Do people really grasp...

[AUG]

Sorry if this is a misstep. I had a question and could not find a better place to pose it. This is also my first trip outside Secession and Politics. Feel free to bump/move it, or whatever the term is, if there is a better place.

In general, the Union suffered higher casualties than the CSA. I don't know if this has more to do with one part of the war (like Grant's final campaign into VA) than others, but it seems early battles are no exception. This has always seemed to me a natural result of fighting on the offensive in enemy territory. So, why does it seem that casualties at Gettysburg were fairly even. I believe the CSA suffered roughly 2,000 more killed, the Union 2,000 more wounded, and overall it seems about even (of course, I'd rather be wounded than dead). Antietam seems similar, though I'm not as familiar with that battle. In Gettysburg, the Union assumed the defensive, and the CSA had to attack. Of course, on the first day they both began arriving at the same time, but after the Union fell back to Cemetery Ridge, it seems like a come and get us affair. Also, I found a site on casualties. Not sure if it was just a sampling, or the 14 highest single-battle regimental percent losses of the war (I would hope so, since they ranged from about 67% to 82%). While 1st TX at Antietam was at the top, the only 2 Gettysburg listings shown are 1st MN and 141st PA.

Thx,

Paul

Wilson's Creek, Shiloh, Stones River, Chickamauga, Antietam, and Gettysburg are all major battles that produced near equal casualty numbers, and that's going by total. Although IIRC in all of those except for Wilson's Creek the Confederates suffered a higher percentage loss. These were all battles that were relatively fought in the open, as in not behind entrenchments. Those that were, e.g. Fredericksburg, Franklin, Cold Harbor, etc. tended to produce more lopsided numbers, for obvious reasons.

As for regimental casualties, the 1st Texas is often said to be the highest regimental casualty rate (82.3%) for a single day battle. The 1st Minnesota is said to be among the highest for their loss at Gettysburg, but the numbers vary. Most sources suggest 70 - 80% but it was over two days (July 2 and 3), with the most being in their charge on July 2. I've seen other regiments said to have lost over 82.3% but when I checked other sources they were lower.

 

[civilken]

It is probably above most peoples comprehensives level mine to that matter I cannot imagine what that amount would look like on the field.

 

[1stMN]

I would submit that many do read the numbers and gloss over them. I don't think we do it on purpose but this thread is exactly right. I've thought about the 15,000+ that made the charge on day 3, 50,000+ casualties...it is baffling. The town I live in has about 18,000 people living here. Battles like Fredericksburg, 2nd Manassas...poof...towns with the populations of mine would be empty. It is near insanity to even try to comprehend what that must have been like.

 

[MRB1863]

Astounding figures when thinking of just the numbers! But to relate them to human lives is so very much more astounding. All of these killed and wounded were someone's son, daughter in a few cases, somebody's brother, father...all gave some and some gave their all. God bless and protect them all.

 

[civilken]

Yes I do I stay up all night thinking they like me they really really like me and with a warm feeling in my heart and thinking to myself may be 30 years of reading Civil War history has finally paid off. Thank you for asking