The progress-advertiser. (Lexington, Miss.) 1902-1903, 1902-11-07
AN INTERESTING LETTER
READ BY DIR. PHILLIPS
AT THE LAST MEETING OF THE HOLMES COUNTY VETERANS
CAPT. 0LTENBURG HAS BEEN REQUESTED
TO PREPARE AIN ARTICLE TO
BE READ NEXTMEETNG.

which, first one and then the other
would be blown out. The case was
SO urgent however, that determind
to operate, even under these difficult.
ties. AS the amputation was to be
at the shoulder joint, no compression
of the blood vessels could be main
tanned. So | with the understand
| ing that Dir. McMillen, a large strong
man, was to grab the lower flap, as
soon as cut, with thuqbs across it
COMPRISING the bleeding artery.
The bone was shattered by piece Of
shell SO that | was forced to sweep
the knife around to disarticulate the
head, Mes thumb was in the way,
"hold on he says you are cutting
my thumb Il can't stop says but
damn it Phillips it hurts, you are cut
ting right into my thumb says he,
Hold hard Nc says I, this mans life
is in your hand and you must not
turn loose" Nc did hold, and the
mans life was saved, but Nc had a
sore thumb for some time About 8
o'clock that night I received orders
TO load up the wounded and start at
once with them to Holly Springs, on
the same road that we came to Cor
rinth on; To travel until reached the
bridge across the Hatcher River: toI
stop there long enough to dress the
wounds of the men and to feed
them; that a quartermaster sargeon
would be sent with me, with funds to
buy provisions and that ! might de-
tail an assistant surgeon to 60 with
and assist mel secected DR.. B. 7.
Kittrell of the 22nd Miss, Reg
ment, we placed the wounded mostly
in wagons that had been used for
hauling provisions and forage for the
army, there being only five or six am
butates, in which the worst wound
ed were placed until filled, some were
too badly hurt to be moved, but they
begged not to be left, and had all
loaded as best | could with straw and
leaves in the wagon beds. These
were the regular army four mule wag-
ons without springs. We got started
between ten and eleven o'clock that
night. About twelve o'clock we came
to a creek bottom, where the dark
ness was so intense that the drivers
could not see the road and the jolt
ing so great from running into ruts
and over stumps that the wounded
could not stand it so ! was forced to
lisobey orders and halted the train.
We stopped right in the road, and
lrivers mules and all who could, ex-
,ept myself went to sleep, was aw-
'ully sleepy but had to stay awake
% start the train as soon as day be- !;
ran to break and the drivers could
zee to avoid rough places. We pro- !
seeded without incident until we |
'eached Hatchie bridge about IL
}clock on the 5th. The train had
ust stopped and the team Of the front
ambulance unhitched, when two cav |
Try men came charging across the i
ridge, at full speed, there hats in !
heir hands. Shouting go bacak,
70 back the emmy are just across the !
,ther side. told the division to !
urn round and drive to the edge Of :
f the woods On the PLATEAU above the "
iver bottom and wait further ordes;to
0 give DR.. Kittrelland myself all the !
anteens we could pack and we would
ring the men water, many Of them
we're suffering and calling for it, we
lot having been APPLE to get any one !
cute, DR. Kittrell and | hitched our
lorses, went down the stream and !
Tiled about a dozen canteens apiece