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Medical Journal #1 Just a short note to tell you that I have been going over the old files and have some interesting subjects related to the Iron Brigade. I have about 50 more of the case files but not all are arranged to be sent along. I also have several other items and they relate to burial information after the battle of Gettysburg. I will gather what I can and sort them so I know what I have. I have been, over a period of about 3 years, working on and trying my best to complete a database of the soldiers that were sent to the U. S. Harvey General Hospital in Madison, Wis. The original Hospital Register, No 71, has some information on the soldiers of the Iron Brigade. My database is a complete listing of all soldiers from that Hospital Register. The Hospital Register gives us a look at the Madison area Hospital and in some cases they give an accounting of what the soldiers medical problems were. They also list the treatment of that soldier and sometimes it is a very good description of the medical procedure done on the given soldier. I hope to have this database up and running within a month or so. If you have any interest please let me know. I will provide the website for it when it is put on line. The University of Wisconsin, Wausau will have it in their system when I complete it. James B. Kennedy Medical Journal On this occasion the Medical Journal examines the case of Corp. Benjamin F. Knowlton, Co. “I”, 2nd Wisconsin Infantry. Corp. Knowlton enlisted with the 2nd Infantry on May 22, 1861. At the time he gave his residence as Mineral Point, Wisconsin and declared his place of birth as Ohio. He was aged 23 years and gave his occupation as a farmer. Corporal Knowlton’s case file is listed under the heading of, “Shot Fractures of the Humerus.” “Another case of partial shot fracture of the Humerus was an interesting illustration of that rare occurrence, the lodgment of a ball in the medullary cavity of a long bone.” Case file # 1614, ---- Corporal B. F. Knowlton, Co. “I” 2nd Wisconsin, aged 24, was wounded at South Mountain, September 14, 1862. He was conveyed to Frederick, and received into Hospital No 1, three days after injury. Acting Assistant Surgeon W. W. Keen, Jr., contributed the specimen (Cat. Surg. Sect., 1866, p. 600) with the following history: “The ball entered the left shoulder in the middle of a line drawn from the acromion to the anterior angle of the axilla, and entered the humerus, where it lodged. It was found impossible to extract the missile by forceps. On September 21st, it was decided to remove it. An incision was made three inches long, continuous with the wound and parallel to the fibres of the deltoid. The bone was found not to be fractured, but the ball had punched a hole in its anterior wall and had flattened out in the medullary cavity against the posterior wall. The insertion of the capsular ligament was involved, but there had been no tenderness of the joint nor escape of synovia, nor could the joint be discovered to be opened, and it was therefore decided to resect. The opening in the bone was enlarged with double-gouge forceps, and the ball was extracted. Half a grain of morphia was given immediately, and the wound was closed by sutures.. No inflammation of the joint supervened. By October 14th, the wound had almost united, there having been but little and a healthy discharge. On November 12th, the wound had so nearly healed that the patient was able to be sent to his regiment for duty, having free though partly scapular motion of the arm.” The specimen consists of a ball (Fig. 502) flattened to the diameter of an inch. After joining his command, the man was again wounded in the left ankle, at the Battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. He was ultimately discharged from service, March 21, 1863, and pensioned. Examiner T. B. Smith, of Washington D. c., April 1, 1863, certified: “Wound over Malleolus, with injury to bone of left leg. Wound of left arm at shoulder joint, injury to bone; ball cut out of humerus. Neither wound healed.” Disability when first pensioned, rated total. Reduced to one-half on March 4, 1867. This pensioner was paid June 4, 1874. Medical Journal On this occasion the Medical Journal examines the case file of Private John E. Donovan, Co. “D”, 2nd Wisconsin Infantry. The 2nd Infantry regimental records indicate that Private John E. Donovan served in Co. “D”, and enlisted May 6, 1861. He enlisted at Janesville, Wisconsin, for a term of three years, under the direction of Capt. George B. Ely. The 20 year old resident of Rocktown, Rock County, Wisconsin, and native New Yorker, took his oath of allegiance, June 11, 1861, at Camp Randall, Madison, Wisconsin. Private Donovan’s military records, from Company “D”, are unusually compelling, giving a researcher the feeling he was justifiably labeled as a deserter. In contrast, the