THE LEADVILLE CAMPAIGN A PAPER PRESENTED TO THE ASSOCIATION OF MILITARY SURGEONS OF THE UNITED STATES, AND REPRINTED FROM THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. Coeonee CLAYTON PARKHILL, DENVER, COE. SURGEON GENERA.E OF THE NATIONAE GUARD OF COEORADO. and Major L. H. Kembee, DENVER, COE. SURGEON IN THE NATIONAE GUARD OF COEORADO. COLUMBUS, OHIO ; BERLIN PRINTING COMPANY. 1897. THE LEADVILLE CAMPAIGN A PAPER PRESENTED TO THE ASSOCIATION OF MILITARY SURGEONS OF THE UNITED STATES, AND REPRINTED FROM THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. Colonel CLAYTON PARKHILL, SURGEON GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL GUARD OF COLORADO DENVER, COL. AND Major L. H. Kemble, SURGEON IN THE NATIONAL GUARD OF COLORADO. DENVER, COL. COLUMBUS, OHIO : BERLIN PRINTING COMPANY. 1897 . THE LEADVILLE CAMPAIGN. Colonel CLAYTON FARKHILL, SURGEON GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL GUARD OF COLORADO. DENVER, COL. and Major L. H. KEMBLE, DENVER, COL. ON June 15, 1896, the Cloud City Miners’ Union, of Lead- ville, declared a strike. This strike is supposed to have involved about three thousand men, with the result that SURGEON IN THE NATIONAL GUARD OF COLORADO. work in all the mines, both of gold and silver in that district, was practically suspended. No agreement could be reached between the mine managers and the striking miners, and on the night of the 20th of September, 1896, an attack was made upon the Coro- nado and Emmet mines. The Coronado is located three blocks from the center of the city of Leadville and consisted of a shaft house, a pumping plant and a trestle about twenty-five feet in height, extending across the street to the adjoining block, on which the refuse of the mine was dumped. The mine was guarded by about a dozen men armed with Winchester rifles, and shot guns loaded with buckshot. Inasmuch as there had been rumors of an attack upon the property it had been surrounded by a stockade of heavy pine boards about eight feet high. It is impossible to accurately deter- mine the number of men who made the attack, but it has been estimated at several hundred. They were armed principally with Marlin and Winchester rifles of the latest pattern and heavy cali- bre, and also with dynamite bombs. The attack began about mid- night and lasted about one hour and it is supposed that many thousands of shots were fired. Finally a dynamite bomb ex- ploded the oil tank and ignited the building. The defenders in order to escape were obliged to pass along the trestle above de- scribed and leap to the “dump,” some ten or twelve feet below. This was lit up by the fire and in full view of the attacking party. Colonel Parkhill and Major Kemble. 4 The only casualty among those defending the mine was the loss of a toe by one of the men. A fireman was shot and killed while in discharge of his duty in attempting to put out the flames. The fire was finally controlled, after a large part of the property had been destroyed. Following this the attacking party proceeded to the Emmet mine, a distance of a mile from the Coronado, and made an attack Fig- I-Camp Mclrytire, Leadville, Colorado, from a Photograph. upon it. In addition to the weapons which they had used in at- tacking the Coronado, they had a cannon of home manufacture. It consisted of about five feet of three-inch iron pipe, inserted into a four-inch iron pipe, the interspace being filled with Babbitt metal. This was secured in a crevice of the rocks above the shaft house and fired from that position. It was loaded with chain and scrap iron and was aimed at the oil tank, but fortunately did no more damage than tearing a hole through both sides of the building. The attack lasted about an hour. The attacking party in the two The Leadville Campaign. 