America’s Biggest Battle

Probably most people would name the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 and early 1945 as America’s greatest battle.  The Bulge, however, is only the second biggest battle in American history.  America’s biggest battle occurred a generation earlier, only about 60 miles southeast of where the Bulge unfolded, the Battle of the Meuse-Argonne, in 1918.

During the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the average daily number of American battle deaths, 559, exceeded the daily average of battle deaths suffered by the French Army during the 302 day Battle of Verdun (Feb. 21-Dec. 19, 1916), about 530.

The primacy of the Meuse-Argonne extends even to materiél expended; nearly 2,500 American and French artillery pieces expended four million rounds in support of the offensive. This came to nearly 50,000 a day, the greatest barrage in American history.

"Mon Dieu!"

At one point during the Napoleon III’s “adventure” in Mexico (1861-1867), a French officer was wounded in the thigh in action against the Mexican patriots.  Taken to a hospital for treatment, he was examined by several surgeons, who despaired of saving his limb unless they could find and remove the ball.

But the Mexican musket ball proved elusive.  For four or five days the surgeons kept trying to locate it, but failed.  Meanwhile, of course, the young officer was in excruciating pain as they poked and probed for the errant ball.  Finally, unable to bear the pain any longer, the man cried out, "Gentlemen, in heaven's name, what are you about?"

"We are looking for the ball."

"Mon Dieu! why didn't you say so at first? It is in my waistcoat pocket!"

The round had gone through the man’s thigh, and he had found it in his clothing as he was being carried to the rear.  As none of the surgeons thought to confer with their patient, they assumed the ball was still lodged somewhere in his leg.

Amazingly, despite the inept medical care, the officer survived.

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