Medical Journal’s case file suggests that Private Donovan may have actually been wrongfully charged as a deserter. Upon further research it is revealed that there are two Private John Donovan’s that served in the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry. Private John E. Donovan from Co. “D”, Janesville, Wisconsin and Private John Donovan, Co. “B”, Huston, Minnesota. When the Case file was written out, the person that recorded the information wrote that Pvt. John Donovan was from Co. “D” where as he was actually from Company “B.” Company “D” records indicate the following; (Mil. Rec. W. A. M., wounded July 21, 1861, at Bull Run. ---Furloughed to Janesville, ----Deserted since September 1861. A muster roll, dated August 1861, indicates that Pvt. Donovan was absent from the company “On Furlough.” A muster roll dated September 1861 indicates, “Absent without leave --- Furloughed July 30, 1861, exchanged September 1861.” A muster roll for October 1861 indicates, “Absent without leave.” The November muster roll states, “Deserted, September 1861.” The regimental records continue, with, “Muster rolls for September 1862 to September 1863, indicated Pvt. Donovan was absent sick --- Absent List --- Sent to Hospital September 9, 1862. ---Inflicted slight wound on himself.” A muster roll for October 1863 shows, “Deserted, went to hospital September 9, 1862, and not heard from since.” Pvt. Donovan’s muster out record is even more ominous. “Deserted from hospital date unknown.” – An endorsement on an official notice; July 21, 1863, “Deserted January 28, 1863. The company Field Descriptive Book shows that he was engaged in action in the battle of 1st Bull Run, shot himself in the hand September 23, 1862.” Company “B” records show that Pvt. John Donovan, Huston, Minnesota, enlisted May 22, 1861. Company records indicate that he was wounded in five places & taken prisoner at 1st Bull Run. He was discharged on his release from the Rebel Prison and given a disability pension. Pvt. John Donovan Co. “B” has his case file listed under, Wounds of the Face, Chapter II, Page, 334. Case File – Donovan, John E., Private Co. “D”, 2nd Wisconsin volunteers, aged 26 years. Bull Run, July 21st, 1861. Fracture of external part of left Orbit; also flesh wounds of right leg, left heel, chest, right arm, and shoulder and right forearm. Taken Prisoner, exchanged, and treated in Washington and New York Hospitals. Vision of the left eye and hearing of right ear entirely lost. Headache, giddiness, and weakness. Discharged October 19th, 1865 and pensioned. We are left to wonder if the two soldiers were again mixed up when it came to pension records? Medical Journal On this occasion the Medical Journal examines the case file of Sergt. Jefferson Coates, Co. “H”, 7th Wisconsin Infantry. Sergt. Coates enlisted at Boscobel, Wisconsin, August 29, 1861. At the time of his enlistment he gave his residence as Boscobel and indicated his place of birth was in Grant County, Wisconsin. Regimental records show that Sergt. Coates was promoted from Corp. to Sergt. It also shows that he was wounded twice, once at South Mountain, September 14, 1862, and again at Gettysburg, July 1st, 1863. The wound he received at Gettysburg was debilitating and caused the loss of both eyes. Sergt. Coates was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, for gallantry in action, and Brevetted to the rank of Captain, July 1, 1863. Regimental records show that he was discharged from active military service September 1, 1864. Sergt. Coates’ case file is found under the heading of; “Wounds and Injuries of the Face” Chapter II, page 326. Case,--- Sergeant Jefferson Coates, Co. “H”, 7th Wisconsin Volunteers, aged 20 years was wounded at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863, by a conoidal ball, which entered immediately behind the outer angle of the right eye, passed through the orbital plate at the junction of the malar and frontal bones, through the great wing of the sphenoid, and emerged at a point corresponding to the place of entrance, producing a wound not less then an inch and a half in diameter, and tearing away nearly the whole of the orbital plate. The wound of entrance was about half an inch in diameter. He was admitted to the Seminary Hospital, Gettysburg, and, on July 8th, transferred to the Satterlee Hospital, Philadelphia., When admitted, the tunics of the right eye were hanging out and much tumefied, about as large as a black walnut, and covered with a mass of slough: there was complete eversion of the right lower lid; otherwise the lids of both eyes were uninjured. The left eye was shrunken, its contents evacuated, and the upper lid was over lapped by the lower. In other respects, with the exception of a slight inflammation, the tunics of this eye were healthy in appearance. In its passage, the ball had apparently passed immediately beneath the cribriform plate of the