31430 - Union Infantry Casualty in State Jacket

Union Infantry Casualty in State Jacket

The Civil War was America’s bloodiest conflict. The unprecedented violence of battles such as Shiloh, Antietam, Chickamauga, the Wilderness, and Gettysburg shocked citizens and international observers alike. Unfortunately for the common soldier, tactics did not advance as quickly as technology. Napoleonic linear formations juxtaposed with more accurate, faster-firing weapons resulted in catastrophic casualty figures. The introduction of .58 and .69 caliber Minié Ball technology, fired through a rifle grooved musket barrel, increased accuracy and resulted in more horrific wounds and death. An appalling statistic of 33% of deaths (250,000^±) were from combat during the war.