The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-08-28
MAKING A "STUMPER.o

The Gallant General Rice at Ksnesaw-
The Surgical Operation Performed nj
Dead Of Might by the Light OF Tallow
Dips.
It was at the fierce battle of Kenesaw
Mountain where General Rice received the
wound which deprived him Of a leg. The
part enacted by the army surgeons ID thus
described by an eye Witness:
AL during the day from June 18th to
9th there were repetitiops Of the fierce
~saliies, and the terrible moving down of our
troops by the enfilading fire from Big Kene-
saw, which was lined with rifle pits. while
from Little Kenesaw the musketry added to
the frightful slaughter.
During one of the repeated charges and re-
pulses General "A. v. Rice, whose name now
honors the second. place on the Democratic
Gubefnatorial ticket, was shot, the ball
striking the leg below the knee.
It would not have been 30 serious a wound
had the limb been sound; but at Vickburg,
shortly before. another ball from an enemy's
musket had sped through the air n lodged
in that fated limb. The wounds were near
each other. The Vicksburg wound had been
received when the General, with that in
trepidity almost akin to rashness, had re-
fused to enter a riHe-pit, but sat crouching
upon the ground. The ball struck the knee
in front, penetrating both portions Of the
limb, bowed as it was, and lodged in the
groin.
land, when the brave General was brought
at midnight from the battle field of Kenesaw
to his field hospital, decided that naught but
amputation would suffice to save his life.
DR.. J.B. Potter, of Canal Winchester, Surgeon
in Chief Of the Second Division, F~ifteenth
Army Corps, was called in consultation and
agreed that the mutflated member must be
severed. None but q brother-in-law OF the
General objected.
blackness of night surrounded, amid the
means of the wounded and the shrieks Of
the dying, upon the rude, improvised couch,
the heroic Rice lay, not q murmur OF pair
escaping his lips. Ever since the wound al
| Vicksburg he had limped about, resting
| upon q sword or cane, and now the pair
must have been intensified beyond concep
ton. :
When the decision Of the surgeons wal
lannounced, without the moving of a muscle
or the slightest remonstrance, the Genera
signi6ed his acquiescence and his immediate
readiness for the terrible ordeal. !
"Who will de til" was asked, and DR.
Messenger agreed to perform the operation
Mr.. Reece held tallnw dips, the only avail
able lights, while the unperying work pro
crossed. Louis Parker, Quartermaster OF tn
1 Generals regiment, the Fifty-seventh Ohio
also stood near and held lights.
The dread operation was quickly and sci
entifically performed: The ligatures wer
fastened, and every thing bid fair for Q per
fectly successful operation. But Hospita
Steward Luhrens, OF the One-Hundred-and
Sixteenth Illinois, had first administers
the anesthetio and kept the spong
and funnel close to ths mouth unit
the critical moment of the effective use OF tn
knife. Then absorbed in watching the op
Grafton. he relaxed his care, the result bein
that just a. the ligatures were bound the IN
conscious General revived and suddenl,
clapped his hand down upon the limb
breaking the ligatures. Fears OF loss, otbloo,
full anxiety, but the robust constitution
overcame all draughts upon its vital forces
Thus it was that General Rice was made
l Hatumnar.n3 esq arsir'