The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-09-08
SLAIN IN THE WAR.
Less Than Three Hundred Killed
by Spanish Bullets.
COMPARED WITH OTHER CONFLICTS.
sems Interesting Statistics Concerning
the Americas Losses In Camp.
yield and Hospital.

New York.-A special IN the Trib-
une from Washington says: The lisi
IL casualties in the Army during the
war with Spain has not been carefully
compiled, and, In fact, il cannot be
completed for months TO come, be-
cause included in Il must be the
deaths from disease in camp and hos
pital, which will far Outnumber those
from the bullets Of the enemy. The
proportion OF deaths from disease will
probably be larger than in the Civil
War.
In 1885 an effort was made TO ascer-
tain what that proportion was, which
resulted in showing that the aggregate
number Of deaths among the Union
troops was $3.50, OPS. The number OF
officers and men killed in action was
81, O5S, and the number who died from
wounds received in action was 43, 0i2
making total OF 40, O70 or fraction
over 80 per cent of the aggregate. II
appears that PA, $50 officers and men, or
more than G2 per cent, died Of disease.
The remainder Of the deaths were
due 10 various causes. No fewer than
100 officers and 1888 men we're drowned,
while PAP officers and 1912 men died
from accidental causes other than
drowning.
According TO official and semi-ofIicial
reports, which are still subject to re-
vision and correction, the number OF
officers and men OF the Army killed in
action since the outbreak OF hostilities
against Spain has been ESQ and the
number wounded 1896, making total
OF l77S. 1t is probable that addi-
tions will be made to the list OF killed
by subsequent reports. OF course,
most OF the casualties occurred in the
fighting around Santiago, but even
there that number was not excessively
large, considering the stubborness Of
the defense and the fact that infantry,
not backed by sufficient amount Of
artillery, was led against the enemy,
who were strongly intrenched. Most OF
the fighting was with small aims, and
few men in the American army, at
least, were killed or wounded by
shells.
The Spanish troops generally we're
armed with the ATauser rife, a weapon
OF long range. They used smokeless
powder and had the advantage of posi-
tion and local knowledge and made the
most Of it. According to all theory the
mortality among the American troops
ought TO have been much heavier; in
fact, one might have supposed that
OF weapons alone, as COM
pared with those used by infantry 100
years ago, or even thirty-five years ago.
would have produced the result.
The battle OF Breeds Hill, popularity
called the battle of Bunker Hill, was
fought in the days Of the fiintlock
musket when smokeless powder was
but the casualties on both
sides were relatively much heavier
than in the battles around Santiago.
The Americans did not have more than
500 men actually engaged and the
British about twice as many. The
American loss was 145 killed and 3O5
wounded and the British 220 killed
aud 1928 wounded.
Al the battle Of New Orleans the
American strength engaged was about
5000 and the loss only eight killed and
thirteen wounded, while the British
loss, with about 10000 men engaged,
was 700 killed and twice as many
wounded. At the battle of Belmont,
in 1861, the number OF the Union
troops actually engaged was 81 800
and the number Of Confederates be.
tween 1000 and 5000. Neither side
ionght behind intrenchments. The
Union loss was 642 killed, wounded
and missing. Smokeless powder had
not yet been invented and muzzle load.
ing guns were used by both sides.