Confederate General Martin Green Learned the Hard Way Not To Be Arrogant On the Battlefield

The vast scale of the American Civil War gave rise to many bizarre and extraordinary occurrences. Among these were bullets colliding in mid-flight, a Union general sharing a name with the Confederate president, wounds that oddly glowed in the dark, and notably, Confederate Brigadier General Martin Green proclaiming his invincibility just before his death.

Confederate Brig. Gen. Martin Green

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

When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, Green became a prominent secessionist in Missouri. He rallied a large group of like-minded civilians and organized a cavalry regiment, which initially struggled against David Moore's Union Home Guard Regiment. Despite this, Green led a successful assault on Lexington but encountered a series of defeats following this victory.

A year into the war, Green was promoted to brigadier general and took command 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 final Confederate strongholds along the Mississippi River.

The irony of Martin Green's last words

On June 27, 1863, Martin Green diligently surveyed the defenses of Vicksburg, seemingly undeterred by the nearby Union forces intent on defeating him and his troops. Despite warnings to take cover, he defiantly responded , "A bullet has not yet been molded that will kill me."

In a tragic twist of fate, Green's confident claim was swiftly proven wrong when a Union sharpshooter fatally shot him in the head moments later, ending 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.

Sedgwick at the Battle of Antietam

During the Battle of Antietam , Sedgwick and his division were tasked by Maj. Gen. Edwin Sumner with a poorly-executed attack, resulting in Sedgwick being shot three times. He was sidelined for several months while he recuperated from his injuries. At the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House , Sedgwick was overseeing the placement of artillery when Confederate sharpshooters, positioned 900 meters away, opened fire.

His troops sought cover to escape the barrage of bullets, which irritated Sedgwick. Much like Green, he was undeterred by the real and present danger. 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?"