The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1886-09-18
FILLED FULL OFF lead.


x
dime museum the present week. said
Southerner at the fremont House
last night as he crossed his feet and
leaned back in one of the big office
chairs. "Why, do you know" he
continued, "that there is a curiosity
down South that beats all these barrel
men and armless acrobats and fire.
eaters He is little old man now,
but if these museum managers were
to take him up here they would make
mint of money. His name is Har-
rison Fl. Oliver, of Bolton, Bell coun-
ty, Texas, and he is the most remark
able repository of cold lead in this
country to-day. 1t may seem strange
to you, young man, when I tell you
that he has received no less than 1o1
wounds, and so of the bullets, ranging
in size from buckshot to an ounce
ball, still remainsin his body.
ale was Is years old when he re-
ceived his first wounds. At that time
he was living on the plantation of his
mother, Eear Coushatta, in Red River
parish, La. He was out hunting with
halt brother or cousin, | forget
which, but at any rate they became
separated. While Oliver was moving
through the bushes his brother thought
him a deer and fired both barrels of
his shotgun at him. Thirty-seven shot
lodged in his body and the boy lay for
months at the point of death. Only
thirteen of the missiles were removed.
"When the war broke out young
Oliver joined the Confederate army in
September, 1861, being a member of
company G, 18th Louisiana volunteers.
The first engagement in which the
regiment was actively engaged was at
Pittsburg Landing, where it encount-
cred leaden storm from the decks Of
the gunboats Lexington and E. o.
Tyler. The fight lasted four hours.
Oliver received severe wound in the
left shoulder from piece of conical
shell. Before the terrible cut had had
time to heal Oliver went with his regi-
ment into the battle of Shiloh. 1t was
during this engagement that he re-
ceiyed what were supposed to be NOR
tai wounds. When the gallant Beau
regard led the 18th Louisiana into that
deadly storm of shot and shell, Oliver
was one of the first to fall, with blood
gushing from his mouth. His name
in the list of the slain, and
for more than year he was supposed
to be dead
'It was in October, 1868, that the |
18th Louisiana, having been transferred
to the west side of the Mississippi, was
on Berwick's Bay, when |
Oliver suddenly appeared among his
old comrades. His story, which was
briefly told, was to the effect that he
had fallen at Shiloh, wounded in seven
places, mimic balls having pierced his
eft lung, right shoulder, right arm,
his right groin, both thighs and left
foot. Not one of these balls had been
except the one in the foot. |
After remaining "a hours where he
fell Oliver was picked up, more dead
than alive, placed in a transport and
taken to Louisville, where he remained |
Ia hospital for more than year.
"When he reached his regiment be
was greatly emaciated. He had partly |
ost the use of his right arm, but was
only slightly lame from the bullets in
ais legs. For several mouths Oliver
was kept at clerical work Che having
earned to write with his left handy, |
put in March, 1864, he went into the
oattle Of Mansfield, on the upper Red |
liver Here his bad luck again befell |
aim, aud he was wounded in five dif-
aren't places, A mipie ball imbedded |
tself in his skull, another perforated |
ais right cheek, the third tore great
lole through the Aeshy part Of his
neck, aud two lodged in bis left
,houlder, This finished Oliver for the
var and BIO was sent home a confrm-
ID cripple. In 1865 the bullet that
vas buried in the skull and SO over
lung the brain as to cause constant
,ain was removed,
cit would seem that this chapter of
accidents should have had
n ending here, but it did not. Ono
lay in the simmer Of 1873 he was
tandiag on street corner IN Bolton.
dentist in the upper window Of a
near by mistook him for an
nemy for whom be was on the look
ut and fred at him with q double
arreled shotgun loaded With duck
hot. Fifty-one shots tore their way
ato his back. OF these "a were sub
equently extracted, but 2T remain.
)liyer was confined to his bed for two
ears, his life during that time hang
ng BY thread, A remarkable vitality
eryed him in this instance, as it had |
d many others, Both his liver aud
il kidneys were perforated, These
Wounds have done more TO impair his
General health than all the others COM
lined,
Il saw Oliver the other day on bis
arm in Bolton, He told me, that the
,nly agony that he felt was in The re-
5ion Of the heart, where, he feels sure,
j bullet is lodged in the sack iuclosing
that vital organ, Two years age Oliver
Whitfield duck shot oas Of his right
aide, and about d year ago fragment of
4 ball that had split il passing through
bis right cheek bone dropped through
the roof ef his mouth aad was swsl-
lawed while he was asleep, The ting-
prs and the palm Of his right hand
have been anpntated, and the entire
bone between the elbow and shoulder
Of the right arm has been taken out,
and that member il now IL ilfssg Ess !