Friendly Fire Notebook

"BUFDRVR" wrote in message
...
During
the first significant land battle of the Civil War, at Big Bethel in
Virginia, the Federal's accounted for most of their own casualties (which
totaled some 80 personnel) when two of their elements started firing at
each
other due to mistaken identity.

Was this before or after Bull Run? At Bull Run, the Union forces were so
overly
concerned with fratricide that a Wisconsin Brigade allowed the Union's
main
artilliary position to be over run by a Confederate Virginia Brigade
because
they thought it was reinforcements arriving to help hold the hill.

It happened about a month earlier. The 7th NY engaged the 3rd NY, which was
wearing gray uniforms; these were the two lead regiments in the Federal
attack, and this fratricide incident led to the failure of the Union attack.
It was not a large battle; the Feds had about 2500 men engaged (out of a
force of around 4000, IIRC), and the Confederates were defending with around
1200. After the engagement I believe the Feds retreated back towards Fort
Monroe. Actually, there is a link of sorts to being topical in this NG; the
site of the battle is now largely covered by a reservoir that serves Langley
AFB, and (at least when I lived in the area pre-1980) fishing in it was
limited to armed forces personnel.

Brooks



BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it
harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"