10/7/2010:
The Civil War in America was one of the last major conflicts that used the European form of battle with frontal assaults in formation, sometimes against an entrenched enemy. Advancements in weaponry created higher casualty rates and made this tactic less effective. The round musket ball, fired from a smooth bore rifle had an effective range of approximately 50 feet, but the introduction of the Minie ball, a pointed, soft lead projectile with a concave base, used in grooved-barreled rifles increased the effective range to 250 yards. But for the solider in the field, the Minie ball created another horror. The soft lead expanded upon impact, creating large, gaping holes or it crushed the bone, which the medical technology of the 1860s was ill-equipped to handle. In many cases, a soldier wounded in the arm or leg required amputation.
When the War ended, the desire for free land in the West brought many settlers to the Dakota Territory to start anew, and among them was John Hammond of New York. Mr. Hammond had lost his leg in the War of the Rebellion and had settled near the city of Hope in Steele County. Strange things do happen, as reported in the Jamestown Alert on this date in 1899, for it appears that while Mr. Hammond was in the city tending to business, he happened upon a man by the name of C. H. Carpenter, who was also minus a limb, but it was noted that Mr. Hammond was minus the right leg while Mr. Carpenter was minus his left leg. It was also noted that their feet appeared to be of similar size. So, the two men hatched a plan.
They immediately proceeded to the firm of Beckerjeck & Langer and tried on a pair of shoes. Since both men wore a size 8 ½ and had a low instep, they could each be supplied one shoe from the same box. Mr. Beckerjeck presented each man with a single sock, and the bargain was made. After paying $1.50 each, they stepped out on the street rejoicing with their co-owned, brand new, “pair” of shoes, soon to go their separate ways.
By Jim Davis
Weapons of the Civil War- http://www.civilwarhome.com/weapons.htm
Jamestown Weekly Alert October 5, 1899