The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-01-01
o.
NgiEG!#tzz1R tz1
WOUNDED IN QUEER MANNER
Charles FoIIen Adams Saved His Leg
Through Bullets Peculiar Course
Marvel of Surgeons.

Charles Follen Adams of Roxbury
was favored by circumstances in the
battle of Gettysburg.
BY some fortunate accident which no
surgeon could explain ball passed
through his left leg fracturing a bone
and tore off the flesh from his right
leg. Surgeons told him that not once
in the war had they seen bullet take
similar course without necessitating
all amputation OF the limb OF the
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 remember the incidents of the
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 to
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 then
advancing. suppose l had fired only
10 or IL shots when l was hit.
Il was standing with my musket at
my shoulder, aiming at the enemy,
with my left foot a little in advance
of my right, the position a soldier
takes when about to fire. Before l
could discharge my gun a mimic ball
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 then
tore through the flesh of my right leg.
Il fell to the ground from the shock
and l could not get up. While 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
wounded
Il did not see much that went on
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 han
die them; in fact, our prisoners out
numbered us.
las the boys came back with the
prisoners one Of the boys helped me
off the field. l could not use my leg
and the sergeant in charge of num-
Der Of the prisoners ordered the rebels
to help the wounded Union men off the
field.
Il placed one arm over the shoulder
of North Carolina man and the other
arm over the shoulder of one of our
boys In that way l made my way
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 were 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 to examine me he was
astounded when he discovered that no
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.
Well, the swelling went down and my
left leg was saved"