been compiled from the official muster-rolls and returns into Tables I, II, and III, herewith presented.a

It is to be especially observed that these tables have been drawn entirely from a careful examination of the regular monthly returns and muster and pay rolls of the Army. The rolls, made up by the company commanders on blanks furnished by the Adjutant- General's Office, and according to directions printed on the blanks themselves, are the forms on which the members of the companies are paid, the record on which the military history of each man is required to be stated, and one of the principal authorities to which the War Department refers for official information concerning the final disposition of every soldier. As the penalties against false musters and returns are exceedingly severe, applying not only to the company commander, but also to the mustering officer, and as all means within the limits of Army discipline are used by superior officers to insure correct knowledge of the condition of the troops under their command, the muster and pay rolls are usually a trustworthy, as they are an official, source of information concerning Army statistics.

It is, however, certain that all the casualties which have occurred do not appear on the rolls, just as it is equally certain that they are not all to be found in any one set of records. The accompanying statistics are presented as derived from this source alone, and as containing only such percentage of error as may have crept into a system of record which was intended to be perfect, and which was unquestionably brought to a high standard at least as early in the war as any other.

One of the advantages which may be fairly expected from the publication of these tables is, that attention will thereby be drawn to such imperfections as exist in the rolls, and that will lead to their correction by a comparison with other sources of official information.

Volunteer Army.

Officers Men Total

Killed in action 4,057 61,654 65,711

Of wounds received in 2,164 39,912 42,076

action

Of disease 2,688 218,806 221,494

Accidental (except 141 3,869 4,010

drowned)

Drowned 102 4,749 4,851

Murdered 36 468 504

Killed after capture 14 89 103

Suicide 24 340 364

Executed by U. S. ..... 261 261

military authorities

Executed by enemy 4 60 64

Sunstroke 5 301 306

Other known causes 61 1,910 1,971

Causes not stated 28 11,987 12,015

Aggregate 9,324 344,406 353,730

Grand aggregate 9,584 349,944 359,528

regulars and

volunteers

The foregoing figures, however, are only approximative and should not be accepted as conclusive. Revision of the death records is still in progress. In addition to the officers of the Regular Army reported on page 664, there were 27 killed in action, 14 died of wounds received in action, 8 died of disease, and 1 drowned, a total of 50, who, at the time of death, held commissions in the Volunteer Army, with which they are counted. These added to the Regular Army would make a total loss therein of 310 officers and 5,538 men.

a See pages 78-83 [671] of Report.