Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-11-28
TOGUS LETTER.
A Sad Tale Of Suffering Endured by
Member of Home.
Mrs. General Custer TO Lecture THANKSGIVING
Evening at Opera House.

Togus, Nov. 27.-(SpeciaD As an
illustration Of what some men who are
here, have suffered, since the close Of the
war, the following is one of many cases
In the spring of 1861 boy of Il enlisted
rs a private in Ellsworth 5 Zouaves. He
served with this regiment until it was
mustered ont in the summer Of 1862. This
young man ut once re-enlisted in three
months regiment from New York and
served his time. When he was mustered
| out the second time he staid at home a
| short time and finally again enisted, this
| time in Massachusetts, regiment.
All went well with him until the battle
of Bristoe Station, Oct. II, 1868. In that
engagement he was wounded in both legs
by shrapnel. The wounds healed in due
| time and at the expiration of two months.
being young and full OF ambition he again
joined his regiment. He participated in
| all the engagements in which his regi-
ment took part, although his legs con
tinucd to trouble him very much. He was
obliged to have them bandaged nearly all
the time on account of their swollen con-
diton.
Finally at Spottsylvania, on May Is,
1864, he was struck by a piece OF shell
about half way between the elbow and
shoulder, taking out over two inches OF
| the bone of the arm. The blood flowed 50
profuscly from his wound that his cloth
ing was completely saturated. but he man
aged to reach the line of breaStworks
which the Union forces had occupied few
days before, and there, after repeated
trials by his comrades to stop the flow of
blood, the bandagcs We're taken from his
legs and bound tightly around the arm
at the shoulder, and the flow of blood
checked. But none too soon. A short
time more and he to would have been
among the number of those reported fata-
lily wounded.
He remained in the Mansion House
hospital at Alexandria, Va, until his final
discharge in June, 1868. His arm did not
heal for over year afterward. Since then
this man never has ceased to suffer from
the effects of that wound. He has had
two severe operations performed, when
pieces of bone were Clipped off and then
the sharp edges filed smooth, being upon
| the operating table fully thrccfourths OF
an hour each time. He has had more than
20 incisions made to relieve the collection
of pus, and several times the wound has
broken open itself, when he would be
obliged to have the arm poulticed for a
long time, six times daily. When the
writer asked permission to tell his story,
he only consented upon the promise that
no name should be used These men her,
bear patiently their sutfCrings and are not
| bOastful. All they ask is to be given
what the government intends they should
have and this they expect as their right.
But few mon are now going ont on fur
lough Even the temptation of Thanks
giving feast with friends is not sufficient
temptation to give up the bed they now
nave with the possibility of sleeping ON
the floor when they come back.
The following is the bill of fare fo,
Thanksgiving:
DINNER.
Roast Turkey. Cranberry Sauce.
Giblet Sauce Mashed Potatoes.
Boiled Onions. Sweet Potatoes. Pickles.
Bread. Butter,
DESSERT.
Mincc Pie. Cheese.
Florida ORANGES. Bananas.
Coffee.
Ii will take about $500 pounds of t,r-
ht'NS, utiSilCtN vi SNtii - btiHll-
els of common potatoes, for the mashed
potatoes, II bushels Of onions, 250 quarts
of cranberries, 40 gallons of giblct sauce,
13 boxes of oranges and 800 mincc pics.
At the lecture to be given, Thursday
evening. Ey Mrs. Gen. Custer, Prof.
Themes Orchestra will present the fol-
lowing programme:
Overture" America" Toban
Theme and Var.-"Life Let Us Cherish
Farmer arr. by Theme
Violin Solo by Miss Gertrude Z. Morgan,
Fantasia-'A Hunt in the Black Forest
(Descriptiye). NoelkcI
Capt A. l.. Smith acting treasurer,
finds plenty to occupy his time looking
out for both the treasurcr's office and the
quartermaster and commissary depart
mentS.
Number of patients in hospital, 257
number of members ON morning report,
1912.
Died, Nov -. Fisher Copeland, Co. A,
I'd Massachusetts, Cavalry.