by doctors during the American Civil War?
What was done? did people prefer to die rather than have an amputation. How did they stop the bleeding? Was it before sterile technique? What about infections? What about pain, etc, etc?
I refer you to this site on civil war battlefield medicine.
Basic procedure:
Lie dude on table
Give him something to bite down on
Saw of leg (yes, with a regular saw)
Tie it off with a tornequette
Here’s another short discussion that you might find interesting.
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/7899/medicine.html