GRAPHIC Lt. Thos. W. Chandler had a Minié ball in his brain

Mike Serpa

Major
Joined
Jan 24, 2013
Not graphic in my view but just in case.
Screen Shot 2014-01-23 at 7.58.49 PM.jpg

Photograph shows identified soldier Lieutenant Thomas W. Chandler of Co. F, 67th New York Infantry Regiment, and Co. A, 65th New York Infantry Regiment, in uniform, with scar from a bullet wound on his forehead. LOC #s 34516-7
 
Not graphic in my view but just in case.
View attachment 69238
Photograph shows identified soldier Lieutenant Thomas W. Chandler of Co. F, 67th New York Infantry Regiment, and Co. A, 65th New York Infantry Regiment, in uniform, with scar from a bullet wound on his forehead. LOC #s 34516-7

Wow! That's incredible. It makes you wonder if this was possible, how inept were Lincoln's doctors? Of course, location of the wound is everything I guess. So much could have went wrong, but didn't in this case. I wonder if Chandler lived a normal length life. I'll check the census. Great find and thanks for posting it.
 
Not graphic in my view but just in case.
View attachment 69238
Photograph shows identified soldier Lieutenant Thomas W. Chandler of Co. F, 67th New York Infantry Regiment, and Co. A, 65th New York Infantry Regiment, in uniform, with scar from a bullet wound on his forehead. LOC #s 34516-7

Lt. Chandler was wounded 3/25/ 1865 at Petersburg. Lived till 3/19/ 1882.

Alfred Newton Proffitt of Wilkes County, NC served as a Private in Co.D 18th NC. Only one of four brothers to survive the war. Until the 1880's he was plagued with violent headaches. In a letter home following the Battle of the Wilderness he wrote he was struck by a piece of a shell "just above my right eye, and split me to the skull about three inches."
He was plagued by severe headaches until the late 1880's. One day he sneezed rather hard and from his sinuses fell that souvenir from May, 1864. His headaches were suddenly cured. He lived till 1929, and was the grandfather of 31.

A young Alfred Newton Proffit.jpg

Alfred Newton Proffit.jpg
 
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Lt. Chandler was wounded 3/25/ 1865 at Petersburg. Lived till 3/19/ 1882.

Alfred Newton Proffitt of Wilkes County, NC served as a Private in Co.D 18th NC. Only one of four brothers to survive the war. Until the 1880's he was plagued with violent headaches. In a letter home following the Battle of the Wilderness he wrote he was struck by a piece of a shell "just above my right eye, and split me to the skull about three inches."
He was plagued by severe headaches until the late 1880's. One day he sneezed rather hard and from his sinuses fell that souvenir from May, 1864. His headaches were suddenly cured. He lived till 1929, and was the grandfather of 31.

View attachment 69252

View attachment 69253
20+ years with that that lodged in his sinus. That's crazy.
 
Apparently the wound was initially diagnosed as a " scratch to the head."
http://www.newyorkcivilwar.com/muster_thomas_chandler.html

"The following is from Mr. Chandler’s Request for Increased Invalid Pension Dated September 15, 1880: “His civilian job was that of foreman in a shirt factory. Due to his wound has prevented him from filling once his discharge. His trade is a shirt cutter, which requires care and judgment in cutting muslin to advantage. He had to apply his mind constantly and attentively. He has to remember how many pieces he has already cut. These garments consist of from 12 to 22 pieces each. His memory no longer serves him to do his work accurately and quickly and his wound actually reduces his earnings $60 a month. Extreme heat and cold affects his head and compels him to seek shelter. Long mental allocation also affects his mind and weakens and distracts his mental capacity.” Signed E.P. Brooks, Attorney, No. 111 Nassau Street, New York. The original application for Pension was filed on May 28, 1869 for $15 per month."​
 
Apparently the wound was initially diagnosed as a " scratch to the head."
http://www.newyorkcivilwar.com/muster_thomas_chandler.html

"The following is from Mr. Chandler’s Request for Increased Invalid Pension Dated September 15, 1880: “His civilian job was that of foreman in a shirt factory. Due to his wound has prevented him from filling once his discharge. His trade is a shirt cutter, which requires care and judgment in cutting muslin to advantage. He had to apply his mind constantly and attentively. He has to remember how many pieces he has already cut. These garments consist of from 12 to 22 pieces each. His memory no longer serves him to do his work accurately and quickly and his wound actually reduces his earnings $60 a month. Extreme heat and cold affects his head and compels him to seek shelter. Long mental allocation also affects his mind and weakens and distracts his mental capacity.” Signed E.P. Brooks, Attorney, No. 111 Nassau Street, New York. The original application for Pension was filed on May 28, 1869 for $15 per month."​

Some scratch!
 
