Sickness Has Thinned Out The Regiment

[NH Civil War Gal]

January 2025 History Wire: “Sickness Has Thinned the Regiment Very Much: Soldiers and Illness in Central Virginia – Part I” - Emerging Civil War

CVBT History Wire – “Sickness Has Thinned the Regiment Very Much: Soldiers and Illness in Central Virginia – Part I” The January 2025 “CVBT History Wire” focuses on accounts from soldiers about disease and illness from November 1862 to May 1863 in central Virginia. Read here: “Sickness Has...

emergingcivilwar.com

Very worthwhile read!

 

[Sivart]

Interesting read. Thanks for posting.

 

[Bruce Vail]

In my readings on the history of the 1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment I was struck by a statement from one of the senior officers that the regiment had received 500 replacements in Aug. '62. Since the unit hadn't seen much action at that point in the war, that means the bulk of the replacements were necessary because sickness had thinned the ranks. That's a lot of thinning in the space of little over one year.

 

[RedRover]

In my readings on the history of the 1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment I was struck by a statement from one of the senior officers that the regiment had received 500 replacements in Aug. '62. Since the unit hadn't seen much action at that point in the war, that means the bulk of the replacements were necessary because sickness had thinned the ranks. That's a lot of thinning in the space of little over one year.

The 7th Florida Regiment had 1,100 personnel on hand in April, 1862 just after organization. After deploying to East Tennessee in the summer, and crossing the mountains into Kentucky with Kirby Smith, and garrisoning Frankfort, etc., the regiment was noted has having only 150 men fit for duty there by October 1, having left a trail of sick men from East Tennessee up. Suffered more losses on the subsequent retreat from Kentucky. That's all without having engaged in any significant combat.

At least 260 men of the regiment died of disease, most of those recorded in 1862. A large number too were discharged for disability, some of whom evidently also subsequently died. First Sergeant Robert Watson of Company K in his diary mentions several bouts of illness over a couple years, including falling ill on marches, etc.

 

[SWS]

States the historian of the 57th Pennsylvania after the Peninsula:

The regiment, upon its arrival at Harrison's Landing, presented a most pitiable spectacle. But three months before it numbered almost nine hundred; now but little over half a hundred [approx. 56] responded for duty at first roll-call, and there was not a field officer present. Says Surgeon Lyman: "All were exhausted and disheartened, scarcely a well man in the regiment, with two hundred and thirty, for the first few days, on the sick list." For a time Captain Ralph Maxwell was in command of the regiment, but was succeeded later by Captain Strohecker. Funerals were of such frequent occurrence that the solemn notes of the dead march were almost continually to be heard, until, for the benefit of the living, burials with military honors were suppressed by general order. To the great annoyance of brigade commanders they could muster no more men for brigade drill than would compose an ordinary battalion; the regiments presenting no better appearance as to numbers than a company, and a company than a corporal's guard...

A great-granduncle of mine was one of those discharged owing to chronic illness during this period. At Yorktown, "the regiment camped in a muddy swamp while engaged in hard labor in the trenches. Many men fell sick of malaria, dozens died, and hundreds became unfit for service, many permanently." At Williamsburg, "the regiment dropped packs and greatcoats and advanced at the double quick to join the fighting, but arrived after it had ceased. They then spent the night in a pouring rain with no food, fires or blankets." Lt. Col. George Perkins later commented that: "It seemed as though the regiment had been struck with a pestilence. Nearly, or quite one-half of the men were taken sick, and the number of discharges, from that night's exposure, was greater, I think, than our casualties in any battle during the war..."

 

[Lubliner]

The Mexican War wasn't too nice for the American soldiers either. Dysentery ran rampant there, and men could hardly climb out of the bushes along the way, before having to turn tail and run in again.
Lubliner.