Gettysburg Casualties: The Bloodiest Civil War Battle

The total number of Gettysburg casualties was the largest in all the battles during the American Civil War, with the total of 28,000 from the Confederacy and 23,000 from the Union side. The Battle of Gettysburg lasted for three days, from July 1–3, 1863 at the town of Gettysburg. It was arguably the war’s turning point and known to be the bloodiest battle during American Civil War. This is also where Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee lost against Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.

GETTYSBURG CASUALTIES

Source

Confederate

Union

Alexander, Fighting for the Confederacy

3,072 killed

14,497 wounded

5,434 missing

2,592 killed

12,709 wounded

5,150 missing

Beringer et al., Why the South

22,638 k&w

(30.2% k&w)

and

28,000* (33%)

17,684 k&w

(21.2% k&w)

23,000* (20%)

Black, Seventy Battles

Up to 28,000*

23,000*

Boritt, Why the Confederacy Lost

c. 28,000*

23,000*

Bradford, Oxford Atlas

29,000+*

23,000+*

Civil War Times, Great Battles

3,903 killed

18,735 wounded

5,425 missing

3,564+ killed

14,529 wounded

5,365 missing

Cobb, American Battlefields

c. 28,063*

23,000+*

Current, Encyclopedia

22,638*

and

(Incomplete totals: 4,427 killed

12,179 wounded

5,592 missing)

c. 28,000

17,684*

3,155 killed

14,529 wounded

5,365 missing

Donald et al., Civil War

28,000*

23,000*

Eicher, Longest Night

c. 28,000+*

although reported as:

wounded

4,637 killed

12,391 wounded

5,846 missing

3,149 killed

14,503

5,161 missing

Esposito, West Point Atlas

almost 28,000*

23,049*

Foote, Civil War

25,000-28,000*

(Reported by Lee as:

2,592 killed

12,709 wounded

5,150 missing)

12,227 recorded

as captured in

Union records

3,155 killed

14,529 wounded

5,365 missing

Fox, Regimental Losses

2,592 killed

12,706 wounded

5,150 missing

3,070 killed

14,497 wounded

5,434 missing

Freeman, Lieutenants

2,592 killed

12,709 wounded

5,150 missing

(Official reports

inconsistent with

12,227 reported as

captured by

Union)

3,155 killed

14,529 killed

5,365 missing

Fuller, Lee and Grant

3,903 killed

18,735 wounded

5,425 missing

(30.1% k&w)

3,155 killed

14,529 wounded

5,365 missing

(20.0% k&w)

Hattaway & Jones, How the North

23,049*

28,063*

Heidler & Heidler, Encyclopedia

23,000*

(2,500 killed)

and

28,000*

20,000*

(3,000 killed)

3,149 killed

14,501 wounded

5,157 missing

Johnson & Buel, Battles and Leaders

2,592 killed

12,709 wounded

5,150–12,227 missing

3,072 killed

14,497 wounded

5,434 missing

Livermore, Numbers

3,903 killed

18,735 wounded

5,425 missing

3,155 killed

14,529 wounded

5,365 missing

McPherson, Atlas

20,000-28,000*

23,000*

McWhiney & Jamieson, Attack

22,638 (30.2%)

17,684 (21.2%)

Nichols, Reynolds

20,000+*

Nofi, Gettysburg

28,500*

23,050*

Nolan, “Demolishing the Myth”

22,638 (30.2%)

17,684 (21.2%)

Official Records

2,592 killed

12,709 wounded

5,150 missing

(Official reports

inconsistent with

12,227 reported as

captured by

Union

3,155 killed

14,529 killed

5,365 missing

Phisterer, Statistics

31,621*

2,834 killed

13,709 wounded

6,643 missing

Thomas, Lee Perhaps

28,000*

Trudeau, Gettysburg

22,874*

22,813*

Weigley, American Way of War

c. 23,000*

Author’s Best Estimate:

28,000*

23,000*

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