Civil War Washington

CASE 1231.—Private Franz Metzel, Co. A, 11th Massachusetts, aged 31 years, was wounded at Spottsylvania​ , May 12, 1864. On May 25th he was admitted into Armory Square Hospital, Washington. Surgeon D. W. Bliss, U. S. V., reported: "This soldier accidentally got between or in the range of cross-firing and received twenty-six separate wounds of entrance and exit, and when admitted was sufficiently strong to converse and relate his sad fate. The wounds were by minié balls, as follows: 1st entered just anterior to external malleolus of left ankle and emerged about the middle of the sole of the foot; 2d entered left leg just above external malleolus, passed upward, and emerged five inches above the heel; 3d ball entered left leg six inches above external malleolus, and made its exit on the inner side four inches below the knee joint; 4th entered just below the head of the left fibula, and emerged on the internal aspect nearly opposite point of entrance; 5th entered left thigh externally, three inches above knee, and emerged on inner side opposite point of entrance; 6th entered left thigh on the external and middle part, passed through, and emerged opposite point of entrance; 7th entered just above the coccyx and remains in parts unknown; 8th entered the back three inches above left hip, and remains; 9th entered just below inferior angle of left scapula and remains in parts unknown; 10th, left arm, two wounds below and three above the elbow, the bones above and below being fractured; 11th entered right leg above the middle and made its exit on the calf opposite point of entrance; 12th entered about three inches below the right knee, a little internal, and remains; 13th entered right thigh externally, about the middle, and made its exit on the inner side opposite point of entrance; 14th entered upper third of right thigh, on the external side, and remains in parts unknown. He died May 30, 1864."