1. Battlefield Medicine: Medical care during the Civil War was primitive by today's standards. The lack of antiseptics, antibiotics, and blood transfusions meant that even relatively minor injuries could lead to infection, blood loss, and death. Amputation was often the only way to save the life of a soldier who had suffered a serious injury to a limb.
2. Artillery: Both the Union and Confederate armies made extensive use of artillery during the Civil War and new innovations in artillery technology, such as rifled cannons, made these weapons far more accurate and destructive than in previous wars.
3. Infantry Tactics: Infantry tactics during the Civil War were often suicidal. Soldiers were expected to stand in close formation and march directly towards the enemy lines, exposing themselves to heavy artillery and musket fire.
4. Large Armies: The Civil War was one of the first wars in which both sides fielded massive armies. The Union Army had over 2 million soldiers, while the Confederate Army had over 1 million. This meant that there were more troops on the battlefield at any given time and thus increased casualties were inevitable.
5. Political Motivations: The Civil War was fought for ideological and political reasons, which fueled the determination and passion of the soldiers on both sides to win the war regardless of the cost.