With the July 1st—3rd anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg approaching, I thought it would be fun to dig into some “number” facts pertaining to the battle.
How many soldiers fought in the famous Pennsylvania battle?
Sources disagree on this number due to inaccurate, incomplete, and missing records.
HistoryNet
82,289 Union soldiers
75,000 Confederate soldiers
157,289 Total
Stone Sentinels
93,700 Union
70,100 Confederate
163,800 Total
Book of Lists
93,693 Union (Corps Strength)
70,136 Confederate (Corps Strength)
163,829 Total
Some sources reported round numbers:
Encylopaedia Britannica
94,000 Union
71,000 Confederate
165,000 Total
The Civil War Battlefield Guide
170,000+ soldiers fought
When the Smoke Cleared At Gettysburg
172,000+ soldiers fought
As you can see, some of these numbers are very close. The difference between the lowest and highest estimates is 14,711.
How many casualties did both sides suffer?
We first have to understand that casualties were broken down as follows: Killed, Wounded, and Missing. Sources also disagree on this number for the same reasons as above.
HistoryNet
3,155 Union killed
14,529 Union wounded
5,365 Union missing
23,049 Total Union casualties
3,903 Confederate killed
18,735 Confederate wounded
5,425 Confederate missing
28,063 Total Confederate casualties
23,049 Union (all casualties)
28,063 Confederate (all casualties)
51,112 Total casualties
Stone Sentinels*
3,150 Union killed
14,500 Union wounded
5,165 Union missing
22,815 Total Union casualties
4,400 Confederate killed
12,950 Confederate wounded
5,350 Confederate missing
22,700 Total Confederate casualties
22,815 Union (all casualties)
22,700 Confederate (all casualties)
45,515 Total casualties
*Stone Sentinel acknowledges their estimates are conservative, with actual casualties possibly as high as 51,000.
Book of Lists
22,807 Union (Corps)
22,557 Confederate (Corps)
45,364 Total casualties
When the Smoke Cleared At Gettysburg
3,155 Union killed
14,530 Union wounded
5,365 Union missing
23,050 Total Union casualties
4,500 Confederate killed
18,750 Confederate wounded
5,250 Confederate missing
28,500 Total Confederate casualties
23,050 Union (all casualties)
28,500 Confederate (all casualties)
51,550 Total casualties
Some sources reported round numbers:
Encylopaedia Britannica
23,000 Union casualties
28,000 Confederate casualties
51,000 Total casualties
The Civil War Battlefield Guide
50,000+ Total casualties
Again, some numbers are close. The difference between the lowest and highest estimates is 6,186. It’s been surprising to find so many discrepancies in these numbers. As an author of a Civil War romance set during the Battle of Gettysburg, A Rebel in My House, I’m often asked these numbers. It’s not an easy answer.
-Sandra Merville Hart
Sources
“Battle of Gettysburg,” Encyclopeadia Britannica, 2018/06/15 https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Gettysburg.
“Battle of Gettysburg,” HistoryNet, 2018/06/15 http://www.historynet.com/battle-of-gettysburg.
“Battle of Gettysburg Facts,” Stone Sentinels, 2018/06/15 http://gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/battle-of-gettysburg-facts/.
Compiled by Editors of Combined Books. The Civil War Book of Lists, Da Capo Press, 1994.
Edited by Kennedy, Frances H. The Civil War Battlefield Guide, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1990.
Long, E.B and Long, Barbara. The Civil War Day by Day: An Almanac 1861-1865, A Da Capo Paperback, 1971.
Sheldon, George. When the Smoke Cleared at Gettysburg: The Tragic Aftermath of the Bloodiest Battle of the Civil War, Cumberland House, 2003.
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