Saturday, March 19, 2016

First Hand Account of Moving the Assassinated President Lincoln From Fords Theatre to the Peterson House

First Hand Account of Moving the Assassinated President Lincoln From Fords Theatre to the Peterson House


Lincoln's Death Bed
We decided that the President could now be moved from the possibility of danger in the theatre to a house where we might place him on a bed in safety. To assist in this duty I assigned Dr. Taft to carry his right shoulder, Dr. King to carry his left shoulder and detailed a sufficient number of others, whose names I have never discovered, to assist in carrying the body, while I carried his head, going first. We reached the door of the box and saw the long passage leading to the exit crowded with people. I called out twice: "Guards, clear the passage! Guards, clear the passage!" A free space was quickly cleared by an officer and protected by a line of soldiers in the position of present arms with swords, pistols and bayonets. When we reached the stairs, I turned so that those holding the President's feet would descend first. At the door of the theatre, I was again asked if the President could be taken to the White House. I answered: "No, the President would die on the way."
The crowd in the street completely obstructed the doorway and a captain, whose services proved invaluable all through the night, came to me, saying: "Surgeon, give me your commands and I will see that they are obeyed." I asked him to clear a passage to the nearest house opposite. He had on side arms and drew his sword. With the sword and word of command he cleared the way. We slowly crossed the street. It was necessary to stop several times to give me the opportunity to remove the clot of blood from the opening to the wound. A barrier of men had been formed to keep back the crowds on each side [of an open space leading to the house. Those who went ahead reported that the house directly opposite the theatre was closed. I saw a man standing at the door of Mr. Petersen's house, diagonally opposite, holding a lighted candle in his hand and beckoning us to enter. This we did, not having been interrupted in the slightest by the throngs in the street, but a number of the excited populace followed us into the house.
The great difficulty of retaining life during this brief time occupied in moving the President from the theatre to Mr. Petersen's house, conclusively proved that the President would have died in the street if I had granted the request to take him such a long distance as to the White House. I asked for the best room and we soon had the President placed in bed. He was lifted to the longitudinal center of the bed and placed on his back. While holding his face upward and keeping his head from rolling to either side, I looked at his elevated knees caused by his great height. This uncomfortable position grieved me and I ordered the foot of the bed to be removed. Dr. Taft and Dr. King reported that it was a fixture. Then I requested that it be broken off; as I found this could not satisfactorily be done, I had the President placed diagonally on the bed and called for extra pillows, and with them formed a gentle inclined plane on which to rest his head and shoulders. His position was then one of repose.
The room soon filled with anxious people. I called the officer and asked him to open a window and order all except the medical gentlemen and friends to leave the room. After we had given the President a short rest I decided to make a thorough physical examination, as I wished to see if he had been wounded in any other part of the body. I requested all except the surgeons to leave the room. The Captain reported that my order had been carried out with the exception of Mrs. Lincoln, to whom he said he did not like to speak. I addressed Mrs. Lincoln, explaining my desire, and she immediately left the room. I examined the President's entire body from his head to his feet and found no other injury. His lower extremities were very cold and I sent the Hospital Steward, who had been of great assistance to us in removing the President from the theatre, to procure bottles of hot water and hot blankets, which were applied. I also sent for a large sinapism and in a short time one very nicely made was brought. This I applied over the solar-plexus and to the anterior surface of his body. We arranged the bed clothes nicely and I assigned Dr. Taft and Dr. King to keep his head upon the pillows in the most comfortable position, relieving each other in this duty, after which I sent an officer to notify Mrs. Lincoln that she might return to her husband; she came in and sat on a chair placed for her at the head of the bed.
[
As the symptoms indicated renewed brain compression, I again cleared the opening of clotted blood and pushed forward the button of bone, which acted as a valve, permitted an oozing of blood and relieved pressure on the brain. I again saw good results from this action.
