The National tribune., 1884-07-03
A BLIGBTED CAREER.
The Work of Two Bullets at Gettys-
burg---A Sad Story.

The attention of a NATIONAL TRIBUNE
representative was attracted to a man on the
street in Washington last week. In spite of
the Disagreement of a lost eye his face was
very intelligent and attractive. A high, broad
forehead, and the expression of gentle
hearted kindly scholar, drew one to him
instinctively.
g will introduce you," said an acquaint-
ance; Mr.. Shively, this is THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE. NATIONAL TRIBUNE, this is Mr.
David Shively, who was SO terribly wounded
at Gettysburg that his life was saved by almost
a miracle His experience was most remark
able You must get him to tell it to you"
The NATIONAL TRIBUNE intimated his
eagerness to hear it, and opened the question
by inquiring, as ex-soldiers naturally will:
Where did you belong, Mr.. ShiveIy?"
Co. q, 1l4th Pa, First Brig, Second Div,
Third Corps. enlisted Aug %. 1862 at Phil
adelphia. / was then only f6 years old"
9 Was Gettysburg your first battle 20
20 no; we were at Fredericksburg"
When were you wounded?"
In the second days fight. We were out in
advance-you remember the position of the
Third Corps-when the charge was made ON
us and we were frightfully cut up. My CON-
pany went with 40 men only six got out un-
hurt | was in the act of firing when | re-
celved a ball through my throat, fracturing my
right arm, shattering and disabling it. ! fell
to the ground, with the blood streaming out in
torrent. a little while after i attempted to
rise, when | received the bullet which cut out
my right eye. l fell to the ground again and
lay there until the fight was over. / found
was then in the hands of the enemy. One rebel
came up to meand tried to kill me with a knife
but he was driven off. Afterward another came
up and helped me-gaye me water, for the need
OF which was almost perishing and helped me
into wagon. / was SO grateful TO him that
since the war ] built little church at York
town with my savings, and gave it TO the peo-
pie. had a terrible time getting off the bat
tleiield and to the hospital at Baltimore, where
was the first place there was any opportunity
to properly care for us. 1t did not seem possi-
Bile that | could live, and my mother was sent
for to see me die. But l did not die. For
more than two years my wounds healed
SO slowly that they did not seem to be
healing at all. / suffered intensely all the
time. During much of it l had to have my
hands and feet almost constantly in water
to ease the terrible pain in my right hand; in
fact ! kept my left hand in water until the
water ate off the flesh from my fingers. l had to
have nine operations on my hand and arm.
The joints became stiff during the long heal
ing and they had to be broken over. have
no use now of my right hand or my arm, and
must write with my left. After the operations
were performed the blood and corruption would
run from my fingers. Previous to these opera
tions many y-blisters were applied to my hand,
and often when they were taken off the skin
would come with them. So raw and tender
We're my fingers that could not bear to wrap
them up separately On awakening in the
morning my fingers would be matted together
and in order to keep them from growing In
this manner would take a string and with
one end in my mouth and the other in my
hand | would cut my fingers apart. This is
only one Of the countless miseries | endured
during my long convaleseence. Every morning
when / arose the first thing I did was to run
TO the hydrant, and fill my shoes with water
to ease the pain"
1t is a wonder that the long continued pain
did not drive you crazy OF course all your
prospects in life We're ruined. What profession
had you intended to follow?"
q / had desired TO be minister, but could
do nothing to fit myself. After got measure
ably well was given place as gatekeeper by
the Whitney & Co. Car Wheel Works, Phila-
delphia. | afterwards attended Dickerson's Col
lege at Carlisle, Pa. but had vertigo and other
troubles which interferred with my studies.
was then given position as watchman of the
Treasury here in Washington, where I re-
manned four years, when was appointed Super
intendent of the National cemetery at York
town. was afterward transferred to the Cave
Hill National Cemetery near Louisville. For the
last 15 months / have been Superintendent of
the cemetery at Raleigh"
You get pension, of course, to exc out
your scanty pay as superintendent"
Only S24 a month. / have applied for an
increase to $50, but on every side l encounter
some red-tape stumbling block. One would
think that with so clear a record as I have,
with my lost eye and with my mangled and
useless right hand and ARM there should be no
trouble whatever, yet / have been put off for
years with all manner of unreasonable delays"