GRAPHIC General Edward Winslow Hinks

[Mike Serpa]

I can't find the source, sorry.

To read a couple paragraphs from "Medical Histories of Union Generals" about his wounds click here.

 

[Seduzal]

Another hero of history! Very interesting story of a soldier who suffered so much pain and lived to become the first governor The National Home for Disable Volunteers.

Great find, thanks for posting.

 

[FarawayFriend]

Thank you for the photo! Just a few days ago I read in that book you named about him and his terrible wound.
The two books "Medical history of Union generals" as well as "Medical history of Confederate Generals" are very interesting for all interested in medical history and background information about the military leaders. I really can recommend them.

 

[Chris Pelkey]

View attachment 29550
I can't find the source, sorry.

To read a couple paragraphs from "Medical Histories of Union Generals" about his wounds click here.

I have 8 or 10 of these pics showing his wounds as they progressively got "better". I also have the Surgeon General's writeup about the whole ordeal. Said he was one of 4 to survive a wound that tore up the bowels that badly. I'll post some tomorrow. They are on my work computer.

 

[Deleted member 8452]

View attachment 29550
I can't find the source, sorry.

To read a couple paragraphs from "Medical Histories of Union Generals" about his wounds click here.

That Antietam Wound that messed up his colon must have been awful.

 

[Mike Serpa]

I have 8 or 10 of these pics showing his wounds as they progressively got "better". I also have the Surgeon General's writeup about the whole ordeal. Said he was one of 4 to survive a wound that tore up the bowels that badly. I'll post some tomorrow. They are on my work computer.

Great! I would love to see them.

 

[dlofting]

That Antietam Wound that messed up his colon must have been awful.

Yes definitely.....and to survive peritonitis at that time was almost miraculous.

 

[Deleted member 8452]

Yes definitely.....and to survive peritonitis at that time was almost miraculous.

When they said they had to removed the mixture of fecal matter and wounded tissue "Manually"....... That sounded extremely painful.

 

[FarawayFriend]

Yes, and to know that you have a wound that allows the contents of your bowels to flow outside ... if it had been me I wouldn't have been able to believe that this could ever heal. And from the further description, it seems it never healed completely, or better: it never became at is was before that wounding.

 

[Chris Pelkey]

 

[Chris Pelkey]

 

[Chris Pelkey]

 

[FarawayFriend]

Thank you! Imagine lying an entire night and the next morning on the battle field with such a wound! What might he have thought of? Would he have believed in his recovery? Would he have been able to recover if he hadn't?

 

[rpkennedy]

The fact that he suffered a shattered radius and didn't lose the lower arm is near miraculous.

R

 

[Chris Pelkey]

It was later speculated that the same minie ball did all of the damage. He was mounted on horse back. Holding the reins would have his wrist right there in front of the entrance wound. the ball probably hit his wrist shattering it and then entered his belly.

 

[Chris Pelkey]

He suffered long after the war from this wound. His actual death certificate says that he died of cirrhosis of the liver. He probably drank a lot to keep the pain in check. However, every account proves that he was a very high functioning person up to the end being involved in MANY civic activities and governing the Veteran's Homes. He even surveyed the property at Togus Maine for purchase in April 1866 for the very first Veterans' home.

 

[FarawayFriend]

It was later speculated that the same minie ball did all of the damage. He was mounted on horse back. Holding the reins would have his wrist right there in front of the entrance wound. the ball probably hit his wrist shattering it and then entered his belly.

I had suspected that from the photos, he sits on that chair as if sitting on a horse holding the reins and the wound at his arm lies in the same line as the wound at his belly.

He suffered long after the war from this wound. His actual death certificate says that he died of cirrhosis of the liver. He probably drank a lot to keep the pain in check. However, every account proves that he was a very high functioning person up to the end being involved in MANY civic activities and governing the Veteran's Homes. He even surveyed the property at Togus Maine for purchase in April 1866 for the very first Veterans' home.

I have read that also, "cause of death: cirrhosis of the liver". But it didn't occur to me that he probably drank to ease the pain. But you are right, most probably that was the case. Poor man!

 

[Mike Serpa]

He was one tough hombre. He had limited use of his right hand.