The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-05-17
A COMPARISON.
Figures Of the Santiago Cam.
paign and Of the Civil War.
HEAVY LOSS OF OFFICERS.
Forty-three Officers Killed at Fort
Wagner. At Fair Oaks Long
street Lost Sixty-one Off
GERS Killed.

GERS Killed.
The American loss Of officers in the
several battles with the Spanish forces
before Santiago, Cuba, on the 1st, I'd and
Sd of July last, as officially reported by
Gen. Shafter, amounted to twenty-three
killed and eighty wounded. A number
Of the latter were mortally wounded
and subsequently died. Ali but few
of these killed and wounded officers
were of the regular army. The Army
Register for 1899, just out, shows that
Of the total, eighteen of the killed out
right and six VINO died Of their wounds
belonged to seventeen different infan-
try and cavalry regiments Of the per-
manent establishment.
There is popular impression that
the losses in officers were very severe,
which is correct, but it is mistake to
suppose they were unprecedented, or
even extraordinary, in the annals Of our
military, campaigns. Some Of the losses
sustained by both Union and Confeder-
ate commands during the civil war
make these casualties at Santigo look
rather moderate, when the time con-
sumed IN the battles and the numbers
engaged are considered. Gen. Skaters s
force in these Cuban battles was ap-
proximately 1880 men, the greater
part of whom were regulars. But
Skaters troops were not armed with
the best modern breech-loading maga-
zine rifles, whereas their Spanish foe
was equipped with the famous Mauser
rifles, held now by most experts to be
the best arm in existence. Out of this
fact has grown another erroneous i'm
preston, viz, that the battles Of nova
days are very much more destructive
than those of even forty years ago, be-
cause of the superiority Of the later
models Of firearms. But, nevertheless,
it is very doubtful if the Americans at
Santiago would have been successful
much sooner than they were, or lost
fewer men, had they been armed with
precisely the same kind Of rifles as the
Spaniards. The latter were covered
with earthworks, while our men fought
in the open.
During our civil war the Union and
Confederate troops were On even terms
so far as arms were concerned. The
great bulk of both armies were equipped
with Enfield and Springfield rifed mus
kets, muzzle leaders, with the exception
ofa short while at the beginning. There
was but little, if any, difference in the
effectiveness of these two models, al
though one was American and the other
English.
In the memorable assault made by
the Union forces on Fort Wagner, Nor
ris Island, S. c., on the 18th Of July,
1863, ten regiments Of volunteer infan-
try were engaged. 1t took place at
twilight, and was all over inside Of one
hour, although part of the assaulting
column effected lodgment in one Of
the bastions, but the men were ultimate
ly captured, after holding out about
three hours. The loss in killed,
wounded and missing was l,515, which
included 39l missing, some Of whom
were doubtless killed and wounded.
Skaters losses in the three days fight
ing at Santiago were 1885. The Span
ish defences at Santiago appear to have
been about as strong as those Of the
Confederates at Wagner; therefore, the
comparison is fair one in every Jay,
except that the numbers engaged at
Wagner and the time consumed were
far less than at Santiago. The fort was
defended by from /, 900 to 1,500 men,
and assaulted by 5000 or 5000. Out
of the ten volunteer regiments engaged
% officers were killed outright and Is
wounded. OF the latter Is were NOR
tally wounded and subsequently, died,
among them Gen. George G.. Strong,
the magnificent soldier who commanded
the assaulting column. A single regi-
ment of New Hampshire troops, the
7th, lost II officers killed (or died of
wounds) in this charge, and I wounded.
The 62d Ohio lost s officers killed (or
died Of wounds) and : others wounded.
The 54th Massachusetts, (colored) lost
its colonel, Robert G.. Shaw, and 2
captains killed, and l officers wounded.
All this destruction was wrought main
ly by the muzzle-loading Enfield rifles,
but at very short range. The Confed-
crate loss was only l91 killed and
wounded.
The number of Confederates actually
engaged in the terrible assault upon
the Union intrenchments at Franklin,
Tenn, on November 80, 1864, did not
much exceed Skaters force at Santiago
although Hoods entire force at hand
was much greater. Their losses were
fearful, particularly in officers. Nc de-
tailed official report Of them is on file
in the public archives, if any was ever
made, but there are sufficient incom-
plete returns printed to give a fairly de-
finite idea of their extent. In field
officers alone it is known they lost up
ward of 20 killed and 35 wounded, sew
cral of the latter afterward dying.
Among these were II general officers
and 81 colonels. Of line officers, some
of the regiments were actually swept
bare. Lorings division lost % officers
killed outright and 84 wounded. This
division numbered less than ore-ifth
Of Skaters force at Santiago. The
bridgade ofthe present Senator from
Missouri, Francis NJ. Cockrell, went
into the battle of Franklin with GA
men and 50 officers; Of these he lost IS
officers killed and 81 wounded, and 277
enlisted men killed and wounded.
Senator Cockrell himself lived to tell
the tale but he evidently found the
atmosphere much hotter that evening
at Franklin than it has ever been since
in the Senate. Walthalls division
lost 2S officers killed and SO wound.
But although the Confederates suffered
far greater losses than the Union troops