CASE.—Sergeant L. E. Clark, Co. E,
26th Michigan Volunteers, aged 21 years, was wounded near Petersburg, Virginia, June 17th, 1864, by a
conoidal ball, which fractured the right temporal bone, two inches above the
ear, and lodged. He was conveyed to the hospital of the 1st division, Second
Corps, and remained insensible until the next day, when the ball was extracted
and several fragments of bone were removed. The operation gave great relief; but
the left arm and leg remained paralyzed until the middle of July, when the
patient recovered the use of the leg, and partial use of the arm. For two or
three days after the removal of the ball, he was almost totally blind; but, in
December, his vision was only slightly impaired. He was, on December 9th, sent to Augur Hospital, Alexandria; on December 16th, to Armory Square, Washington, and on February 20th, 1865, to Cliffburne Barracks, whence he was
transferred to the Veteran Reserve
Corps on March 25th,
1865. He was discharged the service June 28th, 1865, and pensioned. In June, 1866,
Pension Examiner R. C. Hutton reported
that the man needs constant watching on account of loss of intellect, and of
frequently recurring spasms, caused by compression of the brain.