Wow! That's incredible. It makes you wonder if this was possible, how inept were Lincoln's doctors? Of course, location of the wound is everything I guess. So much could have went wrong, but didn't in this case. I wonder if Chandler lived a normal length life. I'll check the census. Great find and thanks for posting it.

Indeed. Kennedy's doctor's too, if you want to get there :wink:
/sarcasm

Lincoln would at best be a vegetable with modern medicine:

Lincoln.jpg
 
Alfred Newton Proffitt of Wilkes County, NC served as a Private in Co.D 18th NC. Only one of four brothers to survive the war. Until the 1880's he was plagued with violent headaches. In a letter home following the Battle of the Wilderness he wrote he was struck by a piece of a shell "just above my right eye, and split me to the skull about three inches."
He was plagued by severe headaches until the late 1880's. One day he sneezed rather hard and from his sinuses fell that souvenir from May, 1864. His headaches were suddenly cured. He lived till 1929, and was the grandfather of 31.

Apparently a similar incident occurred when Private Willis V Meadors (aka Meadows, Medders, Meaders) Co G 37th Alabama Volunteer Infantry (enlisted at age 19 from Lanette, Chambers County, AL) was shot in the eye at Vicksburg and 58 years later "coughed up" the bullet and expelled it from his mouth. Here's a link to a great story about how Meadors eventually reunited and became friends with the man who fired the bullet, Peter Knapp, Co H 5th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20091011/News/910110337

Also a link to Meadors' Find A Grave Memorial http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=61268956
 
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Not graphic in my view but just in case.
View attachment 69238
Photograph shows identified soldier Lieutenant Thomas W. Chandler of Co. F, 67th New York Infantry Regiment, and Co. A, 65th New York Infantry Regiment, in uniform, with scar from a bullet wound on his forehead. LOC #s 34516-7
Very interesting
 
Apparently a similar incident occurred when Private Willis V Meadors (aka Meadows, Medders, Meaders) Co G 37th Alabama Volunteer Infantry (enlisted at age 19 from Lanette, Chambers County, AL) was shot in the eye at Vicksburg and 58 years later "coughed up" the bullet and expelled it from his mouth. Here's a link to a great story about how Meadors eventually reunited and became friends with the man who fired the bullet, Peter Knapp, Co H 5th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20091011/News/910110337

Also a link to Meadors' Find A Grave Memorial http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=61268956

Thanks for sharing. Strange things indeed happen in war !

http://www.archives.alabama.gov/civilwar/soldier.cfm?id=136336

Peter Knapp was born in Ohio. He enlisted in the 5th Iowa 9 /16 /1861. He was captured later, at Missionary Ridge, Tn.
 
Apparently a similar incident occurred when Private Willis V Meadors (aka Meadows, Medders, Meaders) Co G 37th Alabama Volunteer Infantry (enlisted at age 19 from Lanette, Chambers County, AL) was shot in the eye at Vicksburg and 58 years later "coughed up" the bullet and expelled it from his mouth. Here's a link to a great story about how Meadors eventually reunited and became friends with the man who fired the bullet, Peter Knapp, Co H 5th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20091011/News/910110337

Also a link to Meadors' Find A Grave Memorial http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=61268956
Laura, this is crazier than Alfred Newton Proffitt's story! Thanks for sharing.
 
Some people survive amazing head injuries. We used to visit a local Starbucks which was frequented by a panhandler who was visibly missing half of his head, his forehead just didn't exist. As I understand it he made quite a bit of money panhandling, because who out there wouldn't have sympathy?

He has some serious problems but considering that he had no head he was doing well to be walking around talking to people at all! And he was always very nice and pleasant to talk to. A generous person eventually went to the trouble to get him off the street and properly taken care of.

I looked up the article I remembered reading about him a few years ago to refresh my memory. It seems his injury was the result of a motorcycle accident. There's an article about him. A subsequent article says he returned to Memphis because he and his father didn't get on.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/lifestyle/angel-helps-find-way-home
 
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