Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1900 — LIFE LOSS OF SPANISH WAR. [ARTICLE]

LIFE LOSS OF SPANISH WAR.

Statistical Exhibit of the Government Shows Volunteer Mortality. A pamphlet has been issued by the adjutant general’s office in Washington under the title of “Statistical Exhibit of Strength of Volunteer Forces Called into Service During the War with Spain, with Losses from All Causes.” The volunteer force consisted of 10,017 officers and 213,218 enlisted men, a total of 223,235 who were engaged in’the war. The deaths numbered 148 officers and 4,356 men. During the war fourteen volunteer officers and four officers of the regular army holding volunteer commissions were killed in action, three died from wounds, 119 from disease and eleven from other causes, of whom three were suicides. Of the enlisted men 190 were killed in action, 78 others died from wounds received and 3.729 from disease. There were, further, 159 deaths of enlisted men from various causes. 97 of whom died from accidents, 21 were drowned, 11 were suicides and 30 were victims of murder or homicide. Desertions from the ranks numbered 3.069.

The total losses in the, volunteer forces were 1,718 officers, including eight dismissed, besides resignations and discharges, and 30,588 men. including 23,363 Mischarged for disability by court martial ahd by order. In the list of officers killed in action. Kansas and South Dakota lead with 3 each; Nebraska had 2, while no other State had more than one. Of enlisted men killed in action or dying from wounds received iu action. Nebraska lost 32, Kansas 30 and South Dakota 24; New York lost 15, while 26 of the States had no losses. In the total number of enlisted men who died from all causes. New York leads with 417, Illinois 28i, Massachusetts 274, Pennsylvania 239. Ohio 225 and Michigan 205. Nevada lost but one man. The losses of men from murder or homicide were three from Alabama, three from North Carolina, two each from Florida, Kentucky, New York and Virginia, and one each from nine other States, besides seven among the I nited States volunteers. Of the suicides of enlisted men, three each came from Ala-

bama and New York and two each from Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee. In deaths from disease among enlisted men New York had 380 out of about 20,000 enlisted, Illinois had 274 out of about 13.000, Massachusetts 265 out of about 6,800, Ohio 219 out of less than 14,000. Pennsylvania 216 out of less than 17,000 and Michigan 200 out of less than 6,600. In desertions from the ranks New Aork is charged with 514. or about 2*£ per cent, while North Dakota and the District of Columbia had none and Utah had but one. Tennessee hnd 249 out of a total of about 6,000, about 4 per cent. One desertion is charged to “general officers and staff.”