The Sunday globe., 1901-07-28


hotel, last night a well-known Wash
ingtonian, who served as surgeon in
the Confederacy, told this remarkable
story, and The Globe man, reproduces
1t as an evidence of the great humanity
which prevailed in both armies to-
wards the wounded as we'll as an illus
tration Of the lifelong friendships
which sometimes have their inception
on the battlefield between contending
foemen.
'It was at the battle Of Malvern Hill.
in Virginia July, 1862, and the next
morning after that battle, when Gen
eral Mcclellan had retreated to Har-
rbon's Landing | was with the medi-
cal corps and went over the battlefield
to gather up the wounded il any were
left on the field, after the close Of the
battle of the previous night. 1t was
Just after the dawn of day that we
started on our mission Of mercy and
humanity, to look after and minister
to the unfortunates who had been
wounded | was passing over that por-
tion of the field held by the COnfed-
crates, across the level plain Of several
hundred yards before reaching the
where McClellans line was formed and
from which point his command dealt to
cur ranks a storm of grape, canister
and musketry, thinning our ranks like
a Mccormick reaper in a haryest-held.
AS we reached the top of the hill the
sun was creeping up over the horizon,
through a thick cloud Of fog from the
James River, as though 1t were ysiled
in mourning and refusing to throw It's
light upon the CHASTITY scene OF death
and suffering which spread for miles
around As | was passing over the
field | saw the form Of Federal sol
der. prostrated under the protecting
branches Q a tree. | went to see II ne
was dead, or, if wounded, what | could
do for him My attention was attract
ed to a small piece of paper in the but
tonhole of his coat, which bore the fol
lowing touching words, Will some gen.
erous foe please give this body a sol
dier's burial | stopped over his man
ly form, a fine specimen OF humanity.
! raised his head to see If the spark or
life had passed away After opening
his coat and placing my trained hand
over his heart, | detected feeble pull
sation. | called two of my best men in
the ambulance corps, and directed
them to raise him up We placed him
against the tree, in a sitting position,
and I commenced making friction over
the muscles of the throat to aid sWal-
lowing. BY this means he was able to
swallow some diluted whisky, the
strength OF which was increased, after
| had ascertained the location and con
dition Of his wound. | found that a
musket ball had passed through the up
per portion of the thigh, fracturing the
large bone of the thigh.
After placing a turnicet on the thigh
to prevent hemorrhage, | ordered fire.
duent libations of whisky to be given
until he was fully restored to con-
seriousness. One Of the men remained
with him until I returned. After 60
ing to the limit of the Federal line,
returned to where the wounded officer
was left. I found him braced up
against the tree / asked him how he
felt.
"Oh." said he, 81 feel pretty we'll
When ! came to myself | found some
kind one had taken care of me. | have
one request to make to you, doctor:
Please do not amputate my leg. | had
rather lose my life than this limb"
"T assured him, if it were possible
for me to prevent amputatiOn it should
not be done. With this assurance he
smiled, and asked If | would shake
hands with him, It is needless to say,
after the handshake we were brothers
in two benevolent orders. The weather
was very hot. and our hospital supplies
were greatly exhausted, the result of
seven days hard fighting. Notwith-
standing the many chances against me,
/ was determined to use every influence
and effort to comply with the request
of a brave and helpless soldier, | had
the litter-bearers to take him TO the
field hospital, where his wound was
examined at my request by the brigade
surgeon, who was a member Of the
same orders as the colonel and myself
I had his assurance that the limb
should not be taken Off If the officer so
requested. When the wounded were
sent to Richmond | wrote a note to
the surgeon in charge of the hospital
to which he was sent asking him to
look after this brother in blue and save
has leg If possible. When my command
was ordered to move from the penin-
sula to northern Virginia, as we passed
through Richmond | called at the hos
pital to see the wounded officer
found him rapidly recovering from his
wound ! bade him good bye and
moved on to second Manassas and
Slaughter Mountain and the Maryland
campaign. When Lees army went into
winter quarters | managed to secure
a detail to go to Richmond to secure
medical supplies for the brigade. When
I arrived there I went to the hospital
to inquire after the wounded officer. |
was informed by the surgeon in charge
that he had recovered entirely and was
then in Libby Prison. | went to the
prison with the proper permit to see
my friend When he came into the
room he did not remember me until I
made myself known. Then he made a
rush for me like a long absent son to
his father. No language can ever de.
scribe my feelings on that occasion.
We were both soldiers but not too cow
ardly to shed tears Of joy at our meet
ing An hour with him seemed like a
few moments. As | shook him by the
hand to say farewell. I asked If there
was anything | could do for him. He
said, There is but one thing I pre-
sumo at this time II will be impossible
to accomplish that What can 1t be,
that is so impossible? | replied Get
me exchanged was the quick answer.
I will do II, my brother / let the
prison and went to the capital where
the Confederate Congress was in ses-
sion, and called on my uncle, who was
member of the Senate I laid my
wishes before him, but he did not give
me any encouragement. left him not
In as pleasant a mood as when ! first
greeted him. From there went to see