On this date in history....

[Adam Helmer]

On September 22, 1776, Nathan Hale was hanged as a spy by the British during the Revolutionary War.

Apparently the Americans paid the British back by hanging Major Andre a few years later.


Adam

[BILLY D.]

Adam

Can you imagine the savagery of those wars? I have seen some of it on the screen and read about it in other places. Those people, both sides, were flat out mean. And the "Civil War"? was probably the worst. I can only respect the paticipants, both sides. What those poor guys went through was pure Hell.

Best wishes, Bill

[Adam Helmer]

Billy D,

Yes things were bad in them "Good Old Days."

My readings of the Revolutionary War and the Civil War disclosed that some times quarter was not given and prisoners were abused or killed, out of hand.

The medical establishment was crude to say the least. The Civil War Minie balls required that the only treatment for an arm or leg wound was amputation. If you look at pictures of Civil War reunions in the 1870s, 1880s and 1890s, notice the large number of one-armed or one-legged participants.

Adam

[BILLY D.]

In my readings of those sad times your worst fear was going to a field hospital. Too bad Dr. Lister had not invented antiseptic earlier. Ever wonder where the word Listerene came from?

Of course it is from those times and following contacts/conflicts that our medical corps has evolved into the highly efficient organizations they are today.

That knowledge has also filtered down to the civilian community. Triage treatment was first used on the battlefield.

Another interesting fact, did you ever notice how many doctors were involved in the invention of weapons? Dr. Maynard, Dr. Gatling, to name a couple.

Bill

[gspsonny03]

Although I agree with you about the effects of the minie ball, you also have to keep in mind the numbers of wounded people on both sides and the lack of medical personnel, sometimes they had no choice. It was quicker to cut off limbs than it was to try and save that same limb. They could save the lives of many by cutting limbs off or save the limbs of a few by doing it right.

[Mr. 16 gauge]

It was quicker to cut off limbs than it was to try and save that same limb. They could save the lives of many by cutting limbs off or save the limbs of a few by doing it right.

Not really true....cutting of the limbs was done to prevent gangrene and blood poisoning. Since there were no antibiotics at the time, and sterilization was unheard of, the only sure way of preventing these outcomes was amputation.....saving the limb wasn't even a thought out conclusion.

I found some books on civil war medicine, medical treatments of the day, ect. when were were at Gettysburg a few years ago....what I found interesting was the survival rate for those soldiers recieving head wounds....something like 80% survived! But I guess if you figure that severe head wounds probably never made it to the hospital, and that most of these wounds were most likely superficial (even though they were able to do primative skull surgeries, such as trephanations), the number starts to make sense.

[Adam Helmer]

Mr. 16 gauge,

Thanks for the medical information.

Another factor was the linear tactics of "closing with the enemy" and firing volleys from 50 yards with .58 caliber rifles firing one ounce+ pure lead projectiles into massed ranks to the firing line's front. Wounds at that close range had to be horrific.

Another interesting fact is the few bayonet wounds documented in many CW battles. I read an article where it was explained most conscripts favored "clubbed muskets" to bayonet thrusts. Another answer may be that bayonet wounds were usually fatal, so no treatment was sought at the field hospitals.

Finally, we know there were women in the ranks at Gettysburg because 5 were wounded (a few from both sides) and were treated at field hospitals.

I like history and read all articles I can lay my hands on.

Adam

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Adam;
I don't know so much about the bayonet wounds being more 'fatal' or not....I do know that the design of the 'blade' of most muzzleloading bayonets were of a tri-blade nature....this would cause a wound that would be difficult to seal itself off with the bodies usual clotting mechanism.
I do know that many reenactors at the battlefields I've been to have stated that the bayonets were used as candle holders, meat skewers, ect, but no so much used in battle.

[gspsonny03]

MR. 16 Gauge,
Actually what I said was true. While I won't argue the reason for what they did or the reason they did it. It is a whole lot faster to cut a limb off than it is to try and reconstruct it in the field with no clean instruments and if you have 500 patients to work on you will try and do them as fast as you can. I do agree with you on the point of sanitation though. BTW the last line of my previous post should have read "lives" instead of "limbs".

[Adam Helmer]

Mr. 16 gauge,

You heard right about bayonets in the Civil War. They made great candle holders, shiskebob skewers, tent stakes and some were heated and bent to make cadaver recovery hooks for the mortuary details.

The rifled muskets of the CW era were effective beyond 500 yards, so running home the bayonet was not a common occurance. From what I read, the bayonet was effective for scaring "green" troops and keeping cavalry at bay. Cavalry in the CW became scouts and recon troops and mounted infantry.

Adam