Showing posts with label richmond petersburg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label richmond petersburg. Show all posts

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.

Union Losses - The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign




Month Year
KIA & WIA
POW
Total


July 1864
5,000
1,500
6,500


August 1864
5,000
6,000
11,000


September 1864
4,000
3,000
7,000


October 1864
3,500
2,000
5,500


Nov 1864
300
100
400


December 1864
500
100
600


Subtotal

18,300
12,700
31,000


Jan 1865
250
0
250


Feb 1865
1,500
500
2,000


Total

20,050
13,200
33,250