A Surgeon Participates in the War Effort, 1862

From Thomas T. Ellis, M.D. Leaves from the Diary of an Army Surgeon. New York: John Bradburn Publ., 1863. 167, 210-213.

From Dr. Thomas Ellis's remarks on the Battle before Richmond, 1862 . . .

A remarkable feature of the wounded I have received on board the transports from the seven days' fight is, that almost all of them are wounded in the limbs, principally in the left thigh. The number wounded in the head, abdomen, or side, is very few. One, Colonel Pratt, of the 31st New York, was wounded by a minie-ball in the left cheek, in Friday's battle. The ball entered the left cheek between the gum and upper jaw, passed through the nose, and lodged in the right cheek or malar-bone. He has gone to his home in Brooklyn, where he will have it extracted, as there was no pressing necessity for its being done here, and he was anxious to get to his home and family. Another poor fellow, named Sharp, of the 2d United States Infantry, was struck in the abdomen with a piece of shell, which lacerated the muscles and fractured the floating ribs on the left side. The wound left by the missile was the most jagged and extensive I have seen: the intestines, having lost their support, protruded. After returning them, and other proper surgical care, he is doing well, and, notwithstanding the extent of the wound, will probably recover. Lieutenant Freeman, of the same regiment, had his arm shattered, but it will be saved.

And from his remarks on the Second Battle of Bull Run, 1862 . . .

The authorities at Washington called for volunteers from the citizens to proceed to the battle-fields to pick up and attend to the wounded and bury the dead. Thousands are strewn, for miles, all over the sanguinary field. The reason for this call on the citizens, is so as not to weaken the strength of the forces by detailing the weary soldiers for the duty. Hundreds of citizens promptly responded to the call,÷each one supplied with two days rations, a bucket, and tin cup, to supply water to the wounded, and also a bottle of brandy. Transportation was, as speedily as possible, provided for them. Orders were also issued for the immediate removal of all the sick and wounded, that were able to be moved, from the hospitals in Washington, to make room for those expected to arrive from the battle-field of Bull Run. Soon the streets were crowded with ambulances, conveying them to the cars for Baltimore, Philadelphia, and other places. In the afternoon the War Department impressed into the service of the government, all the stages, hacks, and wagons, which soon swelled the long ambulance train that was on its way to bring in the wounded. Some of the citizens tendered their private carriages for the purpose, and, by nightfall, the turnpike from Alexandria to Fairfax Court-House was crowded with this long procession. The experiment utterly and shamefully failed,÷the drivers and many of the volunteer nurses, who drank freely of the brandy, mistaking the road, travelled all night, and at two in the morning, instead of reaching the battle-field, found themselves entering Alexandria. . .

The scenes in the hospitals at Alexandria are heart-rending. The churches are crowded with the wounded. In the Baptist church, under the care of Acting Assistant-surgeon Hammond, I performed in two hours several operations; the beds are filled with the poor fellows, many of whom are mortally wounded, all of them suffering from the worst horrors of the battle-field. The dwelling-houses on an adjoining street, and all the public buildings, are in like manner filled. The surgeons are working continually. The old Lyceum is now being prepared to receive patients, as every other available place is full. The wounds are chiefly from minie-balls. Many of them are wounded in the lungs, and all of them have suffered by the tedious journey from the battle-field over the rough roads, and the utter impossibility of obtaining any refreshment. Even water was difficult to procure, and the teamsters, in many cases, were so panic-stricken that they forsook their teams.