The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-04-17


now about 10 a. NJ, Sunday. had been
lying there since noon on Saturday, OF
% hours. Nan,
After going about half mile the cot
was let down, the blanket drawn back,
and man leaned OYER and kissed me. ]
Immediately recognized First Lieutenant
FIELDS, of my company. 1t looks very silly
for any man to kiss another but this was
pardonable. It was q kiss Of true affec-
ton and, l might say, congratulatiOn that
| had been found alive, and II was so re-
ceived and appreciated. Poor fellow,
how little we thought then l would Outlive
him. He was mOrtally wounded at
Shiloh.
| On arriving at the river it was found
that the hospital boats were full, and
was carried on board Gen. Grants head
quarters boat, the New Uncle Sam"
My boots, pants and stiffly- frozen cloth
ing were cut in pieces to get them off;
then my cot was carried aft, and set down
beside that of Col. John A. Logan, who
had been wounded in the arm, as before
stated.
In few moments Gen. Grants Chief
Surgeon examined my wounds, and told
me he could do nothing for me, as all the
appliances. such as my case required, were
in use. Mrs. Logan came the next day,
and was very attentive to every want, and
did everything size could for US.
After remaining here about a week,
Gen. Grant directed the hospital boat
City of Memphis" which was leaving
for Cairo, to come alongside, so that
could be carried on board. AS they raised
the front part of the cot to their shout
ders to take me evenly down the stairway,
both sides broke in two, and my legs and
body were thrown into the shape of the
letter V. l felt the sharply fractured
thigh bone, which the rigid muscles had
drawn nearly into the hipsoCket, cut its
way through the flesh below. This and
the sudden bringing into action of the
liberated muscular fbers, gave me most
intense pain. | set my teeth together and
said nothing. Another cot was procured,
and | was placed upon it and taken on
board the hospital boat and my cot set
Gown in the aftcTcabin.
Soon after, the four Surgeons III charge
came to me and made thorough examna-
ton of my wounds, then stepped to one
side and held q consultation. In short
time they came tC me and stated that they
did not all agree, but majority thought
Il hip amputatIOn of the right leg was
necessary, and the left thigh, one thought.
should he GInputated at the upper third"
as he called it. / told them ] should de-
eide with the minority, and that under no
circumstances would | consent to either.
that if | would allow them to give Inc
choroform they would not touch either l
told them to so ahead, and they com
mcnctd 10 administer it, and shortly after
was insensible.
On awakirg and looking at my watch,
found l bad been IL hours under its
Influence. l was suffering most intense
pain in the right foot and leg Raising
lay head | saw both had been tightly
har ,tvitl I, A ;naI
appliance with hinges so it would con-
form to the shape of the leg and body,
extended from my right side down to my
foot, where it terminated in a fiat wooden
shoe, which was bound to the foot.
Strong bangages extended downward
from the upper end, which were fastened
around the thigh. This was to prevent the
broken bone from moving further upward,
ard to bring it back, If possible, to its
original position 1t was too weak Al
affair fer me, and. did no good whatever.
A hlock-and-tackle was the only thing
that would overcome the eight days' con
traction OF the large and rigid muscles of
the thigh. ~ r-,... .
| called Surg, on and l. id him he must
take tie haDdnges from my foot and tie
lower part of my leg at once; that they
felt as though they were in fire; that my
feet and legs had been frozen, and wece
extremely Snder.
After some persuasion he reluctantly
did so. In about four days we arrived at
Cairo, and | was taken from the hosp nj
boat and placed on board the steamer
WAR Eagle" which Immediately left for
st. Louis.
There were large number of wounded
Confederates on board, and several Con-
federate Surgeons. With one | became
well acquainted; he sat by me much of
~. Id lI,l
was an educated and intelligent physician
| am sorry have forgotten his name and
command.
HOSPITAL EXPERIENCES.
We finally, after just one weeks jour
ncy ON both boats, arrived Z; st. Louis,
and | was carried to a hospital. Short
~ @tter my arrival, DR.. John z. Hodgen,
the Surgeon-in-Charge, came to me and
,oCk off the wooden trap" | must cal
it, as il was of no use, eXccp: for torture,
he extension screw being broken. He re-
marked, That is the most murderous ma
chine | ever saw on a man."
was now placed on a bed and
thoroughly examined. My throat had been
very sore for several days, caused by ex-
posure, and it was found it would soon
develop into diphthcria. My neck, throat
and breast at once received thick coat
ing OF iodine. Two 10-pOund bags of sand
were fastened to q cord, which passed
over a pulley in the foOt-board. This was
fastened to my right foot. As a counter
extension, Il rope was passed between my
legs, coming up over my breast, and
fastened to the headboard. A few days
after, to partially relieve the cutting of
the rope, the foot of the bed was raised
is inches, by placing boxes under the legs.
Sand bags were placed under my right leg
ard thigh and one against the right hip,
to press in the head of the thigh bone,
which was being forced out of the socket
by the end of the fractured bone, which
was still being drawn upward by the
large muscles of the thigh; the right knee
being nearly four inches above the left.
Two weeks had passed since | was
wounded, and this was the first proper
treatment that | had received, owing to
the want of suitable surgical appliances.
l pressed DR.. Hodgen closely as to the
probable chances of my recovery. He ap-
peared to be very reluctant to talk about
it, but upon my assuring him that any
opinion he might express would not affect
me i'll the least, he said: You are in n
very precarious condition, and it all de-
ponds upon your constitution and your
ability to bear up under the treatment"
In 10 days he said he could give more
certain opinion. At the expiration of that
tune he told me the chances were favor
able for my recovery.
My personal sufferings were now greater
and more numerous than eyer.
| do not recollect of having closed my
eyes, except on the hospital boat, while