Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-09-16
Unknown Heroea.

The story recently told in the Youths
Companion Of Lord Nelson's heroism
in submitting to a surgical operation
has brought that periodical very in
teresting letter from Or. r. s. Dana,
, of Morrisville, Pa, who was surgeon
In the One Hundred and Seventh Penn
sylvnaia Volunteers during the civil
war. DR.. Dana adduces several Incl
dents from his own experience to prove
that instances Of extreme heroism
were almost Of everyday occurrence
during our great conflict.
The day after the battle Of Antietam
Or. Dana and another surgeon were in
sole charge Of a hospital In a barn on
the road from Keedysville and Smoke
town, in Maryland, and near the ia
nous long-contested corn-field. A SOL
der was brought from that field with
his knee shattered by q musket-ball
Amputation was necessary, and
anesthetics were prepared. NO." ex-
claimed the soldier; don't give me any
Of that! l want to see the thing done.
Give me piece Of bareback to MUNICH
The square of hardtack was given him;
his head was propped up SO that he
could see the operation; and there, nib
bling his cracker, he bore the whole am
putation without murnur, and with
scarcely a wrinkle Of his brows.
Such stoicism in great general
would have become memorable; this
| private soldiers name is unknown.
At the battle of Five Forks, April 1,
| {,re,t
ate corps had been forced from their
entertainments, and were being closely
! followed up, mounted colonel rode
| up to DR.. Dana. His name the doctor
did not ask, because such details were
| OF minor Importance. The COlonelS
| left shoulder had been struck by q
piece of shell, which, falling edgewise,
had taken from the shoulder blade the
flesh over a strip about two and a half
inches wide and four inches long, leav-
| ing bridge of skin over the wound.
The Colonel was all questions. 1--WE
been hit; is it bad? DO it up as quickly
as you can. Is it dangerous? May
go on with my regiment? l would not
leave the regiment now for anything.
unless must"
DR.. Dana made an examination and
reported no immediate danger, but a
| serious wound that would give trouble
in the future, and great Inconvenience,
to say the least, by the morrow.
| Never mind Tomorrow" said the
Colonel. Il don't care anything about
that II can get along to-dayv
Meantime the surgeon was dressing
the wound; he made the Colonel as
comfortable as possible, removing the
coat and sleeve from the left arm and
shoulder and carrying them under the
arm around to the other side Of the coat
in front, SO as to keep the coat on the
well side. The surgeon assisted him to
raount; and with his left arm and
shoulder in his shirt sleeve only he
spurred on to the fray.
| II have neither seen nor heard of him
SINCE" writes DIR. Dana; ''there were
many others like him."
One such, exactly Like him, but hap
PLY not unknown, was Gen. Charles
R1ssell Lowell, nephew Of the poet.
Mortally wounded Mt Winchester, he
was helped upon his horse. led another
charge, was nit again, and died the
next day. He was one Of the poets
three nephews. All Of them were killed
in the war, and 1t was Of them that
Lowell wrote In The Biglow Papers,"
Why, hain't held 'em on my knee?
Didn't love to see 'em CROWN,
Three likely lads CT wal could be,
Handsome an brave, an not tn know.
| in!