Morbidity and Mortality of the Confederate Generals during the American Civil War

Abstract

During the American Civil War (1861–1865), 426 men were commissioned generals by Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Congress. Eighty (19%) died of battle wounds (versus 8% in the Union army) and 3 per cent died of disease.¹ During the war, 211 (49%) were wounded; of these, each was wounded a mean 1.9 times. When noncombatants are excluded, 52 per cent sustained wounds. Of those who served in five or more major engagements, 62 per cent were wounded; of those who fought in more than 10, 71 per cent sustained wounds. Sixty-five per cent of battlefield deaths were immediate and 85 per cent were from gunshot wounds. Mortality did not vary by state of birth, age group, rank (brigadier, major, lieutenant, full), formal military education, or prewar profession. Professional soldiers fared no better or worse than prewar civilians appointed to the rank of general. Of those who survived the war, mean age at death was 68.0 years.