ethmoid, destroying a portion of the latter and the lachrymal bones, and probably severing the optic nerves. There was a profuse discharge of pus from both wounds, and a little through the laceration in the tissues of the left eye. The sense of smell was entirely destroyed. The patient was in a tolerably good condition, but restless; his appetite was moderate, tongue slightly furred, and pulse about 90. Flaxseed dressings were applied. On July 10th, what appeared to be the external angular process of the frontal bones was taken from the left wound; also several small spiculae from the right side. On the 11th the wounds looked better; on the 13th, a small bone, probably from orbital portion of the great wing of the sphenoid, left side, was extracted. On the 17th, the slough separated entirely from the right eye, which presented a much improved condition. No symptoms of cerebral disturbance appeared. On the 19th, there was considerable oedema of the left eye, and the inflammation was more marked. On July 21st, a thin plate of bone was discharged from the nose, apparently a piece of the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid. Oedema of the upper lip had much increased, though with very little pain. July 24th: the oedema of the left eye was rapidly disappearing under a water discharge. Which tasted salty. July 25th: another small piece of bone came away from the left wound. There was still a profuse discharge; the right wound was much smaller, and the left was granulating finely. Night sweats occurring, quinine in solution with aromatic sulphuric acid was given every three hours.. The right eye was less congested, and the protruding portion was rapidly disappearing under the action of sulphate of copper in crystal. The patient was in good spirits. August 1st: the discharge from the left eye was but small, and healthy granulations were springing up; the discharge from the nose and the night sweats ceased. August 8th: the wound of the entrance had healed; that of the exit was rapidly closing. The patient was discharged on September 22nd, 1864, and pensioned Acting Assistant Surgeon M. J. Grier, who reports the case, states that after the assertion of the artificial eyes there will be very little deformity.
The Carlisle
Military History Institute has several photographs of Sergt. Jefferson
Coates. Medical Journal On this occasion the Medical Journal examines the case file of Pvt. Lewis Beidler, Co. “C”, 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. Pvt. Beidler, also spelled Bidler, was born in Pennsylvania and declared his residence as Millville, (Grant County) Wisconsin and at the time he gave his occupation as a farmer. When he enlisted, May 20, 1861, he gave his age as 19. Regimental records indicate he was discharged on January 5, 1863, due to wounds received on August 28, 1862, at the battle of Gainsville, Pvt. Beidler re-enlisted January 2, 1864. Company records show that he was again wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 1864. He was subsequently transferred to the Independent Battalion, June 6, 1864. Pvt. Beidler’s medical case file, # 1138, is listed under the heading of “Injuries to the Pelvis.” Case #1138, ---- Private L. B.______ , Co. “C”, 2nd Wisconsin, aged 23 years, was wounded at the Wilderness, May 5, 1864, and taken Prisoner. He was exchanged, September 26, 1864, and sent on the Steamer, “New York” to an Annapolis hospital, where Surgeon B. A. Venderkeif noted a “Gunshot wound of the scrotum, destroying the left testicle.” After furlough, this soldier entered the Swift U. S. Army General Hospital, Prairie Du Chein, November 24, 1864. Acting Assistant Surgeon W. F. Kelley reported: “Gunshot wound of right hip and perineum; the ball entered at the root of the penis on the left side and lodged in the hip.” “The patient states that, under the circumstances, the wound did well. He lay on the battle-ground for thirty-two days with very little treatment, was removed to Gordonsville and remained eleven days, and then was removed to Lynchburg. On May 6, 1864 the ball was cut out by a confederate stretcher-bearer, and , on May 13, Surgeons Thompson and Phillips (prisoners on the field) removed the left Testis.” On admission, the wound was discharging and inclined to slough, but speedily amended, and the soldier was transferred to the Veterans Reserve Corps, April 13, 1865; discharged July 29, 1865, and pensioned. On July 5, 1871, Examiner J. Conant, of Prairie Du Chein, reported; “The ball entered on the left side and just above the penis, and injured the left spermatic cord and testicle, so that it became necessary to remove latter.” Examiner S. G. Armstrong reported, September 20, 1873: “Gunshot wound of left external abdominal ring. Causing castration of left testicle.” The reports of the examiners indicate this pensioner’s disabilities arise principally from the effects of wounds in the thigh and forearm. |