Confederate Brig. Gen. Martin Green Claimed He Was Invincible - He Was Quickly Proven Wrong

The scale of the American Civil War gave rise to many unusual and extraordinary events. These included bullets colliding mid-air, a Union general sharing the same name as the Confederate president, injuries that bizarrely glowed in the dark and, perhaps most famously, Confederate Brig. Gen. Martin Green’s assertion of invincibility just moments before his death.

Confederate Brig. Gen. Martin Green

Martin Green was born on June 3, 1815, in Fauquier County, Virginia. At 21, he relocated to Missouri, where he and his brothers founded a sawmill. During this period, he was appointed judge of the Lewis County Court, while his brother pursued a political as career as a Senator with Missouri's Democratic Party.

With the start of the American Civil War in 1861, Green emerged as a leading secessionist in Missouri. He gathered a large group of supporters and formed a cavalry regiment, which initially faced challenges against David Moore's Union Home Guard Regiment. Nevertheless, Green achieved a notable victory with an assault on Lexington, though he soon faced a series of setbacks.

A year into the conflict, Green was elevated to brigadier general and took charge of John S. Bowen's division during the Siege of Vicksburg . This battle saw Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant 's offensive against the heavily fortified city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, one of the last Confederate strongholds along the Mississippi River.

Irony of Martin Green's last words

On June 27, 1863, Martin Green carefully inspected the fortifications of Vicksburg, undaunted by the Union forces nearby who were determined to defeat him and his men. Though advised to seek shelter, he boldly responded , "A bullet has not yet been molded that will kill me."

Tragically, Green's boastful words were soon proven false when a Union sharpshooter fatally struck him in the head just moments later, taking his life instantly.

A similar incident happened with Union Gen. John Sedgwick

A similar incident happened to Union Gen. John Sedgwick , one of the highest-ranking officers to die during the Civil War. Sedgwick's grandfather was also a military  general, serving alongside George Washington . With such a heritage, it wasn't surprising that he, too, served.

Before the Civil War began, Sedgwick had fought in Seminole Wars , the Mexican-American War , the Utah War and the American-Indian Wars . When the Civil War broke about, he was a colonel and assistant inspector general with the Military Department of Washington. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in August 1861.

John Sedgwick at the Battle of Antietam

During the Battle of Antietam , Sedgwick and his division were assigned a poorly executed attack by Maj. Gen. Edwin Sumner, which led to the former being shot three times. He spent months recovering.

At the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House , Sedgwick was supervising the placement of artillery when Confederate sharpshooters, positioned 900 meters away, began firing. As his troops sought cover to avoid the incoming bullets, Sedgwick, irritated by their reaction, remained undaunted. He addressed his men, saying, "What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line?"

An ironic end

However, they remained in cover. Despite being more familiar than most with being shot, Sedgwick was ashamed by how they were acting and said, "Why are you dodging like this? They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance." Shortly after these famous last words, the Union general slumped over dead, having been shot in the head.

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A well-respected general, Sedgwick's death hit Grant hard. Upon hearing the news, he asked, "Is he really dead?"