The National tribune., 1879-06-01
A Memory of the War.
The Amputation Gallant Sol
der Endured the Operation.

der Endured the Operation.
MIR. c. ID. Reese an old resident of Columbus Ohio,
present when the leg of the gallant General Rice
amputated upon the dark and bloody field of Kenesaw
Mountain, and thus relates the of the time
There had been said he ga fortnghts fierce onsaughts
upon the heights of Kenesaw Mountain 1t In June
of 1864, and Sherman was pushing on his triumphal
march to the sea. But before Atlanta reached the
rebels had concentrated their forces Dallas and
about Lost Mountain and the heights of Kenesaw,
deavorng to their utmost shut off the communication
Of Shermans troops with their base of supplies. To
thwart this it determined that the enemys position
must be taken All during the day from June 18th the
9th there repetitons of the fierce saes and the
terrible moving down of troops by the enlading fire
from Big Kenesaw which lined with rifle pits while
from Little henesaw the musketry added to the fghtfu
slaughter.
During of these repeated charges and repulses
Gen. A. V. Rice, whose name now honors the second
place upon the Democratic Gubenaoral ticket shot
the ball striking the leg below the knee.
" 1t would not have been serious wound had the
limb been sound but at Vicksburg, shortly before,
other ball from an enemys mpsket had sped through the
air and lodged in that faed limb The wounds were very
near each other The yicksburg wound had been
ceved when the general with that ntrepidy almost akin
to rashness, had refused to enter a rife-p but sat
crouchng upon the ground The ball struck the knee
'front.' penetrating both portions of the limb, bowed it
was, and lodged In the groin.
Thus it that DIR. Messenger, of Cleveland when
the brave general brought at midnight from the bat
tleeld OF kenesaw to his field hospital decided that
naught but amputation would suffice to save life. Dr.
j. b. Potter of Canal Winchester Surgeon Chief of
the Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps was called in
consultation and agreed that the mutated member
be severed. None but brotherin-law of the general
objected
There, in that hospital tent which the blackness of
midnight surrounded, amid the means of the wounded
and the sieks of the dying upon the rude improvised
couch the heroic Rice lay not of pain escaping
his lips Ever since the wound received Yicksburg he
had mped about, resting upon sword cane, and
the pain must have been intensified beyond conception.
When the decision of the surgeons was announced
without the moving of muscle the slightest
trance the general sgned his acquescence and his inn
mediate readiness for the terrible ordeal
g Who will do it ? was asked, and Dr. Messenger
agreed TO perform the operation
held tallow dips, the only available lights while the
unnervng work progressed Louis Parker quarteTmas-
ter OF the generals regiment the 57th Ohio also stood
near and held lights
The incision was quickly made, and then the
cut with the steadness and rapdy of the trained
surgeon The gatures were fastened. and everything
Steward Luhrens, of the 18th Illinois, had first admins
tered the anasthetic and kept the sponge and funnel
close TO the mouth until the critical of the effect
i've use of the knife Then, absorbed in watching the
operation he relaxed his care the result being that just
as the gaureS bound the unconscious general
vlyed, and suddenly capped his hand down upon the
limb, breaking the gaures Fears of loss of blood and
death from exhaustion inspired dreadful anxiety, but
the robust constitution all draughts upon its
vital forces.
Thus it was that Gen. Rice was made 'stumper.
" This sad incident of those days spent beneath the
howning peaks of Kenesaw may recall to the
many heroes who scaled the heights and their
ades swept away before the eade of the enemy all the
/ scenes of heroism and suffering enacted
- The general has cork leg that does its utmost
to supply the functions of the tlesh-and-bood one