Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-01-01
STORIES o.
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EVhl1A KIN and
HSEst(NlhZWAR
WOUNDED IN QUEER MANNER.
Charles FoiIen Adams Saved HIs Leg
Through Bullets Peculiar Course
Marvel of Surgeons

Charles Follen Adams of Roxbm y
was favored by circumstances in tts'
battle of Gettysburg
BY some fortunate accident which np
surgeon could explain ball passed
through his left leg fracturing bone
and tore OF the flesh from his right
leg. Surgeons told him that not once
in the war had they seen bullet take
similar course without necessitating
an amputation of the limb of th@
wounded man.
Mr. Adams was a private in COM
pany A, Thirteenth Massachusetts in
fantry, the color company of the regi-'
ment. For year he had been with
the regiment through the campaigns.
which had desiminated its ranks
''As l remember the incidents of thsS
first day at Gettysburg. we were or
dered up to relieve Buford's cavalry
a gallant division of the First Army
Corps that had opened the fight said
Mr. Adams. I'VE were moving forward
rapidly on the edge of the Chambers
burg pike with the Twelfth Massa-
chusetts, the Eleventh Pennsylvania.
and the Sixteenth Maine.
I'VE were too few in numbers tor
drive back the rebel army which was
coming upon us, and we were merely
there to hold the position, and were
only bluff.
In spite OF the overwhelming NUM-
bers against US. our brigade was press
ing forward, pausing to fire and them
advancing. l suppose I had fred only
10 or II shots when l was hit
L was standing with my musket at
my shoulder, aiming at the enemy
with my left foot little in advance
of my right, the position soldier
takes when about to fire. Before E
could discharge my gun mimic BALI
which came from the left struck me,
on the side Of my left leg, just at the
knee. The ball passed through the leg
just back of the knee cap, and them
tore through the flesh of my right leg.
I fell to tie ground from the shock
and could aot get up. While I was
lying on the ground my regiment swept
forward and left me there, as the boys
were too busy then to take care of the
u.
Il did not see much that went Ola
after was hit until the regiment came
back in the retreat toward the town
Our brigade had taken more prisoners
in the charge than we had men to ham
die them; in fact, our prisoners out
numbered US
las the boys came back with the
NF hnl
off the field. | coa.d not use my leg
and the sergeant in charge of num
Der of the prisoners ordered the rebels
to help the wounded Union men on the
field
Il placed one arm over the shoulder
of a North Carolina man and the other
arm over the shoulder of one of our
back to Gettysburg.
Il was taken to the Old College,
church in Gettysburg, which was being
used as temporary hospital for both
the Union and the Confederate wound
ed. The surgeons of both armies were
using the vestry of the church for an
operating room and l was taken there
Fortunately there We're SO many i'm
perative cases that the surgeon said
could wait While awaiting my turn
kept constantly bathing my left knee.
and several hours afterward when the,
surgeon came tn examine me he was
astounded when he discovered that nos
bones were broken
He said he could not understand
how the ball happened to miss the
bones, and he called the other sur
geons and some OF the medical stu.
dents to see my remarkable wound,
Wen, the swelling went down and my
left leg was saved"