After doing all that was professionally necessary, I stood aside for a general view and to think what to do next. While thus watching several army officers anxiously asked if they could in any way assist. I told them my greatest desire then was to send messengers to the White House for the President's son, Captain Robert T. Lincoln, also for the Surgeon General, Joseph K. Barnes, Surgeon D. Willard Bliss, in charge of Armory Square General Hospital, the President's family physician, Dr. Robert K. Stone, and to each member of the President's Cabinet. All these desires of mine were fulfilled.
Having been taught in early youth to pay great respect to all religious denominations in regard to their rules concerning the sick or dying, it became my duty as surgeon in charge of the dying President to summon a clergyman to his bedside. Therefore after inquiring and being informed that the Rev. Dr. Gurley was Mrs. Lincoln's pastor, I immediately sent for him.
Then I sent the Hospital Steward for a Nelaton probe. No drug or medicine in any form was administered to the President, but the artificial heat and mustard plaster that I had applied warmed his cold body and stimulated his nerves. Only a few were at any time admitted to the room by the officer, whom I had stationed at the door, and at all times I had maintained perfect discipline and order.
While we were watching and letting Nature do her part, Dr. Taft came to me with brandy and water and asked permission to give some to the President. I objected, stating as my reason that it would produce strangulation. Dr. Taft left the room, and again came to me stating that it was the opinion of others also that it might do good. I replied: "I will grant the request, if you will please at first try by pouring only a very small quantity into the President's mouth." This Dr. Taft very carefully did, the liquid ran into the President's larynx producing laryngeal obstruction and unpleasant symptoms, which took me about half a minute to overcome, but no lasting harm was done. My physiological and practical experiences had led to correct conclusions.
On the arrival of Dr. Robert K. Stone, who had been the President's family physician during his residence in Washington, I was presented to him as the one who had been in charge since the President was shot. I described the wound and told him all that had been done. He said he approved of my treatment.
[
Surgeon General Joseph K. Barnes' long delay in arriving was due to his going first to the White House, where he expected to find the assassinated President, then to the residence of Secretary Seward and his son, both of whom he found requiring immediate attention, as they had been severely wounded by the attempts of another assassin to kill them.
On the arrival of the Surgeon General and Assistant Surgeon General, Charles H. Crane, I reported what we had done and officially detailed to the Surgeon General my diagnosis, stating that whenever the clot was allowed to form over the opening to the wound the President's breathing became greatly embarrassed. The Surgeon General approved the treatment and my original plan of treatment was continued in every respect until the President's death.
The Hospital Steward arrived with the Nelaton probe and an examination was made by the Surgeon General and myself, who introduced the probe to a distance of about two and a half inches, where it came in contact with a foreign substance, which lay across the track of the ball; this was easily passed and the probe was introduced several inches further where it again touched a hard substance at first supposed to be the ball, but as the white porcelain bulb of the probe on its withdrawal did not indicate the mark of lead it was generally thought to be another piece of loose bone. The probe was introduced the second time and the ball was supposed to be distinctly felt. After this second exploration nothing further was done with the wound except to keep the opening free from coagula, which, if allowed to form and remain for a short time, produced signs of increased compression, the breathing becoming profoundly stertorous and intermittent, the pulse more feeble and irregular. After I had resigned my charge all that was professionally done for the President was to repeat occasionally my original expedient of relieving the brain pressure by freeing the opening to the wound and to count the pulse and respirations. The President's position on the bed remained exactly as I had first placed him with the assistance of Dr. Taft and Dr. King.
Captain Robert T. Lincoln came and remained with his father and mother, bravely sustaining himself during the course of the night.
On that awful memorable night the great War Secretary, the Honorable Edwin M. Stanton, one of the most imposing figures of the nineteenth century, promptly arrived and recognized at that critical period of our country's history the necessity of a head to our Government and as the President was passing away established a branch of his War Department in an adjoining room. There he sat, surrounded []by his counsellors and messengers, pen in hand, writing to General Dix and others. He was soon in communication with many in authority and with the Government and army officials. By Secretary Stanton's wonderful ability and power in action, he undoubtedly controlled millions of excited people. He was then the Master, and in reality Acting President of the United States.

