Bite the bullet myth or fact? Anyone found any?

[thaigler]

I have heard that it is a myth. Here is an article on the subject

http://civilwarscholars.com/2011/10/myth-no-2-biting-on-the-bullet-for-pain-george-wunderlich/

I have found 2 bullets and they look like they have bite marks to me in fact they are both flat. Both bullets were found at an Union field hospital in the early 1990s Petersburg, VA

I gave one bullet to a freind and kept the other

Anyone else found a bullet that was bitten into? Around a hospital? I know soldiers did some strange things with bullets. I have found bulllets made into poker chips, girlfriends names (Mary) carved into them ,a little dog, fishing sinkers etc


Tom

 

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[relic nut]

That's a tough one, and can steer up a lot of debate. I have found lots of bullets that were clearly chewed on by animals, but I have one that I'm not so sure about. Pain bullet? Don't know

HH RN

 

[Worm-Slicer]

I have some, but one I'm 99% certain was chewed on by a human and found on a battlefield. A lot of people claim pigs or other animals chew on them for something in the lead, but I don't think all would be. I found that on a Civil War battlefield. My best chewed item though, which I'm 100% certain was chewed on by a human, was also found on the same battlefield, very near the Confederate line. It's a button back that's been chewed on and you can see many incisor teeth marks all over it and it was bent by the chewing, that one makes me wonder if it was used during an amputation. If I had a photo of it right off I would post that one. If relics could only talk.

 

[Tnmountains]

Fiction for the most part. Imagine bad teeth to begin with and then biting a bullet! haha I have many that hit chert and looked chewed and have heard of animals chewing them. I think its a myth though. I do have a CW bullet in wood though!
They bit many sticks I am sure and leather. I have never read a diary account or anywhere they actually spoke of chewing bullets.

 

[villagenut]

I have read too that soldiers would suck on lead roundballs when they were up at night on watch, that the lead had a sweet flavor that may have been like sucking on a life saver candy. I suppose if this were the case a soldier may have began to chew on it somewhat as it grew softer...maybe? There is still much controversy over the soldier vs. the wild pig...but I suppose both may be correct. Morphine may not always have been available, although a leather belt would have been more of my liking. Anyways, here is my chewed ball, and yes I think it was human.

 

[JimK]

We have found several bullets and led bits that have been chewed by both rodents and humans. I really do not believe that they where used in the "Bite the bullet" sort of way for the pain of amputation and other medical reasons. But they are clearly chewed for a reason. Could be as simple as to create saliva or curb hunger pains by chewing on something. Who knows? But I do know it happened.

JimK

 

[Davers]

Yea I have heard lead has a Sweet Taste ,Hence Kids Eat Lead Paint Chips.

Like most devoted relic hunters I have a few Maybes

Guess we need a Forensic Dentist or 2 to check out our bullets.

I do wonder where the phrase "Bite the Bullet " comes from.

 

[Jon Phillips]

I have a round ball from a Second Seminole War fort that has clear molar bite marks on both sides. I know that it would be easier to bite a piece of wood or leather strap in that situation (amputation/surgery), and during the Civil War they had ether for pain in a lot of instances.

That phrase came from somewhere...

There are a lot of people claiming that the term "deadline" had nothing to do with Civil War prisons...that it was a myth that a dead line existed, but there are plenty of period accounts of them from prison camp survivors. One of my ancestors survived Camp Douglas.

 

[Bamadad53]

According to a group I use to hunt with back in the 1970's it was common for CW soldiers who were short of water to suck on and chew minie balls to work up some saliva. Don't know how true it was but there were several in the group who swore by it. I have a couple that were chewed on.

 

[fyrffytr1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bite_the_bullet

 

[Digger70pa]

I've got quite a few chewed bullets. Not all are from humans I'm sure but I know from the spots I've dug some of them at that humans bit the bullet.

 

[Digger70pa]

All of these are from the Gettysburg campaign.

 

[Deft Tones]

Interesting. Never considered the origin of the phrase.

Anyone considered the ballistics of a bitten bullet? First thing that comes to my mind.

Altering the surface of the bullet would, given enough distance for it's weight and velocity, cause the round to tumble prior to striking an object and cause maximum damage. Uglier entry wound, even uglier exit wound.

I do know that in WW1 they would have snipers perched behind iron plates atop the trenches. Bullets would just bounce off of the plates. Eventually some clever soldier figured out if you load the bullet into the case backwards. then striking the iron plate would cause hot iron shrapnel to shower into the face of anyone standing nearby. That supposedly ended the effectiveness of those snipers real quick.

Soldiers are mostly practical people. I'm sure there was a practical reason.

 

[ARC]

Fact.

Get your leg or arm cut off... or some other horrible medical task done without much more than a few swigs from a bottle and you will bite down on whatever you can as well.

 

[Tnmountains]

All I can say is go to your cabinet and get out a 58 caliber bullet and chew on it for a little while or take a large sinker and chew on it and see what kinda tooth marks you can make and post a picture. Should be easy to replicate. As a kid we always bit our split shot onto our fishing line.

 

[Peyton Manning]

makes me wonder
was chewing gum around back then?

 

[ARC]

makes me wonder
was chewing gum around back then?

Well they did have buckskin condoms. :/

 

[Rogue Relic Hunter]

All I can say is go to your cabinet and get out a 58 caliber bullet and chew on it for a little while or take a large sinker and chew on it and see what kinda tooth marks you can make and post a picture. Should be easy to replicate. As a kid we always bit our split shot onto our fishing line.

yes, and it did leave teeth marks. i remember those split shots well.

 

[fyrffytr1]

OK. imagine having a limb amputated and a Minie in your mouth. Scream from the pain and where does the lead go? Gasp for air or pass out and where does the lead go? Right down your throat! So, if the surgery doesn't kill you, choking on a piece of lead will.

 

[Deft Tones]

makes me wonder
was chewing gum around back then?

Back then real men chewed tobacco.