Heserved in the Union Army during the American Civil War and was shot in the leg during the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5-7, 1864. The battle, which took place in Virginia, was an intense and chaotic confrontation between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The thick undergrowth and limited visibility in the Wilderness region made the fighting brutal, resulting in a high number of casualties on both sides. He was Captured by Confederates and treatment of his wounds was delayed and he suffered repeated infections. His leg was finally amputated.
