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Digital History ID 3811

Civil War

Casualties and Costs of the Civil War

Interpreting Statistics

Troops Available for Duty (January 1)
	Union	Confederacy
1862	527,204	209,852
1863	698,808	253,208
1864	611,250	233,586
1865	620,924	154,910

Questions To Think About

1. Why did troop strength peak in 1863?

2. Do you think that the differences in troop strength were responsible for the war's outcome?

Interpreting Statistics

Deaths During the Civil War
	Union	Confederacy
Total forces	1,556,678	1,082,119
Deaths from Wounds	110,070	94,000
Deaths from Disease	249,458	164,000
Death Rate	23 percent	24 percent
Wounded	275,175	100,000

Deaths in American Wars
Civil War	618,000
World War II	405,000
World War I	112,000
Vietnam War	58,000
Korean War	54,000
Mexican War	13,000
Revolution	4,000
Spanish-American War	2,000
War of 1812	2,000

Civil War Troops
	Union	Confederacy
1862	527,204	209,852
1863	698,808	253,208
1864	611,250	233,586
1865	620,924	154,910
Total Forces	1,556,678	1,082,119

Civil War Casualties
	Union	Confederacy
Death from wounds	110,070	94,000
Death from disease	249,458	164,000
Total death rate	23 percent	24 percent
Wounded	275,175	100,000 (approx.)

Cost of U.S. Wars
	Wartime Costs	Veterans' Benefits	Interest Payments
	(in millions)
American Revolution	$100-140	$28	$20
War of 1812	$87	$20	$14
Mexican War	$82	$26	$10
Civil War (Union only)	$2,300	$3,289	$1,200
Spanish-American	$270	$2,111	$60
World War I	$23,700	$13,856	$11,100
World War II	$260,000	$65,231	$200,000
Korea	$50,000	$11,391
Vietnam	$140,600	$13,173

Questions To Think About

1. How does the cost of the Civil War--in casualties and expense--compare to the cost of other American wars?

2. Why do you think that the Civil War was so lethal?