Tarheels - regarding your post about the Revolution, I'm an 18th century military reenactor (French & Indian War , aka as the Seven Years War). The primary military arm of the period is the smooth bore musket, loaded with an undersize ball for rapidity of loading. (Brown Bess - 75 caliber =.75", standard ball diameter .69", standard rate of fire was considered to be 4 rounds/minute, at least at the beginning of a battle, and yes it is doable trained reenactors have met it). What I have been told, is that the morality of the time made aiming at a particular opponent uncommon. If you intentionally aimed at an individual, you were trying to murder him, and that was a sin. If on the other hand you pointed your weapon in his general direction and he was hit by the ball you shot and died, then that was an act of God.

I do not have a good reference for the above about aiming - was told it by someone who has done a lot more research in that area than I have done. On the other hand it is believable - rapid fire with a musket, undersize ball that compromises potential weapon accuracy, no sights on the weapons - and even no front bead on the Brown Bess. (you do have a bayonet lug.) The Charleville (French military musket) does have a front bead that sits on one of the bands holding the barrel to the stock. At least on the repro I have, it's not much use for consistent aiming, you're better off using the bayonet lug.

One of the big complaints from the British about Americans was their use of riflemen to pick off officers - they felt it wasn't fair/sporting.

So, your brother may have gotten it partly right if the story I've been told regarding muskets is true.

What I have been told, is that the morality of the time made aiming at a particular opponent uncommon. If you intentionally aimed at an individual, you were trying to murder him, and that was a sin. If on the other hand you pointed your weapon in his general direction and he was hit by the ball you shot and died, then that was an act of God.

This is partially correct. The general strategy called for aiming at the enemy's formation rather than at individuals, at least in the initial stages of a battle. This had nothing to do with morality, though. When there were long lines of men close together in firing formation, if soldiers were ordered to aim at individuals there would be a tendency to fire towards the center of the enemy's line, making for overkill in the middle and inadequate coverage on the flanks. The strategy was to line up directly in line with the enemy's line, and then just fire straight ahead.
As battles progressed and lines were thinned, there certainly was aiming, and then hand-to-hand, kill-or-be-killed combat.

I'm an 18th century military reenactor (French & Indian War , aka as the Seven Years War).
That is interesting Kevin. I am not a reenactor, but I am a student of the "War Between the States". Are you a "hard core" or "weekend warrior"?

Tarheels - Definitely more the weekend warrior type. I've always had a deep interest in history and read a fair amount, but don't limit myself to the 18th century. Part of it is living in Wetern Pennsylvania, where the war started and a number of battles were fought.

One of the things I've heard said about the "War Between the States" was that the high casualties were essentially the fault of using 18th century line tactics with essentially modern weapons accurate out to several hundred or more yards. I had at least 1 greatgrandfather in that conflict, possibly more as several different ancestors have been in Western PA since they handed out land grants aftre the Revolution.

I read the book "Confederates in the Attic". It is a good book. I think it was written by someone from PA. Anyway the guy taveled the south and went to reenactments. The southern "hard core" types would spread nasty grease on themselves put some rotten bacon and green corn in their haversack and march 18 miles. I may be wrong, but I think the yankee reenactors wear mostly nice clean and well pressed uniforms and carried around baskets of wine and cheese for lunch or ate at the local McDonalds.

NOTE: Split from Common Freaking Sense (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=4097)

I am a Civil War re-enactor and have been for over 10 years, and been in over 100 battles all over the place. Not hard core, but almost. I have been in artillery units in the North and the South. I also read the same book, was interesting to see the level of comittment by various groups and individuals. The level of "hard core" varies by unit or company, and also mixed wtihin regiments. We have always taken both blue and grey uniforms because we have to balance out the sides for realism. There are some, however, that will not "galvenize" to the other side no matter what the need. I have seen it on both sides, so not a one sided thing.
Normally a great bunch of guys with a common interest, from all walks of life.
Please do not juge us by what was shown on the History channel a couple years ago. Was a poor representation of the actual typical re-enactor, they used an extremist as an example.