Title: Pettigrew, G. W.

Source text: The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. (1861-65.), Part 3, Volume 2 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1883), 389.

Keywords:wounds and injuries of the lower extremitieswounds and injuries of the knee jointexcisions at the knee joint for shot injuryprimary excisions at the knee jointfatal cases of primary excision of the knee jointshot wound of knee, patella removedshot wound of side and kneeresection of head of fibula, destroyed by ball

Civil War Washington ID: med.d2e16203

TEI/XML: med.d2e16203.xml


CASE 601.—Lieutenant G. W. Pettigrew, Co. A, 26th Georgia, was wounded and captured at Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Surgeon C. J. Nordquist, 83d New York, recorded his admission to the field hospital of the 2d division, First Corps, with "shot wound of left knee; patella removed." Acting Assistant Surgeon J. D. Robinson reported that the patient was admitted to the Patent Office Hospital, Washington, December 25th, and that he died of his injury, "a shot wound of left side and knee," December 30, 1862.²


² A letter of inquiry was addressed, in February, 1868, by the editor to Dr. R. S. Dana, formerly Surgeon 107th Pennsylvania, who, in an answer dated March 23, 1868, states: "1 have written to several of the surgeons who were there, to learn if possible more of the case than I can recollect; one answer only has been returned. From all that I can learn or remember of the case, Lieutenant Pettigrew was operated on by Dr. E. G. Chase, Surgeon 104th New York, and Dr. J. F. Hutchinson, at that time Surgeon of the 107th Pennsylvania. The operation was the resection of the head of the fibula, which was destroyed by a ball, the operation not involving the knee joint proper."