The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-03-19
A NOTABLE ADDRESS.
Colonel Jas. A. Hoyt Speaks to the
Sons of Veterans.
SOME STRIKING STATISTICS
;iven FOR the First Time Relative 20
Confederate Losses and Regi-
mental Losses in Battle in
the Civil War.

Col. James A. Hoyt OF Greenville,
the distinguished veteran, delivered
an address recently before the J. L.
Coker Camp, Sons OF Veterans at
HartSville. In reference to the losses
in the war some striking facts were
brought out. that have never been put
together before. The information will
be interesting to veterans as we'll as
their sons. Colonel Hoyt spoke as fol-
lows:
The Southern Confederacy was COM
posed Of eleven States, which in 1860
had a military population of 1,064, 1913
with which to confront the 4,559,S72
of the same class in the other States
and Territories. During the next
four years the military population in
the south was increased over 100000
from those reaching their 18th year,
and in other States and territories the
military population wasincreased over
900, 900 from the same source. Those
who were exempt on account Of physi-
cal infrmities or otherwise, constitute
in every country one-ifth of the mill
tary population. and official figures
show that 25 per cent. Of the persons
examined in 1S63-65 by the United
States authorities were rejected as un-
fit for military duty. The Confederate
recruiting officers cid not insist upon
any high standard of'physicai require
ments, as the needs Of the army were
too pressing, and they accepted all re-
cruits and conscripts except such as
We're manifestly incapacitated for
military service. The aggregate en-
rolment of the Confederate armies
during the whole war, according to
an estimate in the Southern Histori-
cal Society papers," which was ap-
proved by Adjutant General Samuel
! Cooper, numbered over 100000 effec-
tive men, of whom not over 100000
we're enrolled at any one time. The
total enlistments in the Federal armies
were equal to 2.326, 16S men recruited
for three years service.
These figures substantially main
tain the ratio Of the military popula-
tion as ascertained by the census in
1860, and as to the Federal armies
they are based upon the statistics Of
the war department in Washington.
The official rosters Of the Confederate
armies at various dates during the
war show the following number Of
organizations that were in almost con-
tinuous service in the field: $50 regi-
ments and S. battalions Of infantry;
127 regiments and ~ battalions Of
cavalry, regiments and battalions
heavy artillery, and 26l batteries OF
light artillery. The aggregate is
equivalent to 764 regiment Of ten COM
panies each. Only few new regi-
ments were organized after 1862, and
in most cases they were consultations
Of previous or.anizat ton. The recruits
and conscripts were assigned to the
old regiments to- keep up an effective
strength.
The total loss OF the Confederate
armies in killed and mortally wounded
will never be definitely known. and
can be stated only in round numbers.
A summary of the casualties in each
battle and minor engagement, using
official reports only, and in their alb
sence the estimates from Confederate
sources, indicates that $4,000 men
were killed or mortallv wounded On
the Confederate side during the war.
In the report made by Gen. James
B. Fry for 1866, there is a tabula-
ton of Confederate losses as compiled
from the muster rolls on file in the
bureau Of Confederate archives at
Washington. The returns are incom-
plete, and nearly all the Alabama rolls
are missing. The figures are worth
noting. however, as they show that at
least 74,524 were killed or died of
wounds, and that 59,297 died of dis
ease. Without meaning to make any
invidious comparison, the tabulatlon
Of General Fry's report shows that out
Of the 1924 who were killed or died
of wounds, North Carolina and South
Carolina are accredited with 32, 595. or
more than 43 per cent. Of the total
loss. The highest percentage Of loss
in killed and mortally wounded, rated
according to the military population
in 1860, belongs to South Carolina and
is a most complete vindication Of her
action in leading the secession move
ment, which the Sons and Daughters
of Confederate soldiers can treasure on
the part Of their fathers.
Mr.. Kirkley, the statiStician of the
United States war department, states
the deaths from battles during the
Civil War, as he terms it, at ITO, ,0I0,
of which 67.05S are classified as killed
in action and 43.012 as having died of
wounds. Estimating from the loss in
| killed and mortally wounded, the con-
clusion is drawn that there were 2I5.-
l75 men wounded otherwise than
mortally in the Union armies, making
the total number of killed and wound
ed 3S5, ,245, within small fraction OF
the total number Of effective men in
ali the armies of the Confederate
States during the entirie four years,
SO that for each man in the Confeder-
ate service there was man killed or
wounded in the Federal service. The
number Of wounded who were treated
at the Federal hospitals during the
var was 246,112, which embraced
nine-tenths Of all the wounded, accord
Ing to the surgeon-generals estimate.
There is no way Of arriving at the eI-
act number OF killed and wounded. but
the hospital records are substantially
accurate, and the losses in minor en-
gagements for which no official re-
turns Of casualties we're made will un-
doubtedly increase the total consider
ably.
At Gettysburg, which has been
termed the greatest OF historic bat
ties, the Federal loss is stated at 3,063
;-;11oS II 400 1pOunda6 and < 42S can