Combat and Medical Technology in the Civil War

Combat and Medical Technology in the Civil War Mr. White’s US History 1

Big Questions w How did new weapons technologies affect how people fought and what they experienced on the battlefield? w How did Civil War doctors care for the wounded?

Tactics Before the Civil War Weapons w Weapon used before the Civil War was the smoothbore musket w Barrel (the part the bullet travels through) was smooth on the inside w Ball was a sphere (not a bullet shape) w Bullet would leave the barrel with a spin on it – changed direction w Was accurate to about 50 yards

Tactics Before the Civil War Formations w Men were placed in line two or three deep to maximize firepower w Men would fire in volleys – everyone shoots at once w Battle n n n Close to within range Fire one or two volleys Charge with the bayonet – pointed weapon on the end of the rifle

Linear Tactics

New Weapons – Rifled Musket w Minie ball was used – typical bullet shape w Barrel of the weapon was rifled – spiral grooves to give the bullet spin w Ball left barrel spinning on axis – much more accurate

Changes in Combat w Weapons are now accurate over 200 yards w Firing rate is increased – three aimed shots per minute w Bayonet charge became obsolete – why? w Advantage shifted in favor of the defender w Higher casualty rates

Effects of the Minie Ball w Slow muzzle velocity – would change direction on impact (tumble, ricochet) w Soft lead – tended to flatten and distort on impact w Would pull pieces of clothing and dirt into the wound w Would shatter bones

Artillery – The Big Guns w Solid shot – typical cannon ball, used against infantry w Case shot – explosive, filled with small balls, fired high to explode overhead of troops w Grape shot – cluster of metal balls held together by twine, balls would spray out as they left the cannon w Canister shot – canister filled with shrapnel, sawdust, pieces of metal; short-range shotgun effect

Edged Weapons w Bayonets – fixed onto the end of muskets for hand-tohand combat w Swords – carried by officers or cavalry, rarely used w Casualties from edged weapons were rare in the Civil War – more often happened by accident

Hospitals in the Civil War Wounds w Those wounded in the chest, head, or abdomen were usually left to die on the battlefield as their survival was unlikely. w Those wounded in the extremities had a chance of survival

Extremity Wounds w Amputation of the wound was usually the only course of action, especially if the wound had hit bone, or the bullet (or parts of it) stayed in the wound w The closer the amputation was to the trunk of the body, the more likely amputation would result in death w Infection was usually quite likely, and the person would have to be able to fight it off

Medical Technology Amputations w Painkillers and anesthetics were available, but were usually addictive drugs – morphine, opium, or when those weren’t available, hard liquor w Often done outside, during the day – why? w Tourniquet would be used to stop the blood flow. w Stiff, serrated bone-saw would be used to saw through flesh and bone w Amputated limbs simply thrown in a pile

New Technology w Even though the Civil War seems backwards when it comes to medical technology, they did have some advances w Hypodermic syringe – first used in the Civil War w Advanced ideas of field hospitals, mobile surgery unites, advancement of the roles of nurses w No concept of blood- or fluid-based germs – idea was that a clean surgical space had fewer problems w No concept of antiseptic practices