ABSTRACT

On 2 May 1862 General ‘Stonewall’ Jackson received an injury to his left arm and right hand when returning to his own lines. Dr Hunter Mcguire recovered a .675 in spherical ball from the hand during treatment which also involved the amputation of the left arm; despite the good doctor’s efforts the General subsequently died. Investigations conducted at the time came to the conclusion that the General had been accidentally shot by his own side by a bullet fired from a Confederate smooth-bore musket, as the Union Army had abandoned the use of such obsolete weaponry the previous year.