Newton Co., IN Bio Newton County, Jefferson Township. From A History of Warren, Benton, Jasper & Newton Counties, 1883. GEORGE M. BRIDGEMAN, born March 18, 1847, in Iroquois County, Illinois, is the second in a family of eight, and is a son of Levi and Mary J. (Brown) Bridgeman, who reside eight miles north of Kentland, and are well known as old settlers of this county. George had poor educational advantages. Eight days before he was seventeen years of age, March, 1864, he enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Col. De Hart. He was in the battlers of Chickamauga, Franklin, Nashville, Columbia, and in the Atlanta campaign. March 9, 1865, at the battle of Kingston, North Carolina, he received a gunshot wound in the right elbow joint, also one less serious in the left elbow. He then walked back a mile to the field hospital for treatment, carrying his right arm, which was still attached, with his left hand. He arrived there one hour after he received the shots. On arriving he found the surgeons at work in their quarters, and a wagon load of arms and legs outside that had been amputated. As they had poor accommodations, he sat down by an oak tree, and there awaited his turn until 11 o'clock that night, at which time his arm was amputated. From loss of blood, exhaustion and effects of anesthetics, he did not return to consciousness for twelve hours. He remained there five days, and was hauled by ambulance five miles over a corduroy road to the railroad. On this trip he was compelled to rest his body on his left elbow to prevent jarring the stump. The rough road and the position caused him to be in a perspiration on his arrival. He there took passage on a box car thirty-five miles over a terribly rough road to New Berne, North Carolina, where he was well cared for. "That hospital to me," says Mr. B., "seemed as much like heaven as anything I can ever expect. It was lighted at night, and everybody seemed anxious and willing to do for my comfort, in favorable contrast to what I had experienced." After six weeks, he was taken to McDougal Hospital, New York, where he remained until discharged. He arrived at home in time to celebrate "the glorious Fourth". The following March 9, it became necessary to re-amputate the stump. This wound yet give Mr. B. much trouble and discomfort. Some nights the pain compels him to constantly shift positions. Before losing his arm, he weighed 167, and now 135 pounds. He attended college at Westfield, Illinois, one year, taught one term, farmed, carried mail, herded cattle, etc., until 1878, when he was elected Recorder of Newton County, which office expires April, 1884. He was married, March 9, 1878, to Miss Ada Bennett of Clark County, Illinois, and has one child, Clarence. Mr. B. is a comrade of McHolland Post, G.A.R., also a member of the M.E. Church. He is well located in West Kentland; owns a comfortable house and seven acres of land. He is a Republican. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Submitted By Gerald Born Email - Wizzofozl0@aol.com