The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-12-05
TALE OF GETTYSBURG FIGHT
commissIoner Of Soldiers Relief foI
City Of Boston Saved Life by
Holding Onto a Towel.

John u. Gilman. commissioners OF
soldiers relief for the city OF Boston,
lost his right arm In the second days
fighting at Gettysburg and saved his
life by a desperate expedient. with the
assistance of some of his comrades.
Mr., Gilman. boy OF eighteen. was o
private in Company -, Twelfth
Massachusetts infantry. the regiment
that was raised and commanded by
Col Fletcher Webster. a son OF Daniel
Webster At Gettysburg the regiment
numbered only 200 men, as II had lost
heavily in previous engagements; the
colonel was killed at the second bat
tie Of Bull Run.
On the morning OF July the
Twelfth Massachusetts halted near the
theological seminary, about n mile
and half west OF Gettysburg. On the
first day It moved by flank TO the
north along the Mummasburg road.
The enemy making demonstration
along the left flank, the regiment
changed front and occupied the crest
OF a hill. This position enabled the
brigade Of which the Twelfth was a
part to deliver an enfilading fire into
the advancing lines Of the enemy.
That day the brigade captured lver
sons North Carolina brigade, and after
dark detail was made up 70 take the
prisoners to tho rear.
Il was a member of that detail"
said Mr.. Gilman. THE trip TO the
provost mashal's camp with the pris
oners and the march back to our front
took up all night Early in the morn
ing of July / got back to my regi'
ment on the line Of the second and
third days battle at Zieglers Grove.
I'VE had scarcely finished our coffee
when the Smelling by the Confederates
began. The shells were coming thick,
and was walking behind low stone
fence, trailing my gun, when a piece
of shell struck me and tore off my
right arm.
THE bone was shattered at the ell
bow and the flesh torn off nearly to my
shoulder, but the forearm hung by the
muscles. George N. Hill, one OF the
drummers, and several OF the other
boys came to my assistance. They got
a towel from my knapsack and bound
1t tightly around my arm, just below
the shoulder.
Il had to hold the tournaquet with
my left hand to keep it from slipping.
Sergeant Riva and one or two Of the
other boys were ordered to assist me
to the field hospital in the rear.
THE road back was one OF the
toughest l ever Travelled. We had to
cross a plowed field, and the shells
were falling all about us and tearing
up the earth. One burst near US and a
shower of earth covered us. But the
sergeant and l escaped injury, al
though it was so dark for time that
neither knew what had happened to
the other.
81 was becoming so weak from loss
Of blood that could not keep on. So
the boys laid me on my blanket and
carried me the rest Of the way to a
Cluulp VI LltSot MhCAo q WhllC- -hoAA OA
old surgeon attached to a Brooklyn
regiment had his tables.
Il was still holding on to the towel
with my left hand when l was placed
on the operating table.
my boy, said the surgeon, have
you been holding that towel all this
timer l said had. My boy he said,
you have saved your life. In three or
four minutes your body would have
emptied itself of blood clung to the
towel until the surgeon had applied
his tourniquet above 1t.
I'VE were transported to Gettysburg
IN ambulances and taken to the gen.
oral hospital in York, Pa, in cattle
cars, which had been only partly
cleaned. The journey was 80 rough
hat many of the wounded were dead
when we reached our destination, and
I, one of the strongest, had to be car
lied from the car on litter"