Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-25
DR.. HENRY GhMER.
RE MiNiscsNcEs OF THIS POPULAR
CITIZEN OF BATH.
A Remarkably Brave aud Good Man
Exciting Adventures In War
and Peace.
To he Editor of The Dispdtch :

To ne Editor of The DISPATCH
Az there seems to be much confusion in
the minds of his friends as to the fact. l
will say that DR.. Henry Gllmer. of Heal
imp Springs. Bath county. Is dead. He
died some weeks ago ut the Healing, where
he had resided and practiced medicine tor
many years.
The Doctor was. In. many respects. re-
markable man. A Drawer man never lived
than DR.. Henry Gilmer. Educated at
"oid.feldn schools. he never thought of
medicine as profession till he was high
In his thirties He then read medicine,
attended lectures. and entered upon the
practice of medicine somewhere about MS
10th year. Seemingly cut out specially
tor a doctor he soon achieved quite a sue
cess III his chosen profession, ana Tor
nearly n quarter OF century mas Deen
riding the mountains far and near In ful-
filment OF the duties of his calling. And
his loss will be greatly felt and mourned
over wide section of that wild country.
and especially IN Bath county, where he
was pest known.
The Doctor was born and raised in
Rockingham county, but drltted over the
mountains west, where he has ever since
resided-in Monroe. GreenbrIer. and Bath
counties. Although exempted by law. on
account of his age, when the war broke
out ne volunteered in the Confederate
service ~ aprlvate. and served one year IN
that capacity with credit TO himself and
the service. As there was great nome &c
mand for doctors. his first years service
having expired, he renamed with his peo-
pie for the remainder OF the war, but he
could not remain idle.
WAR ADVENTURE.
A Federal picket being stationed near
him, he and some friends conceived the
idea of trying 10 capture that picket ana
proceeded TO do II. They met at gwen
pnce and proceeded cautiously till they
reached certain point. where they were
10 set up a veil like so many Comanches
and swoop down upon the picket and XIII
or capture IL before II had time to horse.
But the picket was awake and ready TO
mount and meet the charge half way. a
pistol ball from n Federal soldier struck
the Doctor IN the face just below his right
nostril. knocked out four OF his teeth, ana
sent him reelIng DO IN the MIL, whore he
was left for dead. He was found soon
after the allrav by some friends IN an I'M
conscious condition. but be soon came TO
lite and CONSEQUENCES. What became Of
the pIstol-bal has never been found out.
Il carried with 1t back under the base OF
the skull one of the four teeth Knocked
ont. which tooth was found about year
after the war by the writer Embedded, a.
above said, III the teguments Mt the base or
the skull, where 1t had been for nearly
three years. This experience lost him his
right eve. and his health was never alter
wards what might be called robust az 1t
was before.
HUNTING ACCIDENT.
Some years after this episode he vas ont
hunting with some young Richmond
bloods and, returning late III the evening 10
Healing. they stopped at the Hot Springs q
few minutes, and the Doctor was le!tto hold
the horses whilst the others got soma re-
freshments. The guns lOaded) being
strapped TO tho saddles and the bOrses be-
coming unrny. one OF the guns was fired
of and the whole load Of buckshot passed
through the Doctors right wrist. tearing
it almost into shrcds A council Of
three doctors sat upon that wrist
and resolved that the hand would have
10 come of. but the Doctor SAID no: that
he had brought that hand into the world
when he came. and. God willing, he would
take il along with him when he went.
The wound healed. but ever afterwards
the wrist was stiff ana immOblle. There
are other stories connected with the Doe
tors life which would not toe without in
terest-hunting stories and daring teats-
but | must close here. G. n. II.