Page:Confederate Cause and Conduct.djvu/248

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Wounding and Death of Jackson.

ings were used both for the stump and hand, and upon the palm of the latter, a light, short splint was applied, to assist in keeping at rest the fragments of the second and third metacarpal bones. He expressed great satisfaction when told that the wounds were healing, and asked if I could tell from their appearance, how long he would probably be kept from the field? Conversing with Capt. Smith, a few moments afterwards, he alluded to his injuries, and said, "Many would regard them as a great misfortune, I regard them as one of the blessings of my life." Captain S. replied, "All things work together for good to those that love God." "Yes," he answered, "that's it, that's it."

At my request. Dr. Morrison came to-day, and remained with him.

About one o'clock Thursday morning, while I was asleep upon a lounge in his room, he directed his servant, Jim, to apply a wet towel to his stomach, to relieve an attack of nausea, with which he was again troubled. The servant asked permission to first consult me, but the General knowing that I had slept none for nearly three nights, refused to allow the servant to disturb me, and demanded the towel. About daylight I was aroused, and found him suffering great pain. An examination disclosed pleuro-pneumonia of the right side. I believed, and the consulting physicians concurred in the opinion, that it was attributable to the fall from the litter, the night he was wounded. The General, himself, referred it to this accident. I think the disease came on too soon after the application of the wet cloths, to admit of the supposition, once believed, that it was induced by them. The nausea, for which the cloths were applied that night, may have been the result of inflammation already begun. Contusion of the lung, with extravasation of blood in his chest, was probably produced by the fall referred to, and shock and loss of blood, prevented any ill effects until reaction had been well established, and then inflammation ensued. Cups were applied, and mercury, with antimony and opium administered.*[1] Towards the evening he became better,

  1. A detailed account of the treatment is prevented by the loss of notes kept of the case. These notes, with other papers, were captured by the Federals, March, 1865.