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First Lieutenant William Palmer of Company E, 35th Massachusetts Infnatry was wounded at Antietam on 17 September 1862 by a gunshot that penetrated to his bladder. His surgeons found the “ball” (bullet) on the 21st – by which time William was somewhat emaciated and in considerable pain – and removed it from his bladder on the 25th. His surgeon had hope as late as 8 October that he would recover, but “in spite of the most careful sustaining measures the patient sank exhausted” and died of his wounds on 13 October 1862.

A description of his medical care is in the Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion (1870), an extract seen here.