Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
Wed Apr 4, 2012, 03:53 AM Apr 2012

Who, What, Why: How many soldiers died in the US Civil War?



About 26,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after the Battle of Antietam, making 17 September 1862 one of the bloodiest days in US history

A study suggests a previously widely accepted death toll of the US Civil War may actually be way under the mark. How many did perish in this conflict, fought before the era of modern record-keeping and DNA identification?

The US Civil War was incontrovertibly the bloodiest, most devastating conflict in American history, and it remains unknown - and unknowable - exactly how many men died in Union and Confederate uniform.

Now, it appears a long-held estimate of the war's death toll could have undercounted the dead by as many as 130,000. That is 21% of the earlier estimate - and more than twice the total US dead in Vietnam.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17604991
11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Who, What, Why: How many soldiers died in the US Civil War? (Original Post) dipsydoodle Apr 2012 OP
Stopped Counting modrepub Apr 2012 #1
you mean General Hood. provis99 Apr 2012 #5
Yes, thanks modrepub Apr 2012 #9
General Hood? UnrepentantLiberal Apr 2012 #10
I saw this story and it made me think Ichingcarpenter Apr 2012 #2
One thing I do know: my great great grandfather died. I hate the Confederate flag. libinnyandia Apr 2012 #3
You're definitely not alone there! n/t Judi Lynn Apr 2012 #7
Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Apr 2012 #4
The numbers that died because of crude or inadequate medical care were a huge part Blue_Tires Apr 2012 #6
It's beyond forgiveness the South should have ever caused this to happen. Horrendous. Thanks. n/t Judi Lynn Apr 2012 #8
not in vain Jerry Frey Apr 2012 #11

modrepub

(3,500 posts)
1. Stopped Counting
Wed Apr 4, 2012, 04:52 AM
Apr 2012

It was my understanding that the North stopped counting casualties as the 1864 election approached. Large death tolls had a negative effect on Union moral. Lincoln wasn't really assured victory until Sherman won the Atlanta Campaign mainly thanks to Davis' promotion of Gen Bragg. Figure the South never really kept solid records.

Ichingcarpenter

(36,988 posts)
2. I saw this story and it made me think
Wed Apr 4, 2012, 05:27 AM
Apr 2012

Most people from the west, mid west, north, new england don't call themselves northerners, mid westerners nor new englanders however

Southerners still have that regional self identification.

The new york times article on the war had the mortality raised 20 percent with agreement with most scholars.


NY Times
New Estimate Raises Civil War Death Toll


But new research shows that the numbers were far too low.

By combing through newly digitized census data from the 19th century, J. David Hacker, a demographic historian from Binghamton University in New York, has recalculated the death toll and increased it by more than 20 percent — to 750,000.

The new figure is already winning acceptance from scholars. Civil War History, the journal that published Dr. Hacker’s paper, called it “among the most consequential pieces ever to appear” in its pages. And a pre-eminent authority on the era, Eric Foner, a historian at Columbia University, said:

The old figure dates back well over a century, the work of two Union Army veterans who were passionate amateur historians: William F. Fox and Thomas Leonard Livermore.

Fox, who had fought at Antietam, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, knew well the horrors of the Civil War. He did his research the hard way, reading every muster list, battlefield report and pension record he could find.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/science/civil-war-toll-up-by-20-percent-in-new-estimate.html?_r=2

Uncle Joe

(58,386 posts)
4. Kicked and recommended.
Wed Apr 4, 2012, 12:17 PM
Apr 2012
"Prof Hacker's figure of 750,000 would translate into about 7.5 million US deaths in proportion to America's current population, Prof McPherson notes."



Thanks for the thread, dipsydoodle.

Blue_Tires

(55,445 posts)
6. The numbers that died because of crude or inadequate medical care were a huge part
Wed Apr 4, 2012, 03:04 PM
Apr 2012

and there were so many non-regulars fighting, especially towards the end

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Editorials & Other Articles»Who, What, Why: How many ...