Well, this has been an interesting day, a great surprise;
have been treated with great consideration — like a prince — by the board, and
I never saw one of them before, nor had they ever heard of me that I know of.
They made my mouth wound of so much interest it embarrassed me; I felt as
though I was being lionized. The board is composed of a General and several
other elderly medical officers of rank and age, and they have the consideration
and tact — unlike Dr. Thayer — to treat any wounded officer and especially one
who fought with Sheridan at Winchester, with distinguished respect. The first
one who looked at my wound expressed great surprise at my “unusually
interesting mouth wound,” as he termed it, and called for the doctors in the
adjoining rooms to come and see one of the most interesting of the many wounds
that had come before the board.* They all came, each in turn examining it,
expressing great wonder, and asked many questions, indignantly inquiring why
the Vermont doctors had sent me back to the front with jaws in a condition such
as to render it impossible for me to chew solid food when it was known that
hard bread and meats were the principal articles of food for troops in the
field and with the stitches still in my lip and it not solidly healed. In reply
I gave them my experience with Dr. Thayer of Burlington, Vt., and said I had
not gone to the hospital several times during the war because of my pride and
fear of inconsiderate treatment, although I had ought to have gone twice before
when wounded, but feared I might be criticised if I did. They continued to
examine the wound for some time expressing astonishment that it should have
healed as much as it had so soon and would leave so little trace or scar
externally in the end as it would, and highly complimented Dr. Rutherford who
attended me. They finally drew aside for consultation, and when the examiner
who had charge of the case returned and said that I could have my choice, take
my discharge or return to the front, I was delighted, and chose the latter. He
seemed surprised, and after hesitating a little looking steadily at me, said I
had better consider the matter well; but I told him I had, that I could soak my
hard bread in water, fry it with salt pork which would make it both soft and
nutritious, and that I could get along. Seeing that I really wanted to return,
he let me go. I received my discharge from the hospital this afternoon, have
got my transportation, and shall leave to-morrow at 2 o'clock p. m. Captain
Mattison, a fine little fellow, left this afternoon. We are all in good spirits
to-night. But the Annapolis board of surgeons were clever gentlemen. Their
sympathy and consideration was unusual.
_______________
* This wound has since cost me several hundred dollars for
skilled medical treatment, and will probably never cease to trouble me. It was
one cause of my retirement from active service in the regular army. Two or
three expert doctors have written it up for medical journals, and one, Dr.
Anderson of Washington, D. C, only recently for a New York medical journal.
SOURCE: Lemuel Abijah Abbott, Personal Recollections
and Civil War Diary, 1864, p. 233-5
