Still, not a good thing to shoot your ramrod across the field while you’re in the midst of battle.
It would probably be a little embarrassing to have to run out in front of everyone to retrieve your ram rod, especially if everyone else was retreating.
Your rod was your last round. Out of ammo and about to die? What have you got to lose? Pour in some powder, push in a patch and without a ball or bullet it will expel the rod with, hopefully, enough velocity to do damage.