Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-04-03
A TRUE STORY or THE WAR.
4 WOUNDED UNION OFFICER sAvED By A
REBEL WOMAN.

From Col. A. E. Walkers very inter
esting book. The Vermont Brigade in
the Shenandoah Valley. We publish the
following account Of the wOunding, cap
ture and miraculous escape from death
Of Lieut. Henry E BedelL The nara
tive Is true, and Capt Bedell. now Of
Newport. VI, still hives 10 testify to its
F correctness. Ed.
'-On the morning Of the 18th. Getty s
Division moved out towards the Opeauan
for reconnaissance The Vermont Brig
ade had the advance. the Third and
Fourth being deployed in front as skir-
mishers. Sheridan and Wright accom-
panied the column. At ten o'clock the
skirmishers reached the Creek and cross.
ed 1t at once. meeting the rebel picquets,
however, but short distance up the
bill beyond. Capt CoEen's Battery. 60
ing into position on IN elevation on the
hither side Of the little stream. opened
fire the General hoping thus 70 discover
the position Of the enemy's camps in the
vicinity. their strength. and other infor-
nation Of that nature. The Battery
could be plainly seen from the opposite
side; the skirmishers who had crossed
were showing an occasional puff Of smoke
from their rifles. while the rest Of the
Division were msssed in = wood. a quar-
ter Of mile behind the artillery. The
grove was clean and the shade was dense.
and the men were scattered in groups
among the stacks Of arms, chatting care
lessly or playing their simple games.
The enemy presently planted heavi-
er Battery than Cowen's upon hill on
the opposite side Of the creek and re-
turned his fire their first few shells,
being fired at too high an elevation,
passed over his guns at which they were
aimed, ploughing through and exploding
among the troops Of the Division which
lay concealed in the timber. Several
were wounded, and the lines were form
ed for a removal TO some other position,
but It being noticed that the missiles be-
gan to fall short Of Us, We were soon
convinced that our situation was un-
known TO the enemy, and in few min-
utes the danger was over.
Among those who were wounded OF
this occasion was Lieutenant Henry T.
Bedell Of the Eleventh Vermont. He was
a man Of splendid physique, muscular
and athletic. over SIX feet high, about
tEenty-eight years Of age, farmer, mar.
ned. and the father Of two or three chill.
dren- An unexploded shell had crashed
through his left leg above the knee
leaving flesh at either side, and . mos
ghastly mass Of mangled muscles, shat
tered bones. and gushing arteries, be
tween As be lay upon the ground h'
screamed continually, Cord it - Corr
it Don't let me bleed to death ~ Thr
first rude tourniquet which friend at
tempted to apply broke under the twist
ing Of the ramrOd, and allowed the spirit
ing torrent again to flow. But when tn,
compression was complete, be bscamr
quiet under the perhaps imaginary In
preston Of temporary security, allowing
himself to be lifted upon streteher am
borne away to the surgeons and thei
ambulanees without a grOan- An opera
ton was speedily performed. The lei
was amputated at the upper third. ev
erything being done for the sufferer tha
science and personal regard could sug
gest and the rude circumstances permit
ted
Still there was very little hope Al
though his natural vigor was in his IA
vor, his very size and the muscula
strength on which be had prided him
self were against him, for it was eOmpu
ted that over sixty-four square inches Q
flesh were laid bare by the surgeon
J knife. And it was also found that hi
right hand had been seriously injured
the bones Of three fingers and Of th
: middle hand being fractured and com
minuted- The operation already PEI
formed had been so severe that 1t va
thought best not to attempt the treat
nent Of the hand till IT was seen whetl
er or not be would rally from the shoe
Of the wounds and the amputation-
/, We returned to our camp about night
. fall; the journey was terrible trial
the wounded man. An ambulance VI
: der the most favorable circumstances
, hardly .-doEny bed Of ease. and tb
lolting this remnant Of a man for mile
across the country. over fences and wal
! half torn down. and across bitches Pal
TALLY filed with rails. reduced the char
ees Of his life TO hardly one in thor
sand. his immediate death being expee
ed every moment But sustained b
stimulants and his indomItable eOurag'
, AZ last In the darkness be reached Il
army lines alive
Fortunately house was accessible
I and the use Of vacant room In its se'
! ond story was obtained. where Bede
! was placed on q tick hastily stuffed VII
/. straw and resting Oh the floor. And