BIOGRAPHIES

submitted by Douglas C. Huggett

HENRY R. HALSEY

Henry was a veteran of the Civil War. He died at the Soldier's home in Hot Springs, South Dakota. He is buried in the cemetery at the home in Block 2, grave 27.

I quote from his war records: "He entered the service at Pilot Knob, Missouri in June of 1861, a private in Company A (Commanded by Captain Bragg), Sixth Missouri Infantry (Commanded by Col. P. Bland) and was honorably discharged February 27, 1863 at Keokuk, Iowa due to disability."

I noticed in the record that he had given his sister, Louise Cooper, as his next of kin to receive any personal effects at his death.

Henry was listed as Robert Henry Halsey in his Civil War Service Records.

Robert H. Halsey; he was 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed 145 pounds and had a dark
complexion. He lived in Lima Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan before the Civil War.
He was wounded by a spent six pound cannon ball in the line of duty and while in action with his company on the 28th day of May 1862 at the siege of Cornith in the State of Mississippi. The doctors thought it would be healed in three weeks as it was only a flesh wound in the right thigh. After the ball was extracted he got gangrene in the wound. He was 23 years old at the time.

Robert was first placed in the regimental hospital at Camp Sherman near Bear Creek, Mississippi, was transferred to Monterey Hospital, to Hamburgh Hospital and from there to Keokuk Hospital where he remained until discharged on a certificate of disability on a pension of 16.00 a month.

The following is a description by Robert Halsey of his condition;
December 5, 1888:
I was wounded at Corinth, Mississippi, May 28th 1862 by a spent cannon ball. I was in the hospital 10 months. The wound is near the upper part of my right thigh, my right knee is now entirely anchylotic.. The deformity and shortening renders walking, stooping and turning around very painful and difficult. The knee is constantly becoming more painful and weaker. The hip joint is fast becoming anchylotic so that it is getting to be almost impossible for me to walk. The pain is so great that I do not get 4 hours of sleep on an average per night.

The following is the Chief Surgeon, Dr. Flick's findings upon examination;
We find a large circatrix (scar) adherent to the femur in the lower part of the upper third of the right thigh. The scar is ovoidal, 2 and one half by 3 inches. The thigh is greatly deformed. The comparative measurements I give on the diagram.

The right knee is totally anchylosed (a large scar in the right popliteal space probably a result of suppuration due to the wound above). The limb is greatly atrophied except and a plastic tumor just above the site of injury on the back part of the thigh, this tumor of growth is as firm in consistency as cartilage. The right hip joint is partially anchylosed. In walking the limb rotates on the pelvis but very slightly owing to the stiffening. It is harrassing to the sympathies to watch the efforts in walking. The right thigh thigh around the limb at the site of the wound is 18 inches; three inches below the woun it is 11 and one half inches, 11 one half inches is the left thigh, on level with site of wound on right limb is 21 and one half inches, 3 inches lower down the thigh is 16 and one half inches and the thigh around the tumor 22 and one half inches. Aside from above he is a perfect model of a man and in perfect health. He claims he can not sleep from the pain.

Admitted 16 January 1864 Soldiers Home, Pactola, South Dakota Territory; Death Certificate June 27, 1878; no children or wife; died Pactola, Pennington County near Rapid City, South Dakota; death payment 34.00; death certificate sent to Atty. W.A. Sturge, Omaha, Nebraska.

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This page was last updated January 14, 2004.