> > [Repetition of Dave]

> [Doesn't think so.]

Google says that this information was collected in interviews by S. L. Marshall and written up in his book "Men Against Fire: The Problem of Battle Command in Future War." The first place I found this reference, though there are probably better, is [http://www-cgsc.army.mil/milrev/English/NovDec99/letters.htm].

For those who want the short of it, "Marshall states, based on after-action interviews, that in Europe in World War II fewer than 25 percent of Army riflemen fired their rifles in any engagement, and in many engagements as few as 15 percent did so." The author of the article goes on to give a rebuttal.

I also ran across these links, which suggest another possibility for massively inaccurate firing in the Civil War.

http://www.civilwarguns.com/9505b.html
http://www.civilwarguns.com/tony4.html

Gabe