West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-05-30
NUMBER 81
& - :, -
he Civil War
q At a Glance.
by WALTON WILLIAMS.
~ -

T-llE American civil war was tho
greatest conflict at arms I'm tho
history OF the human race. Tho
American Revolutionary war.
which lasted nearly twice as long wa,
Il series ot mere sktrmishcs compared
with the struggle of the early sixties.
Battles were fought during the clyil
war. now known only to the niustlcst
| OF historians or TO local tradition or
! recollection. which exceeded IN tho
| forces engaged and surpassed In tho
| carnage resulting some of the most i'm.
! portnnt actions during the struggle for
! Independence The number of battles
! Fought greatly exceeded the number
! Incident to any single European war.
| The firing line was thousand miles
| long. Nearly 100000 men were on.
gagged More than 100000 men wera
Killed IN action or died from wounds
on disease. In practically every re-
spcct the war OF lS0l-65 was tho big
gcst 0nd bloodlcst OF all time.
This stupendous struggle embraced
so many raml1cutlous OF incident that
n complete history OF the whole IA Mt
tcrly impossible Historians hnve been
able only 20 hit the high spots" for
want OF space and lncl, of time and
endurance 10 slit and chronicle all the
Interesting facts
We do not know even how many bat
ties were fought. This can be only ap.
proNImatcd. I'm the governments
Acknowledged List OF Battles" the
number exceeds ., 200 Hut the bureau
of pensions has an alphabetical list or
engagements including slSlrmishos and
such other minor actions ns were deem
ed sufficiently important to note. This
list contains moro than O.S0O ongago-.
mcnts.
About 2,SOoOOO Union soldiers were
enlisted during tho war Tho Confed-
erote records are very incomplete.
many of them having been lost or do
stroycd. II Is estimated that the num-
hcrs engaged ON that side OF the con-
ilict were not FAR short OF 100000 men.
These figures do not include tho con.
siderable numbers OF Irregular com
batouts on each side. mhny OF whom
were not officially enrolled.
War department records show 3JO.-
o@S deaths from all causes I'm the I'm
ION armies during the war In proper
N'n 10 hlI'nEln or FORCES onguged the
Confederate losses were equally Sc
we're. Ina the absence OF definite records
any estimate, however must be mere
guess In the Union armies 07.O5S
men were killed I'm battle, 1902 died
Of wounds received I'm action, and 224,.
$50 died of diseaso incident to service.
OF those killed I'm battle 4,142 were
commissioned officers. The number OF
Union men who died while prisoners
of war wns %. i0S United states NIL
itary authorities executed 2G7 men and
would have executed many more but
for the humane Intervention of Abra-
ham Lincoln. Tho Confcderates exc
cuted four officers and sixty men OF
tho Union forces
II Us a most remarkable fact that I'm
the four years of this mighty conflict
only ono man was executed for "polit-
icnl' reasons 10y n Union general. In
New Orleans man named Mumford
pulled down a nag OF the United states
after the city had been captured. but
before IL was occupied by the Federal
forces. General Benjamin f.. Butler.
who was In command OF the occupying
7 force, caused Mumford TO be hanged.