Longstreet Wounding & 12th VA

Emerging Civil War's Chris Mackowski walks the ground around the site of James Longstreet's wounding on the Wilderness battlefield. Follow in the footsteps of the 12th Virginia as they inadvertent shoot their corps commander. (With a cameo by Maxwell Mackowski)

[@StevenSmith-dc1fq]

This was great! Showed all angles, perspectives, and provided a real understanding of what happened to Old Pete.

[@emergingcivilwar8965]

Glad you enjoyed it! It makes a difference when you're able to get out and walk the ground.

[@wmschooley1234]

Your explination of the actual on the groud truth where this friendly fire incident took place is invaluable to understanding it. Very good job.

[@emergingcivilwar8965]

Thanks!

[@richardglady3009]

Wow...talk about Wilderness! Thanks, again, for an informative video. I am so impressed with your sense of geography and not getting lost, turning around showing the different aspects of the battlefield. You did a great job showing the dip. Thank you.

[@emergingcivilwar8965]

From Chris: "Thank you. Orientation is one of the key principles Greg Mertz taught me years and years ago in interpretation training. Keep people oriented so they can more easily follow the story. I'm glad you enjoyed the video."

[@codycrouch6262]

That was an outstanding description of what occurred. Great job! Thanks for taking the time to put this together.

[@BemusedHumanist]

Another terrific video! Thanks to Chris and ECW! (And the camera loves Maxwell, a budding history star!)

[@emergingcivilwar8965]

Thanks!

[@johnresto1603]

Brings back some good memories when I did the tour with you with the Robert E Lee CW round table a few years back. It was a great tour.

[@emergingcivilwar8965]

from Chris: Thanks!

[@Sgt.Oddball87]

Awesome video and very helpful in understanding what took place. My ancestor was a Captain in Co. C of the 12th and was hit in the legs during the crossfire. He recovered and made it to Appomattox, but ended up missing the 12th's action at the Battle of the Crater. Thanks for making this!

[@110665]

My great great grandfather was the 1st Sargent in the 12th I co. He made it through the war and and spoke of the crater to his daughter. I guess we're almost like family lol.

[@benjaminallen3371]

I think the Wilderness battlefield is in need of some new trails...

[@jimkent3390]

Wouldn't the upward trajectory of the bullet that hit Longstreet would be expected if he was mounted and the shot came from a soldier on foot?

[@emergingcivilwar8965]

From Chris: "Longstreet later described 'a severe shock from a minie ball passing through my throat and right shoulder.' To get throat AND shoulder suggested at least a level, if not downward, trajectory to me. A May 28 newspaper account offered more detail: 'The ball struck him on the right of the larynx, passing under the skin, carrying away a part of the spine of the scapula, and coming out behind the right shoulder.' That suggested to me a slight downward trajectory. That's why the whole thing seemed so weird, considering he was on horseback."

[@jonrolfson1686]

@@emergingcivilwar8965 The description of the wound-track would seem to suggest that General Longstreet might have been leaning forward slightly, and that he must have had his right arm and shoulder raised at the instant when he was struck. Though, as is well attested in U.S. history, bullets are liable to move on modified trajectories after entering the human body, it sounds as though the projectile which wounded General Longstreet did not strike bone until it hit his scapula. If that projectile was, as described, a minié bullet (heavy and basically cylindrical) it would probably not be particularly liable to redirection short of the striking of bone. A round ball from a smooth-bore or a buckshot from a buck-and-ball load would be rather more prone to redirection from passing through skin and stiff cartilaginous tissue.
Oh, and kudos on your detailed and entertaining presentation, particularly as regards the topography and the explanation of how it affected the location and misapprehension of the ANV units involved in 'friendly-fire' incident.

[@cwb0051]

Were You There?

[@emergingcivilwar8965]

Yes, that video was done on site.

[@herodotus7]

Thank you America for saving this land, because I have no doubt some beltway worker would love to build their house here, just so their toilet would be in situ right on that spot. Thanks!

[@model-man7802]

Billy Mahone founded the Norfolk and Western Railway.

[@cwb0051]

This was Good, But Too Long..

[@trimsolguy06williams72]

Yeah, too Longstreet! 🤣 It was a great video