Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1891-02-12
7 then used INV gun for Il crutch.

feet. then used my gun FOR crutch.
had not taken the first step when I received
a shot in my head which rendered me uncon-
scious. How long remained 80 will here
on earth never be known. When awoke
as if 1t were from Il horrible nightmare, /
WAS surrounded by dead and dying comrades.
The terrible groans of the dying and the
pitiful prayers of the wounded will never be
forgotten. I was at first bewldered and
could not realize my situation, but to remain
in such pandemonium was worse than
death. Iclawled some few rods to small
fallen tree top where I must have tainted
from loss of blood and exerion, for when l
recovered my senses all was darkness with
nothing to be heard but the groans of the
dying. had some water IN my cantcen
which had procured from the swamp dur.
iny the engagement of the early morning,
and meyer did water taste 80 exhllaratihg
and SO deli'iously sweet az did that warm
and brackish swamp water to my fever
parcEcd lips on that never-to e-torgotten
night in the swamps of the Chickahominy
surrounded by a victorious enemy with no
company but my suffering and dying conf
rades. l thought daylight would never come,
but it did, and with it came the Confedcratcs.
They found me and, after examining my
wounds and more careful examination Of
my pockets rnscally looking fellow took
my shoes with the remark, II reckon them
will bout fit mt" was then put in
wagon in company with several others as
unfortunate as myself and started i'll the
direction of Richmond, VIII firing began on
our left which soon became general The
horses were dashed into run and the pain
and suffering we endured in farm wagon
without springs, with the horses ut full
run oyer II rough road, cannot be realized
only hy others in u like condition. Arriving
at Richmond about A. NJ, we were unload
cd near canal and there placed in tobacco
shed where remained for perhaps 10 days !;
then I was removed to Belle Isle nearly
opposite the City on the James River. My
wounds having never been attended to got
full of vcrmin, and wa. at Il loss to know
what to do. A comrale suggested gun
powder and u cartridge was procured from
the guard the contents were poured into
the raw wound in my groin and bclley"
red hot iron would have been balm in
comparison but | can recommend gun pow
der as a vcrmin extcrmnhtor.
One morning in October several hundred
of us weak and emaciated human beings
were carried to flat boat or scow and sent
down the James River to he "cxChangcd.'
Arriving at Hampton Roads the next morn.
ing we were met by a Government tug which
landed US under the guns of FORTE Monroe,
over which tloaled the Stars and Stripes,
tie sight of which caused y tear to fall from
many an eye with prayer TO Him TOR our
dclverancc After some delay We wcr,
transferred to the shore and there given
very little rice soup with coffee, it beng the
first coffee had since the morning of the
3lst of May. We read in scripture OF man
eating angels food; thought mt This time
that another record OF the same might be
uluUc IOi AcSCi bIlOIC WI S'iiSS ih'' wv '''I
tas.cL 80 dclciously sweet. They gave us at
first very little, bu, often. After few weeks
of good nursing and kind treatment, was
ready to go 10 my comnaEd.
was put on board IL steamer, and the next
morning landed Mt Alexandria, Va, where
was lut on al open car IN cod November
rain, with no ovcrcout or blanket, and start
ed for Warrenton. Arriving there late at
night, | was given quarters IN depot shed.
The next morning had Il very high fever
which was pronounced by II surgeon rs
typhoid. | was taken in charge by my
brother who was in the Quartcrmastrr $
department. After lowering between life
and DEATH | was discharged as unfit for fur
thcr service.
Arriving at my home in Pennsylvania, l
was under the care of Il doctor the entire
winter. recovered sufficient strength at
the close of the war to follow my profession
of civil engineer The ballet not being
extracted from my groin for - years, caused
blood poisoning, which resulted in paralysis
of my entire left side. After cXlausting All
of my means trying to get relief, and not re-
covering any, went to the National Sol
dicts' Home in Virginia. and from there to
the PENNSYLVANIA State Soldiers and Sailors
Home at Erie, Pa, where l applied for
pension and, after IA long tine, was inform
cd by the pension department that l was
hny;nr 1,non l,,t thrn1,rh thti head n
Fair Oaks, Va, on the 3lst Of May 1862 and
was killed THIS was certainly news for me
and did not believe it, for there wa roll
ing about on wheel chair and eating my
three meals each day and, If was dead, they
had neglected to bury me. After IA months
of procuring atiidavits, satisfied the depart
ment at Washington that | WAS yet on deck ;
and then, after suspense Of two years,
was informed that had been allowed pen
sion of 81 per month for gun shot wound in
left groin. | at once maize protest and
most alphabetically refused to accept OF such
q subter:uge in consideration of havi"g lled
o claim for paralysis resulting from the
wound and, while at the Philadelphia Hos
pital, Pa, in September, was informed that
my claim had been made Especial" was
there examined by surgeons appointed by
the department. / then wrote n. w. },
Sawcil, manager of the National Home at
Camden, N. J =, requesting admission to the
Marion Branch, which was promptly COM
piled with and transportation furnished and
here l am waiting for the clouds to roll by