- Joined
- Aug 25, 2012
In earlier American wars psychiatric casualties had been ignored. During the Civil War neuropsychiatric casualties for the first time were recognized as "injured". Surgeon General Hammond was particularly concerned and believe this was a significant military problem. Still, both sides, during the Civil War treated these injured men with contempt and labeled the casualties 'sulkers' or "stragglers". This resulted in poor record keeping, but one-sixth of one percent of all Union Civil War casualties were classified as having mental or nervous diseases. The true number would be much higher. Only three diagnoses of psychological conditions counted: nostalgia, insanity, and sunstroke. Sunstroke was the most common injuries recorded.
From mid-1864 to the end of the war 15,350 white Union soldiers and 1,110 black Union soldiers were diagnosed with psychological injuries. (0.03 % of the white soldiers serving and 0.02 % of the black soldiers serving). There is no reason to believe that the Confederacy did not suffer at roughly the same percent of neuropsychiatric casualties, but Confederate records are not available to confirm this.
Some people theorize that the new style of modern warfare practiced during the Civil War greatly increased the number of neuropsychiatric causalities. The actual numbers of this kind of injuries in early wars remains open to debate. Still this kind of injuries were finally recognized in the Civil War. Some of the veterans in post war Soldiers' Homes certainly suffer from this kind of injury, but the U.S. Army only officially listed 2,000 Union veterans being placed in Soldiers' Homes or public asylums for these ailments.
From mid-1864 to the end of the war 15,350 white Union soldiers and 1,110 black Union soldiers were diagnosed with psychological injuries. (0.03 % of the white soldiers serving and 0.02 % of the black soldiers serving). There is no reason to believe that the Confederacy did not suffer at roughly the same percent of neuropsychiatric casualties, but Confederate records are not available to confirm this.
Some people theorize that the new style of modern warfare practiced during the Civil War greatly increased the number of neuropsychiatric causalities. The actual numbers of this kind of injuries in early wars remains open to debate. Still this kind of injuries were finally recognized in the Civil War. Some of the veterans in post war Soldiers' Homes certainly suffer from this kind of injury, but the U.S. Army only officially listed 2,000 Union veterans being placed in Soldiers' Homes or public asylums for these ailments.