Aggregate Union Army Strength Dip

[Norm53]

Eicher & Eicher's, Civil War High Commands, provides some interesting Union strength stats at various dates, among which are the following:
1 Jan. 1863 918,191
1 Jan. 1864 860,737
1 Jan. 1865 959,460

Can I assume that the only dip that occurs between 63 and 64 is attributed solely to the net of casualties and enrollments during 63, there being huge casualties caused by the horrendous fighting, particularly in VA and PA?

(I assume that comparable stats for the Confederates are unavailable since the book doesn't list them.)

Norm

 

[Hussar Yeomanry]

No. Many Regiments terms of enlistments were up in '63. June for the most part. This causes no end of problems (at Gettysburg especially) and while many of these veteran soldiers reenlist others don't.

 

[Norm53]

No. Many Regiments terms of enlistments were up in '63. June for the most part. This causes no end of problems (at Gettysburg especially) and while many of these veteran soldiers reenlist others don't.

Hmmm ... glad I asked. Thanks.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

No. Many Regiments terms of enlistments were up in '63. June for the most part. This causes no end of problems (at Gettysburg especially) and while many of these veteran soldiers reenlist others don't.

Also, conscription had not yet made an impact on the number of soldiers in the ranks.

 

[Norm53]

No. Many Regiments terms of enlistments were up in '63. June for the most part. This causes no end of problems (at Gettysburg especially) and while many of these veteran soldiers reenlist others don't.

So I added 30,950 2-year enrollments from the 3 May 61 quota (Eicher) to get an adjusted 891,687 for 63. There is still a dip. Can I attribute most of this to casualties?

Maybe I'm going about this in the wrong way. Corps must have regularly reported their strengths, losses, etc. to High Command. If we add up all the corps stats, can we arrive at credible periodic strengths, losses, etc. (say monthly) for the entire army for the entire war?

 

[Andy Cardinal]

There also 9 months regiments raised in August 1862

 

[Norm53]

There also 9 months regiments raised in August 1862

Good point. I added 87,588 for an adj. total of 979,275, which doesn't make any sense, maybe because it takes a long time between signing up and getting into the corps. I'd best move on to more productive work.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

According to my notes, 55 regiment's were discharged from the Army of the Potomac in May & June 1863. I don't have a strength figure or the discharges from other armies.