The Irish standard., 1898-07-23
THE HEAVIEST AT GETTYSBURG
McClellan's Victory at Antietam
Dearly Bought.
GRANTS LOSSES YICKsBURG
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
North. The losses were enormous on
both sides. Though they nearly balanced
each other in actual numbers, the Con-
federate loss was proportionately the
largest, footing up the almost unprece-
dented total of 36 per cent, while the
Federal loss was 27 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-23,1S6 men in all. The
Southern loss is given as 1865 killed,
1859 wounded and 7,464 missing, or 22,-
728 men in all, which, with the 300
men killed or wounded in the cavalry
on July 2 and 3, foots up their total
losses at more than 25,O0O.
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 In
ion corpses. The number of Federals
who actually perished at Gettysburg
may be estimated at 1000, some 1000
or 1,10O having died of their wounds
On the other hand, Meade had 1861
Confederate prisoners But there were
1882 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
13,600. 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 gallantly
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 $4,000,
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
1862.
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 11,OOO and to the latter
of 7,241 men.
AT Charlottesville, where the Federal
army under Hooker was defeated, it's
loss was 1905 killed, 9,762 wounded and
5,919 missing, or 17,2S7 men in all. The
Confederate loss amounted to less than
10000 men, of whom $500 were wounded
1851 killed and from 1000 to 1900 taken
prisoners.
At the battle of Shiloh, or Pittsburg
Landing, the total Confederate loss was
reported at 10,699. The Federal loss
made up from official statements, shows
1,7O0 killed, 7,945 wounded, 1922 pris-
oners; aggregate, 1O,050.
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
2,SOO men. The Confederates captured
We're more than $4,000 men.
Tho decisive battle of Fair Oaks was
attended by a loss on the Federal side
OF 5,7S9 men-namely, $50 killed, 3,G27
wounded and 1922 prisoners. The total
Confederate loss was 612O.
At Gaines Mill, or Chickahominy, the
josses were heavy on both sides. Out of
$4,000 men engaged, the Federals had
nearly 1000 killed and wounded. Their
! victorious assailants, who numbered
8 sone q. 900 men, suffered even more.