On the topic of biting bullets and local pain relief, Dr. Chisolm, in his 1861 tretise on military surgery advocates the sub-cutaneous use of morphine as a local anestehetic and chloroform as a general. In his third revision from 1864, he continues to recomend the same treatments for pain. Topical use of opium was also mentioned in both versions. True that all pistol loads issue were conical bullets but there were some 41 Springfields still using buck and ball ..... a 69 caliber round ball and 3ea 44 caliber buck shots. I have also noted the deformations that Noah mentioned after firing into dirt. I have read that hogs were attracted to the flesh of the dead and may have rooted around for a through and through bullet lodged in the ground. Many veterans have been quoted about the wild hog problem in and around many battle fields.
YOS
Paul W