PROLOGUE
Attrition’s Old Sweet Song
‘THE RECORDS EXHIBIT that 425 individuals received appointment by the President to one of the four grades of general, of whom 299 were in grade at the end of the war. The attrition is accounted for as follows:
Killed in action or died of wounds | 77 |
Resigned | 19 |
Died by accident or from natural causes | 15 |
Appointments cancelled | 5 |
Declined appointment | 3 |
Killed in ‘personal encounters’ | 2 |
Assassinated | 1 |
Committed suicide | 1 |
Dropped | 1 |
Retired by reason of wounds | 1 |
Reverted to rank of colonel | 1 |
Total | 126’ |
I Mean, What Do You Do Besides Being a Confederate General?
‘Lawyers, jurists | 129 |
Professional soldiers | 125 |
Businessmen (including bankers, manufacturers, and merchants) | 55 |
Farmers, planters | 42 |
Politicians | 24 |
Educators | 15 |
Civil engineers | 13 |
Students | 6 |
Doctors | 4 |
Ministers | 3 |
Frontiersmen, peace officers | 3 |
Indian agents | 2 |
Naval officers | 2 |
Editor | 1 |
Soldier of fortune | 1 |
Total | 425’ |