Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1899-12-27
4 ~RnnARKABLD CASE.
A soldiers Head Shattered BY q Philip
MAE She'll sad Ne rlves

pine Shell and he sun Lives.
The following account Of Private Char
les 8. Wilson's sufferings 10 the far OF
Philippines will be read with deep In
terest BY the many friends Of Mrs. John
Ailard. OF Deming. and whose grandson
young Wilson lie, says the Deming Head.
light:
washington, ID. c.. December Is. -
The VA department has received o
special report upon the case Of Private
Uhas. B. Wilson, Of Company 1, Ninth In
tantry, q resident Of Coffeyville, Kans..
who was wounded In action In the Philip
pines. The remarkable fact about viii
sons case Is the marvellous vitality which
he exhibited. At the outbreak Of the
war wills ,n eudeavored to enlist In the
Twentieth Kansas volunteers, but was
rejscted on account Of his youth and
light weight. He subsequently, enlisted
in the Ninth infantry and accompanied
that regiment 10 Manila. The FIRST day
that " lson was on guard the insurgents
made an attack on Angeles, and made
liberal use Of their artillery. As Wilson
was crouching behind the breastworks,
peppering away at the enemy, . shell
from one OF their guns exploded almost
directly In his facs.
No less than twelve pieces Of the shell
struck his head, but strange to say, did
not kill him. The main part OF his FORE
head wa torn away, the right ear drum
was burst, q jagged piece Of iron was
imoedded In the bridge Of his nose. and
small pieces Of the prof sctile we're driven
into his neck. His entire face seemed TO
be n gaping powder. blsckened wound,
from which the blood poured forth In
streams. His frontal bone was fractured
in several places. Notwithstanding his
injuries, he retained consciousness until
after he had been carried some distance
on o stretcher, when he swooned away.
When he recovered he was on the opera
ting table in the hospital. and he heard
one surgeon say TO another that IL was
hardly worth while TO dress the wound,
a. the patient would die In . few min.
utes.
But wils,n had q different opinion on
the subjsct, and took occasion TO Inform
the s.tonished doctors that he had no In
tentton Of dying. Encouraged by this
unlocked for ch~serfulnsss. the doctors,
although satisfied that Wilson could not
| survive, put forth their utmost endssv.
ors TO save his life. The horrible wounds
were dressed with tenderest care, and the
badly fractured skull WA strengthened
with silver plates. Wilson tainted under
tha operation. and the attendants Ger
tainly thought he would die. In fact
when Wilson next opened his eyes be
saw that a cofiia was being prepared Tor
| his interment. To the surprise OF every.
body. the brave soldier gradually gained
In strength, and the deep and Jagged
wounds in his head began to heal. His
youth and previous good health and his
excellent habits we're oil In his favor.
but the wondering doctors could hardly
account for the wOndrous amount oil
stamina and vitality displayed by the
young Kansan. One surgeon j0kingly
suggested that he would live II his head
was cut of. and another said he could
not be- killed by q railroad train.
In less than q month after receiving
his wounds Wilson was able to be out or
the street, but IL will be some time be.
fore his many wounds are entirely heal
ed. He will be sent to his home In Kan
sss "a sOon a. he Il able to undertake the
log voyage. Although the ensmy's gun
has sadly disfgursd the young man
face, II has left q mark which every trul
patriot will respect and honor.