Number of Civil War Battles in Each State by Year

Number of Civil War Battles in Each State by Year

In the several States and Territories during each Year of the War.

States and Territories18611862186318641865Total
New York11
Pennsylvania819
Maryland3910830
Dist. of Columbia11
West Virginia291141719180
Virginia304011620528519
North Carolina22718102885
South Carolina2101792260
Georgia28926108
Florida33417532
Alabama1012322478
Mississippi4276671186
Louisiana11154502118
Texas1281214
Arkansas14240786167
Tennessee282124891298
Kentucky145930314138
Ohio33
Indiana44
Illinois11
Missouri65954341244
Minnesota516
California1416
Kansas257
Oregon314
Nevada22
Washington Ter.11
Utah11
New Mexico357419
Nebraska22
Colorado44
Indian Territory293317
Dakota25411
Arizona11114
Idaho11
1565646277791352,261
[



BATTLE FIELDS OF THE GREAT CIVIL WAR
Battles are indicated by stars *

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Union and Confederate Armies Killed, Wounded, Missing in All the Major Battles in the Civil War

Losses in Killed, Wounded, and Missing in Engagements, Etc.,

Where the Total was Five Hundred or more on the side of the Union Troops. Confederate Losses given are generally based on Estimates.

Union Loss.Confederate Loss.
No.Date.Name.KilledWoundedMissingTotal.Total.
1861.
1July 21Bull Run, Va.4811,0111,4602,9521,752
2August 10Wilson's Creek, Mo.2237212911,2351,095
3September 12 to 20Lexington, Mo.421081,6241,774100
4October 21Ball's Bluff, Va.223226445894302
5November 7Belmont, Mo.90173235498966
1862.
6February 14 to 16Fort Donelson, Tenn.4461,7351502,33115,067
7March 6 to 8Pea Ridge, Ark.2039721741,3495,200
8March 14New-Berne, N. C.91466557583
9March 23Winchester, Va.10344024567691
10April 6 and 7Shiloh, Tenn.1,7357,8823,95613,57310,699
11May 5Williamsburg, Va.4561,4003722,2281,000
12May 23Front Royal, Va.32122750904
13May 25Winchester, Va.38155711904
14May 31 to June 1Seven Pines and Fair Oaks, Va.8903,6271,2225,7397,997
15June 8Cross Keys, Va.125500625287
16June 9Fort Republic, Va.673615741,002657
17June 16Secessionville, James Island, S. C.85472128685204
18June 25Oak Grove, Va.5140164516541
19June 26 to July 1Seven days' retreat; includes Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mills, Chickahominy, Peach Orchard, Savage Station, Charles City Cross Roads, and Malvern Hill1,5827,7095,95815,24917,583
20July 13Murfreesboro', Tenn.3362800895150
21August 8Cedar Mountain, Va.4506602901,4001,307
22July 20 to September 20Guerrilla campaign in Missouri; includes Porter's and Poindexter's Guerrillas771563475802,866
23August 28 and 29Groveton and Gainesville, Va.7,0007,000
24August 30Bull Run, Va. (2d)8004,0003,0007,8003,700
25August 30Richmond Ky.2007004,0004,900750
26September 1Chantilly, Va.1,300800
27September 12 to 15Harper's Ferry, Va.8012011,58311,783500
28September 14Turner's and Crampton's Gaps, South Mountain, Md.4431,806762,3254,343
29September 14 to 16Munfordsville Ky.503,5663,616714
30September 17Antietam, Md.2,0109,4161,04312,46925,899
31September 19 to 20Iuka, Miss.144598407821,516
32October 3 and 4Corinth, Miss.3151,8122322,35914,221
33October 5Big Hatchie River, Miss.500400
34October 8Perryville, Ky.9162,9434894,3487,000
35December 7Prairie Grove, Ark.1677981831,1481,500
36December 7Hartsville, Tenn.551,8001,855149
37December 12 to 18Foster's expedition to Goldsboro', N.C.904789577739
38December 13Fredericksburg, Va.1,1809,0282,14512,3534,576
