The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-09-25
THE INJURED In BATTLE.
Experience of a Surgeon During the
Civil War.

1t was my good fortune to meet the
other day an old army surgeon, who
prescribed for me when 1 was sick
over 30 years ago "'way down South
in Dixie" He has done nothing in a
medical way for some years, having
amassed competency since the war,
and is now retired from active practice,
although he does not let himself get
rusty in matters pertaining to his pro:
fession. He is great reader, and
nothing new in the medical or surgical
line escapes him, and he is as eager
in his old age to use the knife as he
was in his prime. He is also genial
companion, and nothing delights him
more than to relate some Of his expert
.ences while in the service Of the Fed
eral Government during the war.
'sThe surgeon must be man Of rare
courage and presence of mind, said
he to me in the course Of little chat,
"not only in time Of peace, but on the
battlefield, for on his promptness and
skill depends the fate Of many poor
fellows mangled by shot and shell. 1
we'll remember the first battle | wit
messed and the first operation per
formed. I do not hesitate to say that
I felt little difhdent, nor do | hesi-
tate to say that the cold chills ran up
and down my back when the mimic
balls whistled closely to where the
field hospital was established. This
was at the battle Of first Bull Run,
when the Union forces had over 400
killed and more than 1000 wounded.
There was not much for me to do dur
ing the forenoon, and I did not have q
case more serious than slight gunshot
wounds until after 3 p. M, when a
number of men mangled by shells
were brought in, and I and my assist
ants were soon engaged in the humane
task of trying to save the lives OF the
brave fellows. One soldier in parti-
cular I remember, for he was my first
patient. He was a perfect specimen
of manhood, broad-chested, muscular
and well-developed. A she'll had
struck. him on the right arm, just be-
low the elbow, shattering the bones
and necessitating amputation. He
was laid on the bare earth-we had no
operating table-and a sponge saturat-
ed with ether placed at his nostrils;
but he objected very energetically:
No, doctor, said he, 'Iwon't be made
insensible. Cut off my arm, if you
must, but I want to see you do it. ;
He had his way, and during the opera
ton he never uttered a murmer, or
scarcely moved a muscle. When all
was over he coolly thanked me and
said he would go to the front again
with the left arm, if he recovered, if
the Government needed him.
"It was an interesting study for me
to observe the difference in soldiers
when suffering from wounds before
being treated by the surgeon, and
while on the operating table. Some
were cool and seemingly Indifferent to
pain, while others would beg to be
made insensible, and often those who
were slightly hurt made more noise
than those that were fatally injured.
Two serious cases out of the many l
dealt with occur to me. l remember
them more readily, perhaps, because
they were Michigan men, with the
rank of captain, I believe. You re-
member the battle of Winchester,
September 19, 1864? Yes? Well, on
the morning Of the fight the cavalry
brigade to which was attached made
an attempt to effect crossing at
Burns Ford, some miles below Win
chester. The hospital had been es-
tablished in little piece Of woods on
the east side of the Opequan, near the
ford. Three times did the brigade
try to cross before success crowned
their efforts, the sharpshooters on the
bluff opposite being very hard to dis
lodge. In short time the wounded
began to come in, some slightly and
others severely hurt. Among the lat
ter was one of the officers have men
toned. A sharpshooter's bullet had
struck him on the point of the elbow,
passing up and emerging about three
inches from the shoulder, shattering
the bone in its passage. 1t was a bad
wound, and difficult one to deal
with, the arm having to be cut off so
near the shoulder. However, / deter
mined to do the best [ could, and soon
the patient was ready for the knife.
l wanted to give him chloroform, but
he would not have none of it. He
assured me that his nerves were good,
and that he needed nothing to help
him bear the pain. ! was afraid of
him, but at last concluded to let him
have his way. He was true to his
word. During the entire operation he
never uttered groan nor made any
intimation that he suffered in the
least. This was the best exhibition
of nerve had ever seen in my army
practice, not excepting the one have
previously mentioned.
"The other officer alluded to was of