The present invention provides an absorbent wound dressing assembly that can be used to stanch, seal, or stabilize a site of tissue injury, tissue trauma, or tissue access. The wound dressing assembly is flexible so that it can be adapted and used to fit in narrow and small wound sites. Generally the wound dressing assembly comprises a flexible carrier material that is impregnated with a non-mammalian material for control of severe bleeding. The preferred non-mammalian material is poly [β-(1→4)-2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranose] more commonly referred to as chitosan.