Between Showers

Lessons from history: flinch to live

John Sedgwick is a perfect example that you shouldn’t allow aggressive superiors to intimidate or shame you into risky behavior.

Sedgwick (September 13, 1813 – May 9, 1864) was a teacher, a career military officer, and a Union Army general in the American Civil War. His death at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House is often considered a well known tale of irony.

Sedgwick fell at the beginning of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, on May 9, 1864. His corps was probing skirmish lines ahead of the left flank of Confederate defenses and he was directing artillery placements. Confederate sharpshooters were about 1,000 yards (910 m) away and their shots caused members of his staff and artillerymen to duck for cover. Sedgwick strode around in the open and was quoted as saying, “What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line? I am ashamed of you. They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.”

Although ashamed, his men continued to flinch and he repeated, “I’m ashamed of you, dodging that way. They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.” Just seconds later he fell forward with a bullet hole below his left eye.

Source: Crocker III, H. W. (2006). Don’t Tread on Me. New York: Crown Forum. pp. 219.