re: #108 Kragar

Incoming NRA President Calls Civil War The ‘War Of Northern Aggression’

my favorite his how he thinks the generals were unhappy the northern soldiers couldn’t shoot as well as southerners. Shades of the “strength of 10, too bad you’ve got 11” argument, but I digress.

In reality it was due to a rather simplistic statistical analysis: bullets issued and used (or lost) divided by reported and estimated casualties. The rate ran close to 1,000 bullets per casualty, a number some leaders found shocking. Southern record keeping (of bullets) wasn’t as good, but using what could be found the estimate is that their overall marksmanship was similar.

But it’s an article of faith among southerners that they are better warriors. And it’s not worth dissuading them, usually.