Thursday, May 14, 2009

Analysis Union losses - RIchmond Petersburg

Losses shown in the previous post.

1) Losses in July are due to abortive "Crater" attack on July 30th by 3 Divisions from Burnside's 9th Army Corps. Of the 6,500 losses - 4, 000 were incurred by these 3 Divisions in one day.

2) The large number of POW's in August were due to collapse of Warren & Hancock's Corps at Ream's Station and Globe Tavern, in these two engagements the Union troops lost almost 4,000 POW's vs. 2,500 KIA/WIA.

3) Almost no fighting was done from Battle of Fair Oaks (October 28th, 1864) to the attack on Fort Steadman (March 25, 1864) - five months.

4) Confederate losses are estimated to be 12,000 to 14,000 vs. the Union 31,000. Losses in trench warfare were almost equal but in most of the battles Lee inflicted losses at a 2-1 ratio. The frontal assaults by Grant at the Crater and later at Fair Oaks were costly - & the low morale and inexperience of the Union troops in open warfare meant the Union lost much more heavily especially in prisoners.

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