What were some of the civil war soldier's dangers?

Question

What things could hurt or kill you?

*Please leave the website/book you found this in, APA Style.

Answer 1

As bloody as the battles were in the ACW, disease was far more dangerous. It wasn't until WWI that improved sanitation and medical practice made the risks of disease and combat casualty about equal. Since that time modern armies have continued to reduce the risk of disease casualties. Note that even in a low tech army, good sanitation practices go far to reducing the risk of disease. Check the records of Regular units vs. Volunteer units in the ACW for confirmation.

Answer 2

Some of the most deadly dangers that the civil war soldier faced were not the bullets of bayonets of their enemies. It was the diseases like cholera, dysentery, and malaria. It was also the infections and fevers that ran rampantly unchecked from small and large wounds alike. It was starvation and lack of shelter from the elements. There were more deaths associated from these things than were from enemy fire. Most have gone unnoticed or unrecorded in the Official accounts of the war.

Answer 3

Ummmm, just a guess here, but how about bullets? And canon fire? And bayonets?

There were also issues with gangrene & infection, primarily from lack of medicines and unsanitary conditions.

There were other illnesses as well, including cholora, measles, disentary, smallpox, etc...

Then there was the Northern bitter cold for the South to contend with, lack of food from supply lines being cut, lack of warm clothing for the Southern armies, lack of clean drinking water, being a Prisoner of War, etc...

Answer 4

Outside of the obvious (bullets, cannon, etc..) infections was the main killer of soldiers. Soap was not in common use at this time or antiseptics to kill bacteria that would infect wounds and open soars. It was not uncommon for a soldier to die from a cut.

Answer 5

Worse than being wounded on the battlefield was the conditions of the P.O.W. Camps that both sides prisoners had to endure, sadistic Camp Commandants and guards, poor food, poor medical supplies very basic hygiene conditions, Bad accommodation, Disease, did not help as well.

http://www.angelfire.com/ga2/Andersonvilleprison/

http://www.censusdiggins.com/civil_war_prisons.html

http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v02/v02p137_Weber.html

Answer 6

The doctors/field surgeons

If you got shot in the leg, there is a good chance they would hack-saw it off to try and save you.

The rifles/pistols didn't have great accuracy, especially at range.

Answer 7

Infection from wounds.Perhaps weapons that misfired.Loss of communication with your unit.

Answer 8

civil war