39December 20Holly Springs, Miss.1,0001,000
40December 27Elizabethtown, Ky.500500
41December 28 and 29Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg, Miss.1919827561,929207
42Dec. 31, 1862, to Jan. 2, 1863Stone's River, Tenn.1,5337,2452,80011,57825,560
1863.
43January 1Galveston, Texas60060050
44January 11Fort Hindman, Arkansas Post, Ark.129831179775,500
45March 4 and 5Thompson's Station, Tenn.1003001,3061,706600
46April 27 to May 3Streight's raid from Tuscumbia, Ala., to Rome, Ga.12691,4661,547
47May 1Port Gibson, Miss.13071858531,650
48May 1 to 4Chancellorsville, Va.1,5129,5185,00016,03012,281
49May 16Champion Mills, Miss.4261,8421892,4574,300
50May 18 to July 4Siege of Vicksburg, Miss.5453,6883034,53631,277
51May 27 to July 9Siege of Port Hudson, La.5002,5003,0007,208
52June 6 to 8Milliken's Bend, La.154223115492725
53June 9Beverly Ford and Brandy Station, Va.500700
54June 13 to 15Winchester, Va.3,0003,000850
55June 23 to 30Rosecrans' campaign from Murfreesboro' to Tullahoma, Tenn.85462135601,634
56July 1 to 3Gettysburg, Pa.2,83413,7096,64323,18631,621
57July 9 to 16Jackson, Miss.1008001001,0001,339
58July 18Second assault on Fort Wagner, S. C1,500174
59September 19 to 20Chickamauga, Ga.1,6449,2624,94515,85117,804
60November 3Grand Coteau, La.26124576726445
61November 6Rogersville, Tenn.51265066730
62November 23 to 25Chattanooga, Tenn.; includes Orchard Knob, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge.7574,5293305,6168,684
63November 26 to 28Operations at Mine Run, Va.100400500500
64December 14Bean's Station, Tenn.700900
1864.
65February 20Olustee, Fla.1931,1754601,828500
66April 8Sabine Cross Roads, La.2009001,8002,9001,500
67April 9Pleasant Hills, La.1007003001,1002,000
68April 12Fort Pillow, Tenn.3506016457480
69April 17 to 20Plymouth, N. C.20801,5001,600500
70April 30Jenkins' Ferry, Saline River, Ark.2009551,1551,100
71May 5 to 7Wilderness, Va.5,59721,46310,67737,73711,400
72May 5 to 9Rocky Face Ridge, Ga.; includes Tunnel Hill, Mill Creek Gap, Buzzard Roost, Snake Creek Gap, and near Dalton200637837600
73May 8 to 18Spottsylvania Court House, Va.; includes engagements on the Fredericksburg Road, Laurel Hill, and Nye River4,17719,6872,57726,4619,000
74May 9 to 10Swift Creek, Va.90400490500
75May 9 to 10Cloyd's Mountain and New River Bridge, Va.12658534745900
76May 12 to 16Fort Darling, Drewry's Bluff, Va.4222,3802103,0122,500
77May 13 to 16Resaca, Ga.6002,1472,7472,800
78May 15New Market, Va.120560240920405
79May 16 to 30Bermuda Hundred, Va.2001,0001,2003,000
80May 23 to 27North Anna River, Va.2231,4602901,9732,000
81May 25 to June 4Dallas, Ga.2,4003,000
82June 1 to 12Cold Harbor, Va.1,90510,5702,45614,9311,700
83June 5Piedmont, Va.1306507802,970
84June 9 to 30Kenesaw Mountain, Ga.; includes Pine Mountain, Pine Knob, Golgotha, Culp's House, general assault, June 27th: McAfee's Cross Roads, Lattemore's Mills and Powder Springs1,3706,5008008,6704,600
85June 10Brice's Cross Roads, near Guntown, Miss.2233941,6232,240606
86June 10Kellar's Bridge, Licking River, Ky.1354700767
87June 11 and 12Trevellian Station, Central Railroad, Va.85490160735370
88June 15 to 19Petersburg, Va.; includes Baylor's Farm, Walthal, and Weir Bottom Church1,2987,4741,81410,586
89June 17 and 18Lynchburg, Va.100500400700200
90June 20 to 30Trenches in front of Petersburg, Va.1125068001,418
91June 22 to 30Wilson's raid on the Weldon Railroad, Va.762657001,041300
