What are the most disturbing facts about the Napoleonic Wars that most people do not know?
Possibly the injuries that ‘black powder’ weapons could cause.
The Brown Bess musket had a calibre of 0.75 inches (19mm), the Charleville 0.69 (17.5mm). Muskets were comparatively low velocity (1000–1200ft/s)
Artillery rounds were even worse. ‘Canister’ shot was like a giant shotgun. ‘Roundshot’ was just that. A ball of steel bouncing across the ground. ‘Roundshot’ could take a horse’s head clean off.
The damage they inflicted was quite hideous. If a ball hit a bone, the bone would be shattered. The only reliable way to deal with this was amputation. Quickly.
Amputation of limbs was carried out on the battlefield. There was no disinfectant. No pain relief. In fact, it was better to ‘whip off’ the limb while the casualty was still in shock. A good surgeon could have a limb off in 20–30 seconds. Things got slower, however, as the battle wore on, and the surgeons’ saws and knives went blunt through use.
Just to add to the fun, the main weapon of the cavalry was the sabre. Sabres were brutal, chopping weapons, not the light epee of the dilettante. They caused wounds like a meat cleaver would.