Bite The Bullet

Most people have heard or used the phrase "bite the bullet". As with a lot of expressions there is a historical basis from which the expression is born.

In 1862 medical care was practically non-existent. More soldiers died from infected wounds and disease than were killed outright in battle. Chewing on soft lead bullets was sometimes the only means available to ease the pain of horrific wounds on the battlefield.

Interpretation

The above bullet is a .550 caliber Enfield with a boxwood plug (a unique version of the Enfield Pattern designed to fit the barrel with a closer tolerance). Massachusetts units at the Battle of Ox Hill were armed with Enfield Rifles imported from England.

The bullet was also found in the same area where the 21st Massachusetts had fought in the cornfield. It is most likely that the human tooth marks (animals have also been known to chew bullets for their salt content) were from a wounded Massachusetts Volunteer.

September 9th 1999

I have recently discovered a letter (below) from General Reno to the commanding officer of the Confederate forces at Ox Hill. It indicates a significant number of his troops were so badly wounded that they couldn't leave the battlefield under their own power. A large number of the soldiers mentioned in the letter were probably the wounded who fell east of West Ox Road where the 21st Massachusetts fought. Those who could walk or
crawl, or who fell closer to the Union line on the west side, were carried away when the Union troops left at 2:30 am on Sept. 2nd.

The wounded who were left behind, had to endure what must have been terrible wounds as they lay in the cold mud. All through the evening of Sept. 1st they were pelted by a hard-driving rain and then languished for two more days without any medical care, food, water, shelter or dry clothes. I cannot imagine the misery they must have endured

This section of the exhibit is dedicated to these long silent heroes... may they never be forgotten again.

HDQRS. FIRST AND SECOND DIVS., NINTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Alexandria, September 3, 1862.
COMMANDING OFFICER OF CONFEDERATE TROOPS AT OR NEAR CHANTILLY:

SIR: I have just received information through Chaplain Ball, of Twenty-first Massachusetts Volunteers, that about 250 of our wounded are now lying upon the battle-field of 1st instant entirely destitute of medical attendance and provisions. I therefore respectfully request your permission to send forward, under flag of truce, Chaplain Ball and the medical director of this command, with the necessary medical stores and provisions for the comfort of these wounded, and to bring away such of them as are able to be removed.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. L. RENO,

September 23rd 1999

Further research seems to indicate that the wounded may have not been rescued until sometime between September 4th and 9th. In a report to the Secretary of War, the Surgeon General describes a frightful state of disorder that caused many of these poor soldiers to die not from their wounds... but from starvation.

[Editor's Note: this is the first known public disclosure of this tragedy.]