5 engagements lost six men killed, but accurate information could not be obtained in regard to the number of wounded. Upon receiving information of these attacks, Governor Mdn- tire ordered out the entire National Guard of the State. This consisted of one brigade of two regiments of infantry, one troop of cavalry and one battery of artillery. Within twenty-four hours 653 men had reported for duty. The campaign which followed, lasting 172 days, was re- markable in several respects. It was the longest campaign that the National Guard of any State has endured as an organization. The camps at the Ibex and Resurrection mines were the highest ever occupied by any troops in the world. No troops, either State or National, in this country have ever experienced a campaign of such length at such an altitude. Notwithstanding the very ardu- ous duties imposed upon the men, the number unfit for duty on account of illness or injury was remarkably small. The city of Leadville has an altitude of 10,250 feet. The area guarded by the troops was practically ten miles square. This country is exceedingly rugged and mountainous. The main camp was located in the city of Leadville, and was called “Camp Me- Intire.” Other camps were established at a number of the princi- pal mines. The properties guarded in this district with their dis- tance from camp and their altitude is as follows; NAME. DISTANCE. ALTITUDE. Ibex 11500 feet. Resurrection 7 “ 11500 “ Herman Lease 4 11250 Emmet 2 “ 10500 “ The R. A. M 2 “ 10700 “ The Bohn 1 10200 “ The Bon Air 1 10175 “ The East Chip H “ 3'4 “ 10325 “ The Bison 10350 “ yz “ 10250 “ Powder Magazine Maid of Erin i i* “ H “ 10075 “ 10450 “ Penrose 10275 “ Camps were established at the Ibex, the Maid of Erin, the Emmet and at the Resurrection a part of the time. When it is considered that this campaign was made in the winter; that at times the temperature was as low as fifteen to 6 Colonel Parkhill and Major Kemble. twenty degrees below zero; that the snow at times had a depth of from two to five feet; that the majority of the members of the guard came from much lower altitudes, ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 feet, some conception may be had of its trials and difficulties. The troops were ordered out about midnight on a Sunday consequently many of them had no opportunity to properly clothe themselves for such an experience. They arrived in camp with thin shoes and linen or cotton underclothing. They were illy prepared to make camp in the cold rain and mud which greeted them in Leadville. Many of them were on duty continuously for two days and a half. These duties consisted in marching to the various properties which have been mentioned and standing guard over them in absolutely exposed positions. The quartermaster and commissary departments were entirely unable to properly clothe and feed the men at first, consequently they were fed at the Hotel Vendome for a few days. The facilities of the hotel were limited and the food was poor and imperfectly cooked. It was impossible during the first few days to provide bedding for the men in their tents. Straw and hay could not be procured, so the only protection they had were their blankets on the cold, muddy ground. Notwithstanding all these disadvantages the record for health was remarkable. These conditions were quickly altered by the efficiency and energy of Adjutant General Cassius M. Moses. Too much praise cannot be given him for the excellent way in which he clothed and fed the men. Warm woolen underclothing, which later included sweaters, caps, overshoes and gloves, were rapidly procured. When the weather became more severe sentry boxes were furnished at the main camp, each containing a stove. No man was permitted to walk his beat unless provided with over- shoes. The commissary department was equally well equipped. The meats were cooked in Buzzaootts. All the supplies were of excellent quality. The men at outlying camps were provided with shelter and sleeping quarters in the mine buildings. Three cases of gunshot injury and one of bayonet wound are of interest. Captain McGwire, while bearing an order to Denver, stepped from a moving train at Burnham, Colorado. He was thrown forward and his left foot was caught under the car wheels and was completely crushed. He was removed to St. Luke’s Hos- pital, Denver, and it was found necessary to amputate the leg at The Leadville Campaign. 