by fifer1863 on December 29, 2009
According to John Busey’s “These Honored Dead: The Union Casualties at Gettysburg”, the following is a list of the number of soldiers killed during the Battle of Gettysburg.
Army Of the Potomac :
|
New York
|
978
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
745
|
|
Massachusetts
|
200
|
|
Michigan
|
200
|
|
US Regulars
|
182
|
|
Ohio
|
139
|
|
Maine
|
119
|
|
Wisconsin
|
105
|
|
Indiana
|
96
|
|
New Jersey
|
80
|
|
New Hampshire
|
67
|
|
Vermont
|
58
|
|
Minnesota
|
50
|
|
Connecticut
|
45
|
|
Maryland
|
29
|
|
Delaware
|
21
|
|
Rhode Island
|
14
|
|
West Virginia
|
11
|
|
Illinois
|
9
|
|
Total
|
3,148
|
Army of Northern Virginia:
|
North Carolina
|
1452
|
|
Virginia
|
1012
|
|
Georgia
|
774
|
|
Mississippi
|
393
|
|
South Carolina
|
295
|
|
Alabama
|
254
|
|
Louisiana
|
141
|
|
Texas
|
111
|
|
Florida
|
80
|
|
Maryland
|
65
|
|
Tennessee
|
55
|
|
Arkansas
|
41
|
|
Total
|
4,673
|
Total number killed: 7,821
Based on these figures, you can easily have your students working on some math concepts. Have your students answer questions such as:
- What is the average number of soldiers killed for both the North and the South?
- What percentage of the total number of soldiers killed were from Ohio?
- What percentage of those killed were from the South?
- How many more soldiers were killed from North Carolina versus Pennsylvania?
Or, how about some critical thinking skills…
- Why do you think New York and North Carolina had the highest number of soldiers killed?
- During what day of the battle do you think Minnesota lost the greatest number of soldiers and why?
Until next time. From just north of Gettysburg…
by cwptedu on December 25, 2009
On January 3, 1863, Harper’s Weekly ran the following Thomas Nast image of Santa Claus visiting the Civil War Soldiers
What can you see in the picture? There is so much to see in this photo. From the drummer boys playing with the Jack-in-the-box to the troops chasing a pig in the background (notice one soldier falling down in the chase).
How about a little seek and find. Can you find:
- a drum
- a soldier with a pipe
- Santa’s Reindeer
- two American Flags
- A soldier with a stocking
- a soldier climbing a pole
This image is fun to look at and rich in details. I love the outfit that Santa is wearing, the soldiers in their great coats, the Sibley tents and the “Welcome Santa” sign. According to an brief article in the paper, Santa is showing the soldiers “Jeff Davis’s future. He is tying a cord pretty tightly around his neck, and Jeff seems to be kicking very much at such a fate.” The article also says that a group of soldiers in the background are playing football.
Merry Christmas from my family to yours.
by Jim on December 24, 2009
The above illustration by Thomas Nast is entitled “Christmas Eve, 1862″ and is from an 1862 issue of Harper’s Weekly. On the right side of the illustration is a Civil War soldier on duty sitting next to a fire on a cold night. In addition to holding his musket, he is holding a photo of his family. Behind him are other soldiers sitting next to a tree and standing guard. On the left side is his wife, kneeling in prayer with their children “nestled all snug in their beds.”
Look closely in the upper left portion of the illustration and you can see Santa (complete with reindeer) getting ready to head down the chimney. In the upper right Santa is delivering presents to soldiers in the field. All the while, the Civil War is raging below them in the form of both a land and a sea battle. And in between, the hardships of war, graves of fallen soldiers.
So, on this Christmas Eve, let us pause to remember those families who have loved ones serving in our military and pray for their safe return home.
Merry Christmas.
