Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-11-20
The Cost of the war

P. W. A." the intelligent correspondent ot the
Savannah Republican, saws:
Battle and disease have made sad nroads in the ranks
of the Confederate army this year. Go where you will
Whether On the battlefield to the hospital along the
railways, where the army has rested its weary
marches aud there you will fnd the evidences of death
The ret ches where numbers have been placed together
and the little bi!!ocks with the rude head boards and
simple inscriptions which mark the resog-paces of
those who lave been buried separately greet you on
every hand, and tell their melancholy tale.
Our loss in killed and wounded at Fort Donaldson
may be roughly estimated at $500; at Roanoke and
on the North Carolina coast, 600 at Ekhorn 500 ::
at Shiloh, 10000 at Williamsburg Seven Pines and
before Richmond, 10000; in the Valley of the She
nandoah, 5000 at Cedar Run, 1900; at the second
battle of Manassas, 5000 at Boonston and Champion
Gaps, 600; at Sbarpsburg 10000 at Corintb,
1000; at Perryvle 5000 and 5000 for those who
nave fallen at outposts, 10 skirmishes, &c. These fig
ures added together make the frghtfui of 800
Of this number it would be safe to say that onethird
or 10000, in their graves, having either been
killed outright died from their wounds. Quite as
many-probaby mOre-bave died from sickness. To
this should be added $4,000 for those who have
been MANNED, and whose health has been ruined for life
Thus loss in ten months of the present year may be
estima ted at 900 men, who have either Eerished
been disabled. If the whole truth known, they
would probably reach 100000 by the end of the year
for the deaths from disease in the hospitals, in camp
ard at home, generally exceed those in battle. For
aties to be quite heavy they have been the pres
ent
These heavy losses fall entirely upon the young and
able-bodied-upon those whose shoulders the coun
try its hopes of present independence and wise
craftsmanship the future The effect of such drair
as this upon the population Of the country, though
painful and depIora5e cannot yet be fully realized
The withdrawal of hundred thousand laborers from
the Industrial pursuits of life, and OF one hundred
thousand husbands and manageable men from thu
walks of society, and with them the less of vas
amount of physical and mental energy, is calamity
from which it will require generations for the country Il
recover. The loss Of one hundred or two hundred
thousand manageable men, the may be. carrie
with it, CT course virtual loss OF equal number o
manageable This fact. taken in considera
ton with the policy of restraining foreign immigration
in the future, especially from the United S aes, canno
tail TO attract The attention of every rejecting mind.
1t would seem as if the time spoken of by Isaia
about to be realized by the of the South
g" And in that day seven women shall take hold
one man, saying We will eat our own bread, and wea
our apparel only let be called by thy nam
8 take away our reproach."
They will have the priceless cor ISOLATION of knowin
however, that they have done than any other
wards the establishment of their countrys independents
Neither the wisdom of our leaders, the valor of
soldiers, could have wrought cut liberties u
for their unceaSing prayers and lab0rs. II theis hu
bands and brothers serve immortal hOnors for the
deeds the field, also do they merit eternal hapI
ness in that bright world beyond the sun.