7 the junction of the lower with the middle third. His recovery was satisfactory and complete. Sergeant Hamilton, of G Company, Second Regiment, while acting as Corporal of the Guard, was fired upon by mistake at a distance of about 250 yards. The shot was from a Springfield rifle and penetrated the left patella, taking a course backward and out- ward, crushing the external condyle in its way and finding exit at the inner side of the tendon of the biceps. He was conveyed to St. Luke’s Hospital in Leadville and a careful antiseptic dressing ap- plied. At the end of forty-eight hours he was removed to St. Luke’s Hospital in Denver in order to secure better facilities for treatment. The joint was opened and the comminuted fragments of the outer condyle removed together with large quantities of blood clots. The explosive force of the bullet had been terrific. The joint was drained, a sterile dressing applied and the extremity placed in a plaster splint. His recovery from the operation was entirely satisfactory and very rapid. There was no infection of the wound. At the end of two months new bone had apparently re-formed to take the place of the condyle which had been de- stroyed, but there remained a cavity half an inch in diameter and three-fourths of an inch in depth. Some motion was present in the joint. At this time he was transferred to Alton, 111., in order that he might spend the remaining time of convalescence with the members of his family. Private Bonner, of C Company, of the First Regiment In- fantry, received a gunshot wound by the accidental discharge of his pistol while in the holster on his hip. The pistol was of the Colt pattern, 32 calibre. The bullet entered the left popliteal space on the outer side of the inner hamstring muscles and passed down- ward and forward, striking the inner side of the fibula, where it was slightly diverted from its course, and lodged finally quite super- ficially four inches above the ankle joint. It carried with it a patch of the pantaloons and another of the drawers. It was dressed an- tiseptically at the camp hospital, and he was transferred to St. Luke’s Hospital in Denver for further treatment. The fragments of clothing carried with the bullet gave rise to infection of the wound and necessitated operation. The entire tract of the wound was laid open and the bullet removed. The infection rapidly cleared up and his progress to recovery was perfect. Colonel Parkhill and Major Kemble. Private Cramer, of C Company, Second Regiment, dropped his rifle and the piece was discharged. The bullet entered the lower border of the pectoralis major muscle and found exit at the outer third of the clavicle. The wound was superficial and under antiseptic dressing* healed satisfactorily. Sergeant Wilson, of K Company, while climbing over a high stockade slipped and fell upon his bayonet which, contrary to in- struction, was fixed upon his rifle. The bayonet entered at the lower border of the left pectoralis major muscle and emerged at the tip of the acromion process. The shoulder joint was not pene- trated and no important structures were involved. Under care- ful dressing the wound healed perfectly. Below will Be found a tabulated statement showing the dis- eases from which the men suffered in this campaign, the number of cases of each, the duration of each and the period of disability, as shown by the hospital records: DISEASE. NO. OF CASES. DAYS SICK. TERMINATION. Alcoholism 1 l Recovered. Bilious 2 i “ ( t 1 3 “ “ 1 3 “ Bronchitis 1 9 3 Furloug-hed. i 1 Recovered. 