why did the civil war battles have high casualty rate?

Answer 1

The casualty rates were no different then WW2 or Revolutionary War.

Answer 2

Great question...there are several reasons
1- Medicine was very primitive. Even simple wounds could fester and become infected. No drugs were available to treat infection.
2- Tactics had not caught up with weapons. The standard infantry tactic was the frontal assault. Soldiers lined up shoulder to shoulder and marched forward until they got close to the enemy. Artillery was positoned wheelhub to wheelhub and every other cannon was loaded with grapeshot...the even ones were loaded with chain. when the fired the grape shot was like a giant shotgun...the chain whipped around in a giant cresent that cut off legs and arms. The rifle of the day used a .58 grain lead minie ball that could hit targets several hundred yards away. This is about he size of your thumb. A lead projectile this size would almost always kill the man it hit. If the man didn't die immediately then he would in a few hours to weeks later.

Lastly...soldiers were weakened by poor nutrition and living conditions. This meant that the infections from other wise minor wounds would kill.

Answer 3

I would guess that it was because the Confederate and Union sides probably took the battle to each other rather than use as much guerrilla warfare tactics used in more modern wars. Also, I think alot of deaths occured because of non life-threatening wounds that became became life-threatening because of extreme infection.

Answer 4

Because they didn't hide behind trees!!!

What would your chance of survival be
if you stood out in the open only dozens
of yards away from someone shooting at
you?

Another cause was the poor medical treatment
soldiers received for their wounds.

Many died from infection.

Answer 5

they were still fighting a gentlemen's war tactics

Answer 6

cuz no one realy was aiming they were just shooting