The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-07-23
THE HEAVIEST AT GETTYSBURG
McClellan's Victory at Antietam
Dearly Bought.
GRANTS LOSSES AT VlCKsBURG
The Fleet Assisted BeSiegers at
Fort DOnelS0n.

The bloodiest battle of the civil war
was the decisive one at Gettysburg,
which turned the tide in. favor of the
both Sides Though they nearly balanced
each other in actual numbers, the Con-
federate loss was proportionately the
largest, footing up the almost unprece-
denied total of Sc per cent, while the
Federal loss was 81 per cent. 1t is es-
timated that the Federal force numbered
$4,000 men, and the Confederate $4,000
Tho official reports of the losses are
precise enough. They place the Federal
loss at 1884 killed, 1900 wounded and
6,645 missing-23, 1856 men in all. The
Southern loss is given as 1856 killed,
1850 wounded and 1854 missing, or 3d.
728 men in all, which, with the 300
men killed OF wounded in the cavalry
on July 2 and g. foots up their total
losses at more than $4,000.
Yet these official figures are rather be-
low than above the total amount of
damage done to and by both armies in
these bloody struggles. Thus, while the
Federal reports acknowledge 1884
killed, the reports made by the hospitals
bear evidence to the burial of 3,575 I'm
ion corpses. The number of Federals
who actually persisted at Gettysburg
may be estimated at 1000, some 1000
or LOO having died of their wounds
On the other hand, Meade had 1881
Confederate prisoners But there were
1852 wounded among them. Hence,
there only remained $3.50 able-bodied
prisoners. The number of 7,464 reck-
oned by Lee as the number of men miss
ing must therefore represent, besides
these able-bodied prisoners, most of the
men seriously wounded during the at
tack made by Pickett and Heath, and
abandoned on the battlefield. 1t is OBJ
vious, therefore, that the total number
Of Confederate wounded was more than
1860. And it is reasonable to suppose
that after the combat the wounded were
for few days more rapidly decimated
than their Federal companions in af-
Fiction.
Among the dead and wounded on both
sides were an unusual number of supe-
rior officers, who had most CALAMITY
exposed themselves. The Federals had
ten generals wounded and left two in
the hands of the enemy. The Confed-
crates lost seventeen generals, three OF
whom were killed, thirteen wounded
and three captured.
It was not until the official reports of
losses came in that it was shown that
even Bull Run, as the first battle of
Manassas is sometimes called, though
1t ended in disastrous panic on the
Northern side, was bravely and stub
bornly contested on both sides for many
hours. The Confederate army of %, OOO
reinforced at the nick of time by 5000
men, drove the Federal army of $4,000
back on Washington with a loss Of
1850 men. But they themselves lost
1852.
In the second battle of Manassas the
Union forces of $4,000 men were de-
feated by $4,000 Confederates, with a loss
to the former of 1000 and to the latter
of 7,241 men.
At Charlottesville, where the Federal
army under Hooker was defeated, its
loss was 1905 killed, 1892 wounded and
5,9l9 missing, or 1927 men in all. The
Confederate loss amounted to less than
10000 men, of whom $500 were wounded
1851 killed and from 1000 to $500 taken
prisoners.
At the battle of Shiloh, or Pittsburg
Landing, the total Confederate loss was
reported at 1869. The Federal loss,
made up from official statements, shows
1,700 killed, 1916 wounded, 1922 pris-
oners; aggregate, 1O,O5O.
Grants capture of Fort Donelson was
effected with $4,000 men, 5000 less than
the enemy. The latter was strongly in
trenched and fortified. AS at Santiago,
the fleet came to the assistance of the
besiegers Their total loss was some
1890 men. The Confederates captured
were more than $1,000 men.
Tho decisive battle of Fair Oaks was
attended by loss on the Federal side
Of 5,739 men--namely, $50 killed, 1921
wounded and 1922 prisoners. The tota!
Confederate loss was 6,12O.
At Gaines Mill, or Chickahominy, the
losses were heavy on both sides. Out of
$4,000 men engaged, the Federals had
nearly 1000 killed and wounded. Their
victorious assailants, who numbered