List of notable war amputees

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of soldiers who have had their limbs amputated.

Image Name Lifespan Rank Country War(s) Limb Loss Date of injury Description
Benedict Arnold (1741–1801) Major General United States/ British Empire American Revolutionary War Left leg October 7, 1777 While serving in the Continental Army, Benedict Arnold was severely wounded during the late stage of the Battles of Saratoga on October 7, 1777, he had been shot in the leg, and had a horse fall on top of it which resulted in it getting amputated in May 1778.[1][2]
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (1758–1805) Vice-admiral of the White British Empire First Anglo-Maratha War, American Revolutionary War, War of the First Coalition (WIA), War of the Second Coalition (WIA) and War of the Third Coalition Right arm July 25, 1797 During the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on July 25, 1797, Nelson was on a boat and was hit in the arm by grapeshot. He had his arm amputated and was hailed as a hero when he returned to England.[3][4][5]

1800-1899

Image Name Lifespan Rank Country War(s) Limb Loss Date of injury Description
Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey (1768–1854 Field Marshal British Empire French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars (WIA) Right leg June 16, 1815 Towards the end of the Battle of Waterloo, Henry Paget was shot in the right leg by one of Napoleon's cannons.[6][7]
James Edward Hanger (1843–1919) Private Confederate States of America American Civil War Left leg June 3, 1861 After being a soldier for only two days, Hanger was shot in the leg by a Union cannonball and the leg was amputated, making him the first amputee of the war. Following the war, Hanger built his own wooden prosthetic leg and established the Hanger, Inc.[8]
John Wesley Powell (1834–1902) Major United States American Civil War Right hand April 6–7, 1862 Shortly after his marriage, Powell took part at the Battle of Shiloh and was struck in the right arm by a Minié ball.[9] After the war, he became an acclaimed explorer and geologist.
William Francis Bartlett (1840–1876) Brigadier General United States American Civil War Left leg April 24, 1862 During the Siege of Yorktown, on April 24, 1862, Bartlett (who was a captain at the time) was shot in the left knee by Confederate pickets. The wound required the amputation of his leg and Bartlett continued to fight even after his amputation.[10][11]
Francis T. Nicholls (1834–1912) Brigadier General Confederate States of America American Civil War Left arm May 25, 1862 During the Valley Campaign, General Nicholls was shot in the left arm and left to recover in Winchester, Virginia.[12]
Alfred A. Stratton (1844–1874) Sergeant United States American Civil War Arms June 18, 1864 The 20-year-old blacksmith lost both his arms during the Siege of Petersburg when his arms were struck with a Confederate cannonball and amputated by Mr. A. S. Coe.[13][14]
Stephen Joseph McGroarty (1830–1870) Colonel United States American Civil War Left arm July 20, 1864 At the Battle of Peachtree Creek on July 20, 1864, McGroarty left arm was shattered at the elbow by a minié ball in the beginning of the engagement, yet he remained with his men through the fight.[15]

1914-1918

Image Name Lifespan Rank Country War(s) Limb Loss Date of injury Description
Paul Wittgenstein (1887–1961) Lieutenant Austria-Hungary World War I Right arm 23 August – 11 September 1914 During the Battle of Galicia, Wittgenstein was shot in the elbow by Russian forces and his arm was amputated. Following the war, he became a famous left-handed pianist.[16][17]
Joseph O'Sullivan (1897–1922) lance corporal British Empire World War I Right leg July 31 – November 10, 1917 The Irish Republican Army volunteer fought in World War I and lost his right leg at the Battle of Passchendaele.[18]
Laurence Stallings (1894–1968) Captain United States World War I Right leg June 25, 1918 During the Battle of Belleau Wood, Stallings severely wounded his leg after he charged a German machine gun nest. He refused to have the leg amputated and it was later amputated in 1922 after he damaged it falling on ice.[19][20]

1939-1945

Image Name Lifespan Rank Country War(s) Limb Loss Date of injury Description
Aleksey Maresyev (1916–2001) Colonel Soviet Union World War II Legs April 23, 1942 On 5 April 1942 his Yakovlev Yak-1 was shot down near Staraya Russa, after which he was almost captured. Despite being badly injured, he managed to return to the Soviet-controlled territory, braving blizzards and German patrol units. During his 18-day-long journey his injuries deteriorated so badly that both of his legs had to be amputated above the knee. Before the surgery he was lying on a stretcher with a sheet over his face and considered to be a hopeless case due to the extent of his injuries in addition to suffering from gangrene and blood poisoning. One doctor offered to operate on him and thereby saved him, but told him he would not lose his legs.[21][22]

1946-1999

2000-Present

References

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