Friendly Fire Casualities

[Musket Man]

I know it would have been a hard number to keep up with during the ACW, but has anyone ever came across a ball park figure at the number of soldiers either killed or wounded by friendly fire.

The book I am in the process reading now," Shiloh, The battle that changed the Civil War", has several incidents of friendly fire. This is only one battle, I can only imagine throughout the 4 year period of the war.

Thanks
Donald

 

[Legion Para]

Every conflict has it's share of friendly fire casualties. While other forum members will give examples, here is what was posted on Wikipedia.

American Civil War

• During the Battle of Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862, a Confederate regiment had maneuvered into a gap between two Union regiments, the 9th New York and the 5th Massachusetts. The Confederates launched a surprise attack during a Union advance into the west woods. The 9th New York hastily began returning fire and unknowingly hit the 5th Massachusetts with musket fire that overshot the Confederate regiment, causing the other Union regiment to return fire in confusion. The two Union regiments had sustained heavy casualties during the lengthy exchange of fire. This was one of eleven friendly fire events recorded at Antietam, which taken together, were thought to have accounted for 1,150 killed and wounded, or approximately 5% of the total casualties.[7]
• Confederate Lieutenant General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was wounded as a result of friendly fire in the Battle of Chancellorsville on 2 May 1863, and died eight days later. He and some of his men had been returning, under the cover of night, from an intelligence-gathering mission when Confederate troops of the 18th North Carolina Infantry misidentified them as a Union cavalry scout team, as a result, the North Carolina troops open fired.[7]
• In the Battle of the Wilderness on 6 May 1864, Confederate Lt. General James Longstreet was wounded when his mounted column was mistaken for Federal troops. As a result of this, he did not return to command until October of that year. In the same incident, Brigadier General Micah Jenkins was mortally wounded after being struck in the head.[7]
• In the early hours of 6 March 1865, the Union vessel USS Peterhoff was en route to blockade Wilmington, North Carolina when she was rammed and sunk by the Monticello in mistake for a blockade runner. Fortunately all hands were rescued before she sank.

 

[Legion Para]

For further reading.

 

[leftyhunter]

We also have at least several other threads on this topic.
Leftyhunter

 

[Yankeedave]

In the confusion of the night of May 2, at Chancelloresville the union Third corps, in leaving hazel grove, charged a set of works owned by friendly troops causing dead and wounded before they were sorted out.

 

[Legion Para]

We also have at least several other threads on this topic.
Leftyhunter

These are the other threads.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/union-generals-killed-by-friendly-fire.90989/

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/friendly-fire-incidents.103813/

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/lon...the-battle-of-the-wilderness-virginia.124134/

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/lon...the-battle-of-the-wilderness-virginia.124134/

 

[bankerpapaw]

Remember one thing: Friendly Fire isn't.

 

[E_just_E]

In the confusion of the night of May 2, at Chancelloresville the union Third corps, in leaving hazel grove, charged a set of works owned by friendly troops causing dead and wounded before they were sorted out.

methinks that this was not the most 'famous' incident of "friendly" fire at Chancellorsville

 

[rpkennedy]

methinks that this was not the most 'famous' incident of "friendly" fire at Chancellorsville

Should Colonel Williams of the 1st Virginia at Gettysburg count as friendly fire?

Ryan

 

[1SGDan]

I will argue that no fire is friendly. It is all meant to kill.

 

[Yankeedave]

methinks that this was not the most 'famous' incident of "friendly" fire at Chancellorsville

We covered that a few post previous.

 

[E_just_E]

Should Colonel Williams of the 1st Virginia at Gettysburg count as friendly fire?

Ryan

IIRC he did not die by any fire He was one of the few Confederates on horse back during Pickett's charge. A shell spooked his horse that dropped him off the saddle and fell right on his unsheathed sword and was mortally wounded.

Accidental Harakiri, in other words...

 

[rpkennedy]

IIRC he did not die by any fire He was one of the few Confederates on horse back during Pickett's charge. A shell spooked his horse that dropped him off the saddle and fell right on his unsheathed sword and was mortally wounded.

Accidental Harakiri, in other words...

I believe that he had been hit during the bombardment but it didn't keep him from going in with his men. So, self-inflicted doesn't count as friendly, got it.

Ryan

 

[Yankeedave]

I believe that he had been hit during the bombardment but it didn't keep him from going in with his men. So, self-inflicted doesn't count as friendly, got it.

Ryan

Maybe he was passive aggressive to him self. if this were possible.

 

[Musket Man]

I can only imagine from confusion on the battle line and so much smoke that it would have very easily happened. I would imagine sometimes soldiers would have not even been aware that it had happened.

Especially when different regiments became separated during battle, or even mistaken one regiment for another.

The more I read about the ACW, the more respect I have for these soldiers. Whether they were Confederate or Union, I can only imagine how it looked through their eyes.

 

[Yankeedave]

It was definately it's own war. there was is has been none like it i swear.

 

[Tom Elmore]

There are different categories of friendly fire casualties, including these examples taken from Gettysburg:
- Friendly artillery mistaking friendly infantry as the enemy.
- Friendly infantry moving forward into the fire zone of friendly artillery posted far to the rear.
- Friendly infantry moving in front of friendly artillery posted close by.
- Defective friendly artillery ammunition or lead wadding/debris falling short into friendly infantry.
- Friendly infantry or friendly artillery fire striking captured friendly infantry as they move to the rear of the enemy's line.
- Friendly infantry mistaking friendly infantry as the enemy.
- Casualties inflicted by friendly infantry firing close behind another line of friendly infantry or friendly artillery.
- Accidental discharge of a weapon on the march or in camp.