Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-04-01
Total ..53,7T3
DR.. Jones states:
Total wounded prisoners and discharged
in 1851 -62 40


"If it be fair to assume that the total
mortality of 1863 and 1864 was fully equa
to that of 1862, then the total deaths in
the Confederate army in lS6l-65 was al
least 100, 900, exclusive of the deaths in
Northern prisons, which would swell the
number to near ls5, 600; and if the deaths
amongst the discharged for wounds and
disease, and amongst the sick and
wounded on furlough be added, the grand
total of deaths in the Confederate army,
during the entire war, did not fall far
short of 100000. According to this cal
culation, the deaths from disease were
about three times as numerous as those
resulting from the casualties of battle.
"The available Confederate force ca
pable of active service, did not during
the entire war, exceed 100000 men. OF
this number, not more than 400, 900 were
enrolled at any one time; and the Con-
federate States never had in the field more
than 100000 men, capable of bearing
arms, at any one time, exclusive Of sick,
wounded and disabled. If the preceding
calculation be correct, we have the fol
lowing figures illustrating the losses of
the Confederate armies during the war ::
Confederate forces actually engaged
in 1876, GOO, 900; total deaths in c. s.
A., 100000; losses of c. s. prisoners in
1876, which may be considered as to-
tai losses on account of the policy of
non-exchange by the United States,
100000; losses Of c. s. A. by discharges
disability and desertion, 100000
"If this calculation, which is given
only as an approximation, be correct
one-third of all the men actually en-
gagged on the Confederate side, we're
either killed outright upon the field, or
died of disease and wounds; another
third of the entire number were captured
and held for an indefinite period in
Northern prisons, and of the remaining
two hundred thousand, at least one-half
were lost to the service by discharges
and desertiops. AT the close of the war,
the available force of the Confederate
States numbered scarcely one hundred
thousand effective men."
In answer to the above from DIR.
Jones, General Cooper remarks:
have closely examined your several
statements in respect to the Confederate
military forces during the late war, as
well as the casualties incident thereto,
and / have come 10 tbs GQRelnsion from
my general recollection, which those
statements have served to enlighten, that
they must be regarded as nearly criti-
cally correct.
| learn one other fact from General
Cooper letter, which may be of service
to the committses That the files of his
Office, which contain all information upon
this as well as other subjects connected
with the Confederate service, were on
their retreat from Richmond boxed up
and sent to Charlotte, N c., where they
were subsequently captured by the Fed
eral army a1d sent to Washington City,
and are there preserved;
B. W. AysEF.
Other reports of minor importance,
were approved, and various resolutions
diverting to the interest of the Society,
we're adopted.
The following names were handed in
and referred to the Committee on Gre
dentisls for action, viz. Messrs. H. D.
Buckley, W. B. Kinney. J. NJ. Ward. H.
K Beatty, c. S. Severson, and DIR. d. d.
Sanders. Adjourned.
The meeting was one Of the largest
held STAGE is organization. and we are
glad to see that more istaEest is being
Members are promptly pay
ing their dues, and the list of active
members continues TO swell.