The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-07-15
How General Rice was Made a
Stumper.

How General Rice was Made a
Stumper.
1t was at the fierce battle of Kenesaw
Mountain where Gen Rice received the
wound which deprived him ola leg
The part enacted by the army surgeons
| is thus described by an eye witness:
'All during the day from June 18th
to 9th there were repetitions of the
fierce salies, and the terrible moving
down of our troops by the enfilading
fire from Big Kenesaw, which was lined
with rifle pits, while from Little Kene-
saw the musketry added to the frightful
slaughter.
| During one OF these repeated charges
and repulses General A V. Rice, whose
name now honors the second place on
the Democratic gubernatorial ticket, was
shot, the ball striking the leg below the
knee.
1t would not have been so serious a
wound had the limb been sound, but at
Vicksburg shortly before, another ball
from an enemy's musket had sped
through the air and lodged in that fatal
limb The wounds were near each 9TH
er. The Vicksburg wound had been re-
ceived when the General with that intre-
pi6ity almost akin to rashness. had re-
fused to enter rifle pit, but sat crouch
ing upon the ground The ball struck
the knee in front, penetrating both por-
tions of the limb, bowed as it was, and
lodged in the groin.
Thus it was that DR.. Messenger, of
Cleveland, when the brave General was
brought at midnight from the battlefield
of Kenesaw 10 his field hospital, decided
that naught but amputation would suffice
to save life. Dr. j. B. Potter, of Canal
Winchester, Surgeon in Chief of the
Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps,
was called in consultation and agreed
that the mutilated member must be sew
cred None but brother-in-law OF the
General objected.
There in that hospital tent, which the
blackness of midnight surrounded, amid
the means of the wounded and the
shrieks of the dying, upon the rude, i'm
provised couch the heroic Rice lay, not
a murmur of pain escaping his lips. Ev-
er since the wound received at Vicks-
burg he had limped about, resting upon
sword or cane, and now the pain must
have been intensified beyond conception.
When the decision of the surgeons
was announced, without the moving of
a muscle or the slightest remonstrance,
the General signifed his acquiescence
and his immediate readiness for the ter
rible ordeal
"Who will do it2" was asked, and DR..
Messenger agreed to perform the opera
ton.
Mr.. Reece held tallow dips, the only
available lights, while the unnerving
work progressed. Louis Parker, Quar-
termaster OF the Generals regiment, the
57th Ohio, also stood near and held
lights.
The dread operation was quickly and
scientifically performed; the ligatures
were fastened and everything bid fair
for perfectly successful operation
But Hospital Steward Luhrens of the
1l6th Illinois, had first administered the
an@sthetic and kept the sponge and fun
mel close to the mouth until the critical
moment of the effective use of the knife.
Then, absorbed in watching the opera
ton, he relaxed his care, the result being
that just as the ligatures were bound the
unconscious General revived and sud-
denly clapped his hand down upon the
limb, breaking tie ligatures Fears of
loss of blood and death from exhaustion
inspired a dreadful anxiety, bat the ro-
bust constitution overcame all draughts
upon its vital forces.
Thus it was that General Rice was
made "stumper,"