The National tribune., 1904-07-07
HOSPITAL SCENES.
Sufferings Of the Heroes Who Fought the
Battles Of the Union.

Sufferings Of the Heroes Who Fought the
Battles Of the Union.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: We have
had intensely interesting articles on
Fighting Them Over" in The National
Tribune, for many years past, but very
little of hospital experience. Let me DIVER
sify the matter little.
was FIRST Lieutenant and A. d. c. on
the staff of Gen. a. q. Draper, command
ing Second Brigade, Third Division,
Eighteenth Corps, and participated in the
terrible, bloody, but successful, charge by
this command on the rebel works at New
Market lights, Va, Sept. -, 1864. did
not enjoy the coveted privilege of getting
over the works. as, in the heat OF the
charge, q rebel bullet about the size of a
large peanut, struck me in the hollow OF
the left hip, passed, like a red-hOt iron,
behind the spine and lodged just under
the skin, near the right hip joint, un-
horsing me. | lay, unconscious, from
quarter to half an hour. Some time after
the works had been taken, two men, COM
ing to the rear, discovered and knew me.
They got me on 4 blanket, took the four
corners and bobbed me along as best they
could, to a house in the rear, surrounded
by large shade trees, where they were col
lecting the wounded and waiting for Sur
geons and ambulances. My lower limbs
were paralyzed. En- route in the blanket
/ could look down and see the blood ON
my clothes, but for the life of me could
not tell just where l was wounded.
While lying on the grass under the trees
searched for my wound; put my finger
on the hole where the ball entered; traced
the direction by the soreness, across my
back, and felt the ball at my right hip.
| was greatly relieved for l was fearful
that | was shot through the bowels. A
Lieut.. Richardson was placed in the same
ambulance with me- lie was shot through
ing under his shoulder blade. He appeared
to suffer great agony. We were taken
to the bank of the James River, and lay
there until evening, waiting for the steam
er to be loaded with wounded. We had
been wounded about daylight. About noon
Mr.. Kuhn, suffers clerk. came to me and
asked if there was anything he could do.
| told him l was furnishing. lie got a
pound of tea cakes and a three-pound can
of peaches. opened the can, and l ate the
whole commissary. Never tasted anything
better. | hope he is still living and happy.
At dark the steamer started down the
river, with $50 wounded aboard. / was
in cot on the lower deck and the Sur
geon's operating table was close beside
and amputation OF limbs during the whole
night. One poor fellow wandered around
the cots all night, groaning. He was shot
| across both eyes and through his nose
totally blind-his face mass Of coagu
lated blood. A number died during the
| night; one on the cot next to mine.
At daylight we reached Fortress Mon
| roe, and were taken in ambulances to the
Officers General Hospital, which was in
what had been female seminary. l was
| placed on cot near the center of the
auditorium, large room, where there
were some - or 80 cots already occu-
pied The ball was cut from my hip the
morning of the ninth day. 1t is unneces-
sary to speak of my physical sufferings
Quite a number thought l would die, but
| ! never once thought SO, and l didn't die
| Enough for myself.
a large broad-shouldered German. by
| name Deitman, from a Maryland cavalry
regiment, was over on my right. He had
| been there some time; was just getting
| by the hospital, with his right leg ampu-
| tated at the knee; would be- ready to 20
home soon. The room was scrubbed the
night after / got there, and was not dry
| in the morning. Deitman came across the
| floor on his crutches, with shirt and draw
ers on. leg of drawers pinned up over his
stub OF leg. ] was asleep from exhaus-
| ton. lie was going to the water tank for
drink. Beside my cot one crutch slipped
and down he went with heavy thud, the
wounded stump striking square on the
| floor. The weight cut the bone clear
through the flesh. He tainted and was
carried back to his cot. Gangrene set in ::
his leg was reamputated. and the poor fell
low was still there when l left for home
on convelescent's furlough.
| A tall, fne-looking Lieutenant. named
Swartout. from New York regiment, was
| there. walking around. His left arm
was knocked off at the elbow. at the ia
nous Dutch Gap Canal. by fragment of
| shell. Gangrene set in and the stump had
| been ampntated three times. the last at
the shoulder joint. 1t was doing we'll then,
| still sticking out. and had to slough off
and come away before the wound could
heal His solicitude was touching. 1t
was his last chance. Ii the arteries broke
or gangrene set in he was gone. and he
knew it. He would sit on the side of my
cot and gently, oh. so gently, twist the
ligatures every day to see if they were
ready. will never forget the expression
of great JOY that passed over his handsome
face when, one day. the last one came safe
ly away. lie soon went home. | hope he
is living and will see this
One more incident and l will not tres
pass further now. A Capt Hall lay on n
been shattered, and they were trying to
save his leg. His leg lay on rubber
blanket. with long bag Of sand on each
side OF it. A cask,- suspended. was con-
tinuously dripping cold water on his
wound. One day, when | comd get to him
on my crutches. l asked him what the
probabilities were for saving his leg lie
said he did not know. and then be reached
down under one Of the sand bags with his
finger and pulled ont several maagots.
That don't look very encouraging, does
ity he said. His wife came soon after.
and he was removed to private room,