Counterpoint The Most Terrifying Death in the War

[TexasDragoon]

After Texas seceded from the Union, the military forts that guarded the western settlers of the state were turned over to Confederate forces. As such, this put the Confederate troops stationed at these forts in direct contact with hostile Native American tribes. The Apaches that operated in area of the Davis Mountains, and Fort Davis, used various methods of slow-death torture on their victims. One of the favorites was to wrap the captured trooper in a horse hide with only the head sticking out. The victim was then suspended from a tree over a slow fire to be roasted alive. Many Confederate Cavalry troopers saved the last shot for themselves so as to avoid this very unpleasant end.

 

[Lubliner]

After Texas seceded from the Union, the military forts that guarded the western settlers of the state were turned over to Confederate forces. As such, this put the Confederate troops stationed at these forts in direct contact with hostile Native American tribes. The Apaches that operated in area of the Davis Mountains, and Fort Davis, used various methods of slow-death torture on their victims. One of the favorites was to wrap the captured trooper in a horse hide with only the head sticking out. The victim was then suspended from a tree over a slow fire to be roasted alive. Many Confederate Cavalry troopers saved the last shot for themselves so as to avoid this very unpleasant end.

You make a good point. From stories I heard the Indians had developed torture to a fine art; such as staking a person out in the sand spread-eagle in the desert and walking away. I think it was Custer's command with Reno that I had heard the tale of the last bullet.
Thanks @TexasDragoon.
Lubliner.

 

[Hoseman]

I think being wounded but still having all of your senses but not being able to move and then seeing an enemy soldier coming at you with his bayonet and running it through your abdomen would be about as bad as it could get...

 

[damYankee]

I think being wounded but still having all of your senses but not being able to move and then seeing an enemy soldier coming at you with his bayonet and running it through your abdomen would be about as bad as it could get...

That's why most combat veterans saved one bullet for themselves

 

[damYankee]

You make a good point. From stories I heard the Indians had developed torture to a fine art; such as staking a person out in the sand spread-eagle in the desert and walking away. I think it was Custer's command with Reno that I had heard the tale of the last bullet.
Thanks @TexasDragoon.
Lubliner.

I believe that Jacques Marquette recorded some details about the torturers the tribes of the Mississippi practiced, among them were staking captives down spread eagle and allowing squas and children to chew the flesh off their fingers, leaving only the bones and tendons, slicing the upper eye lids in half ( horizontally) so the victims could never close them again, which would drive them nuts before they went blind. And the most terrifying was actually bring skinned alive.
Some tribes made moccasins and gloves from their victims, some the whites later practiced upon the natives.

 

[Karen Lips]

I would have to agree, being wounded so that you cant move and yet the fire approaches

Is it a fact that soldiers from both sides tried to rescue the injured whether they were Yankee or Reb?

 

[Scott1967]

Is it a fact that soldiers from both sides tried to rescue the injured whether they were Yankee or Reb?

Don't buy into that , No war is honourable their maybe odd cases of kindness that are always highlighted years after the event but the majority of the time its kill or be killed.

For every one act of kindness their will be ten acts of brutality and cruelty trust me on this

imho of course.

 

[Lubliner]

Reading recently about the winter of 1863-1864, the ragged confederates in East Tennessee had some men freeze to death. Whether it be the hot days of Gettysburg and being wounded, left on the field among bloating corpses, and boiling alive; or back to that cold winter and being frozen to death is not a pleasant experience. So I will add succumbing to the cold!
Lubliner.

 

[Story]

As appropriate to the Halloween season these Dante-esque visions of Hell are, I think winter in a prison camp takes first prize.

Ever been cold outside and you can't find a place to warm up? Ever have dysentery? Ever been so lonely and wanting to see your people, you could just die from sadness?

D) All of the above.

 

[damYankee]

Don't buy into that , No war is honourable their maybe odd cases of kindness that are always highlighted years after the event but the majority of the time its kill or be killed.

For every one act of kindness their will be ten acts of brutality and cruelty trust me on this

imho of course.

I tend to agree, there were no doubt some cases when mercy was shown, but in the heat of battle it is rare, and civil wars by their nature are usually brutal.

 

[Acbernsen]

Whether atrocities of fearful tragedy and revenge or plain facing the rebel charge, which death do you determine to be the most terror stricken moment?
Keeping with the era of our discussion and topic, as a hint to E. A. Poe who once wrote The Pit and the Pendulum, I prefer one at a time. Mine is;

"There were reports taken upon the field after the First Bull Run when wounded soldiers lay upon the ground that spoke of wild hogs feeding upon the living before they were dead."

Lubliner.

A good but morbid topic. I’ve always thought a serious face wound with uncertain mortality would be the worst. You live or die, lose lose.

 

[Lubliner]

Life disappears like a fleeing shadow. Sometimes a witness will catch a glimpse of the ghost. The fear of watching it happen to others is traumatically scary. Why there is such a morbid interest in it is we all partake of the moment. Those unexpected times are always troubling to the soul, and as for planning for it, one can never be certain of when or how. A no win proposition from every side of the die!
Lubliner.

 

[Ole Miss]

Fire! It was and still is the horror of horrors for anyone in combat. Civil War soldiers described hideous sights, sounds and smells of fire victims.

I spoke with a neighbor a few years ago about his experience in Iraq and his wounds. He is a Cobra pilot and Major in the USMC and he said when his ship was hit, Fire was his greatest fear in getting out of his chopper!
Regards
David