Wednesday, January 9, 2013  Civil War Oddities #70  Guiding his
horse during the heat of battle, a line officer sometimes wished
for an extra arm. That way he could use his revolver while
holding his reins and waving signals to his aides.  Confederate
Major General John B. Hood tops the list of those who kept on
going with inadequate body equipment. At Gettysburg, an injury
to his left arm left it all but useless. Chickamauga then cost
him his right leg, which was amputated very close to his trunk.
Hood therefore led Confederates in the battle of Atlanta while
strapped into his saddle, wearing a five thousand-dollar French
made cork leg.  Though notoriously temperamental, drugs may have
affected his judgment. Trying to cope with constant pain, he
used laudanum in such quantities that some medical analysts
suggest it may have produced euphoria.  No comments: