Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1907-09-20
THE HORRORS OF WAR.
Death Losses Of Civil War Compared
with Those of Other Wars.

The titanic nature Of the struggle
between the states from 1861 to 1865
is slowly dawning upon the world. In
the annals of warfare it was the most
deadly conflict ever known.
Self-preservation, the first law of ma
ture, compelled the north to put forth
it's strength to the limit of possibili
ties, while the south once committed
to the dream of successful rebellion,
fought with the mad courage of des-
perate resolve.
For four years the warfare was un-
ceasing. The northern soldiers suf-
fered severely from the southern eli
mate and the diseases engendered in
an unaccustomed way of life as well,
while the killed and wounded num-
bered, in the union army alone, 1885,
245. OF these, 1O9,S93 were killed out
right on the field of battle; 199,720
died from diseases while the war was
going on. A death roll of 319,613.
Comparing the two great battles,
Waterloo and Gettysburg, military
writer draws attention to the fact
that, while the same number of men
were on the field in these battles, 152,-
600 all told, the losses at Gettysburg
exceeded the losses at Waterloo, con.
sidering the casualties to the troops
actually engaged At Waterloo ting
losses were 49,4S5, and at Gettysburg
0,52S. 1t is remembered that $4,000
men (the Sixth corps) were not en-
gagged at Gettysburg except for short
time. early on the morning of July 2.
This runs up the percentage of losses
in the American battle, considering
the number of men engaged.
Throughout the civil war the loss
Of life on both sides was frightful,
writes Ada c. Sweet, in Chicago Jour-
nal. Looked at even now, after the
lapse of years, the record is dreadful
to contemplate. In the union army
there were rs regiments whose losses
ran from SO to S5 per cent.
The First Minnesota went into ac-
ton at Gettysburg with 262 officers
and men. 1t lost 224 killed and
wounded The Twentieth Massachu-
setts, at Fredericksburg, lost over 6S
per cent. of its membership, and came
out of the fight commanded by cap
tain who was, IN years, mere boy.
Pickett the confederate general, led
5000 brave men in his great charge at
Gettysburg, and in 80 minutes lost in
killed, wounded and prisoners, 1900.
The bloodiest battle of the civil war
was Antietam, and the losses were
the most appalling in short space of
time unless we except Cold Harbor,
where the union forces lost 1000 men
in eight minutes.
When we see the veterans in their
parades, or engaged in their work
along the ordinary ways of life, dis
tinguished only by the bronze buttons
that some of them wear, we do not
realize what these men have gone
through.
We have all been taught to respect
and honor them, but it is only when
we look at the records of death and
devotion which are written in the
books of the nation, but left, for the
most part unread, that we realize
what it meant to be one of Uncle
Sans soldiers in the years from 1861
to 1865.
1t is well to take thought, occasion.
ally, of all the sacrifices that were
made that the country might live and
that we might exist in peace and
prosperity, a free people upon the
face of the earth.