The Strange Tale of Col. Dahlgren's Prosthetic Leg-- Part 1: Served Union and Confederate

From Civil War Talk.

We may not know for sure what happened to Col. Ulric Dahlgren's real leg, but more is known about his prosthetic one.

When Confederate Captain John Newton Ballard of Mosby's Raiders lost his leg in battle in 1863, he quickly acquired a second hand artificial leg and got back to action.  However, at Halltown, Virginia, his horse collided with that of a Union cavalryman and his artificial leg was crushed.  This probably made him the only Civil War soldier to lose the same leg twice.

However, he was about to have some luck  In March 1864, Union Col. Ulric Dahlgren was killed near Richmond leading a cavalry raid.  He too had lost a leg in action in 1863 (and we know about it being buried in the Washington Navy Yard).

Dahlgren's body was found by a 13-year-old Confederate, who took the wooden leg as a souvenir.  This prosthetic eventually made its way to  John Ballard, who wore it until the end of the war.

--Old Secesh