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Civil War Genealogy Database

56th Pennsylvania Infantry


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	James Kelly is my wife's great-great-grandfather. The following account is from his obiuary in the Blairsvill PA newspaper in 1913: James E Kelly, age 80 years, and a Civil War veteran, died at the home of Duncan McConnell, Burrel Township, 2 miles from Blairsville, on Sunday morning, October 26th, at 5:00 ,death being due to infirmities of old age. His remains were taken to the home of his grandson, James K. McConnell, of Blairsville, where the funeral took place Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock, Rev. W. R. Goff, pastor of the Blairsville Lutheran Church, conducting the services. Two daughters, Mrs. Ruth McConnell and Mrs. Margaret McConnell, both of Blairsville, survive the deceased. Mr. Kelly being a member of Findley Patch Post No. 137, G.A.R., of Blairsville, the members of that organization had charge of the service at the cemetery. During a skirmish on the Rappahannock, Mr. Kelly was so badly wounded as to necessitate the amputation of his left leg at the hip joint, and the back of a photograph taken shortly after the operation contains the following account of this marvelous piece of surgery: Surgeon General’s Office: Army Medical Museum Successful amputation at the hip joint: Private James E. Kelly, Company B, 56th Pennsylvania Volunteers, First Division, First Army Corps, 28 years old, was wounded on April 29, 1863 in a skirmish nearly opposite “Pratt’s House”, below Fredericksburg. He was about three hundred yards from the enemy when a conoidal musket ball shattered his left femur, the splintering of the bone extending as far as the lesser prochanter. He was wounded at 9 AM. A consultation of the surgeons of Brigades of the 1st Division, decided that exarticulation of the femur was advisable. The operation was performed at 4PM by Surgeon Edward Shipen, U. S. Vols., Surgeon-chief of the 1st Division, First Army Corps, at the “Fitzhugh House.” The double flap of procedure was adopted. The hemorrhage was slight. The patient was placed in the hospital tent. On May 22, he was transferred to the Corps Hospital, doing well. By May 28 all the ligatures had been removed, there was no favorable symptom to the date of June 15, 1863, when the patient was captured by the enemy and transferred to the Libby Prison in Richmond. On July 14 Kelly was exchanged and was sent to the U.S.A. General Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland. On his arrival he was much exhausted by profuse diarrhea. The external portion of the wound had united, but the lower external portion was gangrenous. Applications of bromine were made to the sloughing surface but without amelioration. Under the use of a chlorinated soda lotion, a healthy granulating surface was obtained. July 24, 1863, the patient now improved, and on December 23, 1863, his wound was healed, and he visited Washington and obtained an honorable discharge from service and a pension. At this date the picture from which the photograph was taken, was drawn by Hospital Steward Staunch, U.S.A., artist of the Army Medical Museum. In the spring of 1864 Kelly was in good health at his home near Black Lick P. O., Indiana County. The femur is preserved at the Army Medical Museum and is numbered “specimen 1148.” GEORGE A. OTIS Surgeon, U.S.A. Curator, A.M.M. Mr. Kelly enlisted December 16th, 1861, and was a member of Capt. Cunningham’s company. He was discharged from the service December 7, 1863.
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