A Brief History of “The War Between The States” (1861 – 1865)
The War Between The States was the most violent and fateful experience in American history. In four long, bloody years 623,026 soldiers would litter American soil. In 1860, that would be approximately 2% of the U.S.’s total population. Civilian deaths would peak this senseless four year slaughter to roughly well over one million dead. Approximately three million men would fight for their cause. Brother against brother, father against son. The monetary cost would exceed 2.5 million dollars per day or a grand total of 200 billion in the four years of bloody carnage. More Americans died as a direct result of the Civil War, than all American lives lost from the Revolutionary War through to the present day Iraq War, combined! Between 1861 & 1865, 10,455 battles would be fought at a rate of approximately 6.5 per day. Battlefields, with names such as Gettysburg, Bull Run, Sharpsburg (Antietam), Fredricksburg, Shiloh, Cold Harbor & The Wilderness, would forever burn into the pages of American history. For on those battlefields a nation and a people would forever change. Confederate General Robert E. Lee stated it best at the battle of Fredricksburg, Va.. “It is good that war is so terrible, lest we may never forget it’s cost”.
America has paid a terrible price in human life to uphold this nation to what it is today. Let us not forget the 623,026 Americans who gave their life on our own soil to preserve this nation and give us the right to call ourselves The United States of America.
Battle Statistics for The War Between The States (1861-1865)
Dates: April 12th, 1861 to June 22nd, 1865
Duration in days: 1,816
Battle Actions Fought: 10,455 (6.5 per day)
Total Cost of War (1865): $200 Billion or $2 Million per day
Total Combatants: Roughly 3 Million Soldiers (2.1 Million for the north & 800,000 for the south)
Total Deaths: 623,026 or 2% of the population of the U.S. @ that time.
Union Forces (geographically north) (all totals are approximate)
Total Engaged: 2.1 Million
Total Losses (Combat & Mortal Wounds): 110,000
Total Losses from Disease (incl. Infections due to wounds): 224,580
Total Deaths In Prison: 30,192
Total Deaths: 365,026 (18% of the 2.1 Million engaged)
Confederate Forces (geographically south) (all totals are approximate)
Total Engaged: 800,000
Total Losses (Combat & Mortal Wounds): 94,000
Total Losses from Disease (incl. Infections due to wounds): 164,000
Total Deaths in Prison: 31,000
Total Deaths: 258,000 (35% of the 800,000 engaged)