William Terry

William Terry

On February 5, 1862, William Terry enlisted and was mustered on April 10, 1862 as a Private into Company F, 63rd Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry. During the war, he was wounded in the left side of his face by a musket ball that remained lodged in his neck until he removed it himself with a straight razor when the ball came to the surface away from his cervical vertebra. He was mustered out of service on April 9, 1865.

Photograph and information provided by William Terry’s great great grandson, Robert D. Hammack, Lt. Col J. Felix St. James Camp #326, Department of Missouri, SUVCW.

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The scar from his wound remained noticeable in the photo (a tintype) on his own right side (a reverse image due to the manner of making the photograph) as is a knot on his neck. At first glance, the knot appears to be a bit of hair at the base of his neck, but the pronounced projection is, in fact, the musket ball.

William Terry