Civil war facts, figures and comments

[Bob]

@southwest88 (http://thepoliticalforums.com/member.php?u=1342)

We are discussing combat casualties of the Civil war.

You supplied the link to the national park service site.

I gave a figure of 630,000 deaths in combat.

The park service shows about 204,000 deaths.

I looked at the wounded and deaths on both sides and they show about 673,000

The site also claims the true figures on the side of the South are not really known.

It must be that the 630,000 figure I saw first hand at Manassas included both dead and wounded.

http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/facts.htm

[Cigar]

Get over it, you Lost, Again

[Bob]

Get over it, you Lost, Again

What does that mean Cigar?

Were you there?

I wasn't there.

[Cigar]

What does that mean @Cigar (http://thepoliticalforums.com/member.php?u=294)?

Were you there?

I wasn't there.

Ok you go count the graves and get back to me.

[southwest88]

Yah, we know there were some KIA & WIA, & presumably disease cases among the Black & Native Peoples who fought on the Union side. There were likely some Black & Native Peoples on the Confederate side as well - but, yes, the CSA rolls are MIA. If I find Union stats broken down that way, I'll post them.

[Bob]

Ok you go count the graves and get back to me.

You get so silly.

[Bob]

Calling southwest88

Come in southwest 88

Do you read me?

[southwest88]

Calling @southwest88 (http://thepoliticalforums.com/member.php?u=1342)

Come in southwest 88

Do you read me?

Sure. On the KIA, WIA, disease, etc. as reported by NPS - I think you have to be careful - the US military reports casualties & distinguishes among killed & wounded (died of wounds or subsequently), wounded (but survived), disease (deaths), disease (recovered). US military figures include breakdowns by Caucasian, Black, Native Peoples - if they have the data. As we've seen, CSA figures are estimates, because the enrollments went missing.

I'm not sure about NPS figures - you have to wade through their methodology to see what they count, & whether they put WIA (death) in with the KIA or not. Similarly for disease - if the soldier died as a result, are they counted as KIA? Or separately? An exhaustive count - categorized for WIA, death & survived; disease - death & survived - would be handy - you could figure mortality & recovery rates.

But life is rarely that neat.

[Bob]

I know I saw 630,000 posted at Manassas. The same plaque on the wall also shows other wars casualties.

Given the entire range of numbers shows well over 1 million in all categories due to just the Civil war, were I you, I would not fret so much since I can't today drive to VA to check again but apparently it was both dead and wounded only.

[southwest88]

I know I saw 630,000 posted at Manassas. The same plaque on the wall also shows other wars casualties.

Given the entire range of numbers shows well over 1 million in all categories due to just the Civil war, were I you, I would not fret so much since I can't today drive to VA to check again but apparently it was both dead and wounded only.

(Laughing)

Yah, it's old training. Once upon a time, I was a proofreader & copyeditor. & I've long had a facility with language. Once I learned to touch-type, there was no holding me back. Anyway, it comes down to sloppy writing &/or thinking.

It's often hard to tell which it is. Yes, everyone can pick up a pen or pencil, everyone can sit @ a keyboard. However, all the software aids (spellcheck, grammar check, syntax, etc.) to the contrary, not everyone can write well. So I tend to carry on guerrilla warfare against unclear language - it's just me. I recognize that often people are in a hurry, or upset, & so on.

Still, because written language doesn't have the advantage of a face-to-face encounter - so that you can gauge how your POV is coming across, if you need to adjust your tone, vocabulary, references, etc. - or even look to body language or eye-rolling - written language needs more attention than conversing, in order to have a fair chance of communicating what you mean to, & not some tangential thing that you didn't mean to.

[Bob]

(Laughing)

Yah, it's old training. Once upon a time, I was a proofreader & copyeditor. & I've long had a facility with language. Once I learned to touch-type, there was no holding me back. Anyway, it comes down to sloppy writing &/or thinking.

It's often hard to tell which it is. Yes, everyone can pick up a pen or pencil, everyone can sit @ a keyboard. However, all the software aids (spellcheck, grammar check, syntax, etc.) to the contrary, not everyone can write well. So I tend to carry on guerrilla warfare against unclear language - it's just me. I recognize that often people are in a hurry, or upset, & so on.

Still, because written language doesn't have the advantage of a face-to-face encounter - so that you can gauge how your POV is coming across, if you need to adjust your tone, vocabulary, references, etc. - or even look to body language or eye-rolling - written language needs more attention than conversing, in order to have a fair chance of communicating what you mean to, & not some tangential thing that you didn't mean to.

I worked, while in the Army for a Captain that had the eyes of a hawk. He had been a company clerk himself during the Korean war and following the war went to OCS to get his commission. His eye to detail rubbed off on me.

The forums get sloppy to begin with, and I talk in "internet forum style". I entirely agree with your commentary.