2 6 “ “ 1 9 “ 6 6 1 10 “ 1 12 6 6 Catarrh, (Chronic) 1 17 Improved. ( 6 “ (Nasal) 1 3 “ (Gastric) 2 2 6 6 Colic, (Bead) 1 3 Recovered. Cold, (General) 1 2 ( 6 66 n 1 4 6 6 6 6 6 6 1 5 6 fc 6 6 6 6 2 8 6 6 Diarrhoea 1 6 6 6 Dysentery 1 2 Erysipelas 1 33 Exhaustion 1 1 Improved. “ 1 2 Recovered. “ 1 5 Furloug-hed. “ (Alcoholic) 1 7 Recovered. Fever, (Bilious) 4 1 ‘ ‘ 6 6 6 6 2 2 “ *1 1 3 “ “ “ 1 5 “ 6 6 6 6 1 7 6 6 The Leadville Campaign. DISEASE. NO. OF CASES. DAYS SICK. TERMINATION. Fever, (Bilious) “ (Delirious) 1 1 15 5 Recovery. “ (Mountain) i 2 << i 4 i 6 <4 i 5 4 4 i 9 Furloughed. Recovered. 1 28 “ (Unclassified) 2 3 2 Furloughed. Recovered. 2 4 2 5 2 5 44 Gastritis 1 4 Recovered. Improved. Gingivitis 1 3 Heart, (Irritable) 2 3 u 44 i 6 44 4 i 44 i 11 Discharged. Recovered. Furloughed, j Furloughed. Jaundice i 18 Laryngitis 3 i 4 1 Necrosis of Turbinated Bone. Orchitis 1 1 1 Indefinite 6 ] Recovered. Recovered. Furloughed. Improved. 16 5 Otitis Media, (Chronic) 1 44 44 1 ) 8 1 Indefinite Indefinite Indefinite 2 4 4 4 4 1 Pharyngitis, (Chronic). Pneumonia 4 4 2 1 1 / Sent to Denver. \ Died. ( Sent to Denver. ( Complicated by Secondary Syphilis) Syphilis Stricture 1 2 1 56 8 3 1 Recovered. Discharged. Improved. Recovered. Tonsilitis 4 4 4 4 4 1 1 5 6 4 4 2 7 4 4 1 8 44 4 4 1 10 44 4 4 1 11 44 4 4 1 14 44 Gonorrhoea 1 4 Furloughed. Rheumatism 1 3 1 1 9 6 4 4 Recovered. 4 4 4 4 1 7 4 4 1 9 4 4 4 4 1 27 44 Sprain, (Ankle) 1 8 Relieved from duty 4 4 (4 1 1 “ (Shoulder) 1 2 Recovered. 4 4 “ (Back) 1 11 10 Colonel Parkhill and Major Kemble. DATE. NO. IN CAMP. NO. UNFIT FOR | DUTY. h £ W u os « cu DATE. NO. IN CAMP. NO. UNFIT FOR DU 1 Y. PER CENT. 1896. Sept. 21.... 230 None 1896. Nov. 10.... 616 16 .026 “ 22.... 653 “ 11.... 609 19 .03 “ 23.... 706 3 .004 “ 12... 614 17 .027 74- 776 10 .012 “ 13 608 23 .037 “ 25.... 767 17 .022 “ 14.... 616 12 .019 “ 26 765 10 .013 “ 15.... 625 8 .012 “ 27.... 752 15 .019 “ 16.... 628 11 .017 “ 28 749 12 .016 “ 17 635 13 .02 “ 9.Q 734 13 .017 “ 18.... 635 15 .023 “ 30 725 12 .016 “ 19.... 646 18 .027 4-j O c 719 12 .016 “ 20.... 731 18 024 “ 2 710 13 .018 “ 21.... 810 11 .013 “ 3 , 696 13 .018 “ 22.... 778 10 .015 “ 4 683 13 .019 “ 23.... 795 12 .015 “ 5.... 680 10 .014 “ 24.... 827 IS .018 “ 6.... 675 13 .019 “ 25.... 808 16 .019 “ 7.... 662 12 .011 “ 26 ... 805 17 .021 “ 8 649 17 .026 “ 27.... 817 19 .023 “• 9.... 640 22 .034 “ 28.... 823 14 .017 “ 10 641 29 .045 “ 29.... 823 17 .02 “ 11 637 24 .037 “ 30 827 18 .022 u 19 635 14 .022 Dec. 1. . . 803 18 .021 “ 13 639 17 .026 “ 2. . , 821 12 .014 “ 14 627 11 .017 “ 3 . . 810 15 .018 “ 15.... 616 10 .016 “ 4.... 801 16 .019 “ 16 616 10 .016 “ 5.... 779 16 .02 “ 17 615 11 .017 “ 6 767 15 .019 “ 18 628 9 .014 “ 7.... 761 18 .023 “ 19.... 629 12 .019 “ 8 ... 762 14 .018 “ 20.... 620 14 .022 “ 9... 652 13 .019 “ 21 613 9 .014 “ 10.... 622 12 .019 ‘ ‘ 7.7 610 10 .016 “ 11.... 614 12 .019 “ 23 611 9 .014 “ 12... 605 13 .021 “ 7A 612 10 .016 “ 13 603 9 .014 “ 25.... 636 13 .02 “ 14.... 603 10 .016 “ 26 612 12 .019 “ 15.... 599 9 .015 “ 7.7 610 10 .016 “ 16.... 599 9 .015 “ 28 619 12 .019 “ 17 599 8 .013 “ 29 633 12 .019 “ 18.... 545 6 .011 “ 30.... 599 11 .018 “ 19.... 540 8 .014 “ 31 608 11 .018 “ 20 535 8 .015 Nov. 1.... 602 12 .019 “ 21.... 532 6 .011 “ 2 620 15 .024 “ 22. . 532 8 .015 “ 3 “ 4 591 606 13 13 .022 .021 “ 23 “ 24.... 510 9 .017 “ 5 624 13 .02 “ 25 Sol 8 .015 “ 6.... 616 12 .019 “ 26... 504 7 .013 “ 7 610 13 .021 “ 27 503 9 .017 “ 8.... “ 9 614 12 .019 “ 28.... 507 8 .015 615 15 .024 “ 29 511 8 .015 The Leadville Campaign. 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