The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-06-08
Curious Statistics.

General SHANKs, member OF congress
who served in the Federal army during the
late war, has gotten up some interesting
statistics relating to the army during the
war. ....... . ......
The aggregate enlistments in the Federal
army from the beginning to the end OF the
war was 9, 3S5, 951. Of this SO, ga were COM
missioned officers, including nine colored'
OF white men enlisted there were 2,O73,ll2,
and of blacks ITS, $3.50.
The General shows the proportionate
casualties and the relative dangers Of Off.
GERS and men in battle, the proportionate
mortality from disease and from other
causes, and other interesting comparisons
There were 1924 commissioned officers
employed, and of them 1881 were killed in
battle, or about one out of every twenty
one. Of2,07S, 112 enlisted white men, 81,
1893 were killed in battle, or about one out
of every fifty-four. OF the 1855 enlisted
blacks, I,514 were killed in battle, or about
one in one hundred and eighteen. ...
OF the mortality from wounds we have
this comparison 1000 officers died of
wounds, or about one in forty-one 30,SS7
white soldiers died from wounds, or about
one in sixty-seyen; and 1,0S7 blacks died
from wounds, one in one hundred and Sc
yenty-three. It's thus seen that the wounds
of the officers were more fatal than those of
the white soldiers, and they were far more
fatal than the wounds Of the blacks. The
officers are conspicuous marks, and this may
account for their proportion Of mortality.
The comparison of mortality from disease
between the officers and men entirely re-
verses the figures. or officers about l, 723
died of disease, or about one in every forty
nine. OF white soldiers 12l, 100 died Of
disease, or one ont Of every seventeen, and
Of the negroes 26,211 died of disease, or one
out Of every seven.
The disproportions here are great, the
deaths among the negroes being nearly two
and a half times more than among the
white soldiers, and seven times more than
among the officers, while the mortality from
disease amongst the white soldiers was near
ly three times as great rs amongst the off,
GERS of their race.
This disproportion between officers and
men is partly owing to the greater hard
ships and exposures Of camp-lfe amongst
soldiers thar amongst their officers, partly
to the disregard Of health amongst the pri-
Yates, and partly to the reckless lives of
men before they enter the army and this
last cause, 1t is supposed, accounts for the
greater mortality amongst the negroes.
These statistics show how great an error it
IL to suppose that reckless exposure and
irregularity make people hardy.
The combined numbers of those who
were killed and those who died of wounds
received in battle compared with the deaths
from disease show the following results !:
5000 officers lost their lives from injuries
In battle, while only l 1913 died from disease !;
69,6S0 white soldiers lost their lives by bat
tie injuries, while 121, 100 died from disease,
or nearly two deaths by disease for one in
battle. The blacks lost 2,551 from injuries
in battle, while the large number, of q, I'll
died from disease, or more than ten from
disease for one in battle. X:
The aggregate deaths from all causes
were: Officers, 9,3l4, or one In nine ]: en-.
listed whites, PSI, 722, or ono out ot eigh'
and quarter and enlisted negroes, o.
579, OF one out OF every five and one-i third
Deaths from all 90 ,uea In, the army, 294, 415