92June 22 and 23Weldon Railroad, Va.6042,4942,2175,315500
93June 27Kenesaw Mountain, general assault. See No. 2,3453,000608
94July 1 to 31Front of Petersburg, Va.; losses at the Crater and Deep Bottom not included4192,0761,2003,695
95July 6 to 10Chattahoochee River, Ga.80450200730600
96July 9Monocacy, Md.905791,2901,959400
97July 13 to 15Tupelo, Miss.; includes Harrisburg and Old Town Creek85563648700
98July 20Peach Tree Creek, Ga.3001,4101,7104,796
99July 22Atlanta, Ga.; Hood's first sortie5002,1411,0003,6418,499
100July 24Winchester, Va.1,200600
101July 26 to 31Stoneman's raid to Macon, Ga.1009001,000
102July 26 to 31McCook's raid to Lovejoy Station, Ga.100500600
103July 28Ezra Chapel, Atlanta, Ga.; second sortie.1006007004,642
104July 30Mine explosion at Petersburg, Va.4191,6791,9104,0081,200
105August 1 to 31Trenches before Petersburg, Va.87484571
106August 14 to 18Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom Run, Va.4001,7551,4003,5551,100
107August 18, 19 & 21Six Mile House, Weldon Railroad, Va.2121,1553,1764,5434,000
108August 21Summit Point, Va.600400
109August 25Ream's Station, Va.1275461,7692,4421,500
110August 31 to September 1Jonesboro', Ga.1,1491,1492,000
111May 5 to September 8Campaign in Northern Georgia, from Chattanooga, Tenn., to Atlanta, Ga.5,28426,1295,78637,199
112September 1 to October 30Trenches before Petersburg, Va.1708228121,8041,000
113September 19Opequan, Winchester, Va.6533,7196184,9905,500
114September 23Athens, Ala.95095030
115September 24 to October 28Price's invasion of Missouri; includes a number of engagements170336506
116September 28 to 30New Market Heights, Va.4002,0292,4292,000
117September 30 to October 1Preble's Farm, Poplar Springs Church, Va.1417881,7562,685900
118October 5Allatoona, Ga.1423522127061,142[69]
119October 19Cedar Creek, Va.5883,5161,8915,9954,200
120October 27Hatcher's Run, South Side Railroad, Va.1561,0476991,9021,000
121October 27 and 28Fair Oaks, near Richmond, Va.1207834001,303451
122November 28Fort Kelly, New Creek, West Va.7007005
123November 30Franklin, Tenn.1891,0331,1042,3266,252
124November 30Honey Hill, Broad River, S. C.66645711
125December 6 to 9Deveaux's Neck, S. C.39390200629400
126December 15 & 16Nashville, Tenn.4001,7402,14015,000
1865.
127January 11Beverly, West Va.520583608
128January 13 to 15Fort Fisher, N. C.184749229552,483
129February 5 to 7Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, Va.2321,0621861,4801,200
130March 8 to 10Wilcox's Bridge, Wise's Fork, N. C.804216001,1011,500
131March 16Averysboro', N. C.77477554865
132March 19 to 21Bentonville, N. C.1911,1682871,6462,825
133March 25Fort Steedman, in front of Petersburg, VA.683375069112,681
134March 25Petersburg, Va.1038642091,176834
135March 26 to April 8Spanish Fort, Ala.100695795552
136March 22 to April 24Wilson's raid from Chickasaw, Ala., to Macon, Ga.; includes a number of engagements99598287258,020
137March 31Boydton and White Oak Roads, Va.1771,1345561,8671,235
138April 1Five Forks, Va.124706548848,500
139April 2Fall of Petersburg, Va.2962,5655003,3613,000
140April 6Sailor's Creek, Va.1661,0141,1807,000
141April 6High Bridge, Appomattox River, Va.10311,0001,041
142April 7Farmville, Va.655
143April 9Fort Blakely, Ala.1135166292,900
144April 9Surrender of Lee26,000
145April 26Johnston surrendered29,924
146May 4Taylor surrendered10,000
147May 10Sam Jones surrendered8,000
148May 11Jeff Thompson surrendered7,454
149May 26Kirby Smith surrendered20,000