| G. tho rat
part OF the matter was that a man shout
carry q fatal bullet in his body tor tw
weeks before his death, should APPARENT
, recover from the wound, and should shortl
afterward die of it.
> ON the assault of Port Hudson, before RI
, ferred to, q sergeant of my regiment wa
,, struck in the mouth by buokshOt. 1t too
out every tooth on one side OF the uppe
, | law, front, as clearly as dentists sa
couid have done it, and inflicted no otht
injury.
, saw, after the surrender of Port Hue
son, a colonel who, during the siege, ha
received a mimic ball in one cheek, just to
y ward of the angle OF the jaw. 1t had passe
entirely through the face, through bot
cheeks taking out at least 1oar douo
teeth on it's course, but happily escapin
the tongue. The wound had entirely heale
a and the Disagreement was great, but IL
gallant colonel could talk and eat as we
as before.
:, At the St. James Hospital New Orlean
on the pallet next me, in June, 1868 lay
, captain of the Fourth Wisconsin Volu
reers, helpless and suffering with one
: the strangest wounds that l ever saw. t
It had received it on the twenty seventh
: May, in command of his company OF SKI
c mshers, creeping over the ground in a.
}. vance of the line of assault, among Il
Q tangled forests and ravines before tt
| S-a.a.,a .zo.Iza Whila workino ia