Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-02-06
FIRST DIVISIONS
LOSSES HEAVIEST!
Sustained More Battle Deaths,
More Missing and Prisoners
Than Any Other

Washington, Feb. 2.--Battle deaths,
missing in action and prisoners for ~
combat divisions in France were maze
public Saturday by General Peyton u
Mrach, chief of staff. The tabulation
does not include major casualties OF this
character sustained by the field signal
battalions and trains of the divisions,
and the totals given, representing figures
cabled to the. war department up TO Jan
uary 10, cover an aggregate OF 56,59Z OF
which 27762 represent killed In action,
II 1896 died of wounds. 4,6f9 missing In
action and 27O5 prisoners.
The tables given out Saturday would
seef to contradict the reports In circu-
lation for weeks that certain nits were
virtually wiped out in battle. According
to the tabulation, the First Irregular
army Division sustained more battle
deaths, missing and prisoners, than any
other. This division, which has been
highly praised for it's work in France
and which was feared by crack German
forces, sustained 1903 killed in action
alone, while 1850 of its men died Of
wounds, and 1,7s9 are reported missing
in action.
Ranking second in the total NUMBER OF
battle deaths, missing and prisoners, Is
Division, for which the total given Is
$3.50. The only other divisions, other
than the First and 2Sth, to sustain more
than 1900 in deaths, missing and prison.
ers were the Third Irregular army Divi-
sion and the 32nd (Natlonal Guard) Divi-
sion from Michigan and Wisconsin.
The division in which New York COM
bat troops served. the 9th, nth and 42d.
stand well up in the list in battle deaths,
missing and prisoners. The Rainbow
Division was exceeded in battle deaths.
missing and prisoners only by the 1st,
I'd, Sd, 4th (regulars), and 18th and 30th
National Guard) Divisions. The 9th
Division, composed of the New York
National Guard, stands tenth on the list
and the nth, of the draft army division
from New York city. trained at Camp
Upton, stands 18th.
10000 UNACCOUNTED FOR
The tables show that approximately
10000 men remain wholly unaccounted for
nearly three months after the ending Of
hostllties A total Of 17,4A are classified
as missing or captured. An appended
statement shows that only 90 American
military prisoners were believed to be
still in Germany on January 8 and that
returned and 11S died in captivity.
Some portion Of the great body Of MISS
ing men may be located as the return
Of the army thins out the American force
in France. Indications are. however,
that the majority Of the 10000 finally
will be added to the roll Of honor shown
in the tables of those killed or died OF
wounds, now recorded as 80, 1853 men.
No., hat ole ,ut he aI1 lad 4
men Of the marine brigade, figures 70,
which, not carried in the tables. were
obtained from official sources. This
brings the grand aggregate Of deaths
from battle up to 4O,709 on returns est.
| mated officially to be 95 per cent. com.
plete. AS figures on missing and prison.
ers of the marines are lacking. the mum.
Der of unaccounted for which finally will
be added to the roll of the dead, cannot
| be accurately estimated.
Up to Saturday night, the war depart
| ment had published the names of 1888.
men killed or died of wounds. as against
| 39,15S shown in the IS per cent. tables
! The difference is made up by additiOna
returns since the tables were closed Jan
uary TO-
| On November q General Pershing es
timated that his total killed and died Of
wounds would be 1880. Presumably
publication of the lists of these known
deaths and exclusive of the unaccountet
for is nearly completed, having exceeded
the estimate by more than 1900, due II
part to additional deaths from woundi
and to the listing as dead of men for
merly reported missing.
| The names Of 1874 wounded had beer
published up to last night. compared
with a November estimated total o.
1896. OF those missing in action 11,67
have been published, against the esti
mated 1920 total and compared with tn,
1744 missing and prisoners shown il
yesterdays tables.