James Edward Hanger
| James Edward Hanger | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Jamey Eddy Hanger February 25, 1843 Churchville, Virginia, United States |
| Died | June 9, 1919 (aged 76) |
| Residence | Washington, D.C. |
| Citizenship | American |
| Known for | Confederate States Army veteran, prosthetist, founder of J. E. Hanger, Inc. |
| Height | 6'4 |
| Spouse(s) | Nora McCarthy (married 1873) |
| Children | Princetta Alice James Edward Herbert Blair McCarthy Hugh Hamilton Henry Hoover Albert Sidney |
| Parent(s) | William Alexander Hanger Eliza Hogshed Hanger |
James Edward Hanger (February 25, 1843 – June 9, 1919) was a Confederate States Army veteran of the American Civil War, a prosthetist and a businessman. It is reported that he became the first amputee of the war after being struck in the leg by a cannonball. Hanger subsequently designed and created his own prosthesis, then went on to found a prosthetic company that continues in business today.
Hanger was born at Mount Hope, his father's plantation near Churchville, Virginia. His parents were William Alexander Hanger and Eliza Hogshed Hanger. He attended local elementary schools and, in 1859, enrolled at Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, to study engineering. He was an 18-year-old sophomore when he decided to leave school and join the newly formed Churchville Cavalry, which was under the command of Captain Franklin Sterrett. Two of Hanger's brothers and four of his cousins were already enlisted with the company, and as he prepared to join them, his mother packed food and clothing to send along for her sons. An ambulance corps carrying supplies for the Confederacy passed through town, and Hanger joined with the group, traveling to Philippi, Virginia (now West Virginia). He arrived on June 2, 1861, and after enlisting, spent the night in a nearby stable with a small group of untrained and badly equipped Confederates. While on guard duty the next morning, Hanger heard gunfire, and ran into the stable to get his horse. At that moment, a Union cannonball ricocheted inside the stable, striking his left leg below the knee. This was the beginning of the Battle of Philippi, also known as "The Philippi Races".
Author Robert J. Driver, Jr., in his book The 14th Virginia Cavalry, documents Hanger's firsthand account of this experience:
The first two shots were canister and directed at the Cavalry Camps, the third shot was a 6 pound solid shot aimed at a stable in which the Churchville Cavalry Company had slept. This shot struck the ground, richochetted (sic), entering the stable and struck me. I remained in the stable til they came looking for plunder, about four hours after I was wounded. My limb was amputated by Dr. James D. Robinson, 16th Ohio Volunteers.
...
Wikipedia