A Conscripted Arkansas Army and Blanks

[peteanddelmar]

When Confederate General Hindman conscripted an army of 11,000 men in Arkansas it appeared he could challenge the Union up in Missouri again.
On Dec. 6th he marched north and was met by a smaller Union force that eventually was re-enforced. And a big battle started near Prairie Grove, Ark.

Both sides had around 1,200 casualties. But among some of the dead conscripted Confederates left on the field was a subtle sign of their unwillingness to fire on Union troops.
Hundreds of unspent rounds of ammunition lay among the bodies.
These men had been loading powder only and discarding the balls so were shooting blanks at the Union troops.

"Civil War in the Ozarks", Steve Cotrell and Philip w. Steele

 

[CSA Today]

When Confederate General Hindman conscripted an army of 11,000 men in Arkansas it appeared he could challenge the Union up in Missouri again.
On Dec. 6th he marched north and was met by a smaller Union force that eventually was re-enforced. And a big battle started near Prairie Grove, Ark.

Both sides had around 1,200 casualties. But among some of the dead conscripted Confederates left on the field was a subtle sign of their unwillingness to fire on Union troops.
Hundreds of unspent rounds of ammunition lay among the bodies.
These men had been loading powder only and discarding the balls so were shooting blanks at the Union troops.

"Civil War in the Ozarks", Steve Cotrell and Philip w. Steele

Yet that "conscripted Arkansas Army and blanks" inflicted an equal number of casualties on the enemy.

 

[peteanddelmar]

Yet that "conscripted Arkansas Army and blanks" inflicted an equal number of casualties on the enemy.

Oh yeah. Southerners almost always fought well! It was a minority that fired blanks. Not shorting any southerners fighting ability or spirit. Just some didn't want to be there at all.

 

[Allie]

I wonder how many were green troops who got rattled and loaded incorrectly while under fire. I've read that was very common.

Altogether it's very sad! Poor guys.

 

[peteanddelmar]

I wonder how many were green troops who got rattled and loaded incorrectly while under fire. I've read that was very common.

Altogether it's very sad! Poor guys.

Yes but unspent balls were not common. Overloading was common because they couldn't hear that their gun was no longer firing. Heat of the muzzle I guess. Could be though.