Poisioned Balls

[Stiles/Akin]

 

[redbob]

There were Shaler 3 piece bullets and Gardner "Exploding" bullets, but I've never seen anything about poisoned bullets; maybe this article was intended to fire up the homefolks.

 

[Patrick H]

This might have been effective news for either side. I imagine it would infuriate some southerners, but the thought of it would probably make some say "Nope, I ain't goin'". Should we suppose this was just wartime rumor or does anyone know whether it was true?

 

[johan_steele]

A newspaper making things up? Never, that would never happen! Why the integrity of a newspaper is beyond reproach.

 

[unicornforge]

Since soldiers used their teeth in the process of loading muskets, this article seems highly unlikely.

 

[UCVRelics]

I agree with all my learned colleagues above NO SUCH THING. Fake News has been around a LONG time.

 

[johan_steele]

FWIW the thread title made me do a double take, I half suspected it was going to be a story from Nashville about one of the houses of ill repute. I know, I have a smutty mind.

 

[ikesdad]

Fake news

 

[mofederal]

I would guess fake news is better than no news at all.

 

[Waterloo50]

It could have been fake news but I'm not going to completely write it off, after all, as early as 1862 some were considering the use of Doughty's 10 inch Chlorine shell and don't forget the Hydrochloric/Sulphuric acid cloud idea that Forrest Shepherd designed and who can forget the crazy suffocating smoke cartridge of William W Blackford. So perhaps there was some truth in the poison Minnie ball.

Here's a list of all the chemical agents available for use in chemical warfare prior to the civil war and the year of their discovery, I don't recall reading any articles where these were used during the CW but I'd be interested if anyone knows different.
Chlorine (1774)
Hydrogen Cyanide (1782)
Cyanogen Chloride (1802)
Phosgene (1812)
Mustard Agent (1822)
Cacodyl (1837)
Chloropicrin (1848)

 

[Stiles/Akin]

 

[Glen_C]

Copper can develop verdigris quickly under some circumstances and perhaps someone saw something green blue and the myth spread. Verdigris can kill you but stop and think about all the copper fmj that was spent over many wars and how many of the wounded developed gangrene "in a matter of hours". More likely, a surgeon remarking to someone he had just pulled that bullet out of a wound and it's already covered with green.


or not

Cheers

GC

 

[Jobe Holiday]

The above post reminded me of the Spanish being accused of using "Poison Bullets" in Cuba during the Spanish American War. The 11mm ammunition being used by the Spanish had brass projectiles and in the humid climate, with the ammunition in leather cartridge boxes and belts, they very quickly turned green with verdigris. The American newspapers, not to miss an opportunity, quickly claimed the bullets had been intentionally covered with poison to kill the American solders with even a slight wound!
J.

 

[Stiles/Akin]

 

[Carronade]

The above post reminded me of the Spanish being accused of using "Poison Bullets" in Cuba during the Spanish American War. The 11mm ammunition being used by the Spanish had brass projectiles and in the humid climate, with the ammunition in leather cartridge boxes and belts, they very quickly turned green with verdigris. The American newspapers, not to miss an opportunity, quickly claimed the bullets had been intentionally covered with poison to kill the American solders with even a slight wound!
J.

Yellow journalism??

 

[johan_steele]

Like today many a journalist was wholly ignorant and would repeat rumor as fact.