The White Soldier

[green fire317]

I wanted to dedicate a thread to white soldiers. White soldiers have had to fight in some horrible conditions, like the Germans and Russians fighting in the cold winters in the early 40s. You can also look at the Battle of the Bulge which was fought in extreme cold. I was wondering if some of the posters here at CF could help me out with the Civil War. I believe there was one battle that took place in a forest and the forest caught fire and many men were burned alive. Does anyone here know anything about this ? I also wanted to mention the men that died in World War 1 and the human waves that were sent to try and conquer the other trench.I just thought it was important to dedicate a thread to white men who have fought in wars.

Edited by: green fire317

 

[celticdb15]

greenfire there were several huge battles in the American Civil War with some astonishing casualty rates. Not to mention it tore up families. Brother versus brother, cousin vs cousin and so on. I've read up a lot on the Civil War and have never come accross a battle with a forest fire, but hey, I can always check again.




The ten costliest land battles, measured by casualties (killed, wounded, captured, and missing) were:
<TABLE =wikitable>
<T>
<TR>
<TH>Battle (State)</TH>
<TH>Date</TH>
<TH>Confederate
Commander</TH>
<TH>Union Commander</TH>
<TH>Conf. Forces</TH>
<TH>Union Forces</TH>
<TH>Victor</TH>
<TH>Casualties</TH></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Battle of Gettysburg


(Pennsylvania)</TD>
<TD>July 1â€"3, 1863</TD>
<TD>Robert E. Lee</TD>
<TD>George Meade</TD>
<TD>71,699</TD>
<TD>94,589</TD>
<TD>Union</TD>
<TD>51,112
U: 23,049
C: 28,063</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Battle of Chickamauga


(Georgia)</TD>
<TD>September 19â€"20, 1863</TD>
<TD>Braxton Bragg</TD>
<TD>William Rosecrans</TD>
<TD>75,357</TD>
<TD>61,753</TD>
<TD>Conf.</TD>
<TD>34,624
U: 16,170
C: 18,454</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Battle of Chancellorsville


(Virginia)</TD>
<TD>May 1â€"4, 1863</TD>
<TD>Robert E. Lee</TD>
<TD>Joseph Hooker</TD>
<TD>60,892</TD>
<TD>133,868</TD>
<TD>Conf.</TD>
<TD>30,099
U: 17,278
C: 12,821</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Battle of Spotsylvania Court House


(Virginia)</TD>
<TD>May 8 â€"21, 1864</TD>
<TD>Robert E. Lee</TD>
<TD>Ulysses S. Grant</TD>
<TD>52,000</TD>
<TD>100,000</TD>
<TD>inconclusive</TD>
<TD>30,399
U: 18,399
C: 12,000</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Battle of Antietam


(Maryland)</TD>
<TD>September 17, 1862</TD>
<TD>Robert E. Lee</TD>
<TD>George B. McClellan</TD>
<TD>65,000</TD>
<TD>82,654</TD>
<TD>Standoffâ€"kept England out</TD>
<TD>23,134
U: 12,410
C: 10,724</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Battle of the Wilderness


(Virginia)</TD>
<TD>May 5â€"7, 1864</TD>
<TD>Robert E. Lee</TD>
<TD>Ulysses S. Grant</TD>
<TD>61,025</TD>
<TD>101,895</TD>
<TD>inconclusive</TD>
<TD>28,666
U: 17,666
C: 11,000</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Second Battle of Bull Run


(Virginia)</TD>
<TD>August 29â€"30, 1862</TD>
<TD>Robert E. Lee</TD>
<TD>John Pope</TD>
<TD>48,527</TD>
<TD>79,862</TD>
<TD>Conf.</TD>
<TD>25,251
U: 16,054
C: 9,197</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Battle of Stones River


(Tennessee)</TD>
<TD>December 31, 1862</TD>
<TD>Braxton Bragg</TD>
<TD>William Rosecrans</TD>
<TD>44,330</TD>
<TD>54,448</TD>
<TD>Union</TD>
<TD>24,645
U: 12,906
C: 11,739</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Battle of Shiloh


(Tennessee)</TD>
<TD>April 6â€"7, 1862</TD>
<TD>Albert Sidney Johnston
P. G. T. Beauregard</TD>
<TD>Ulysses S. Grant</TD>
<TD>44,968</TD>
<TD>65,085</TD>
<TD>Union</TD>
<TD>23,741
U: 13,047
C: 10,694</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Battle of Fort Donelson


(Tennessee)</TD>
<TD>February 13â€"16, 1862</TD>
<TD>John B. Floyd
Simon Bolivar Buckner, Sr.</TD>
<TD>Ulysses S. Grant</TD>
<TD>12,110</TD>
<TD>20,057</TD>
<TD>Union</TD>
<TD>19,455
U: 2,832
C: 16,623</TD></TR></T></TABLE>

 

[Colonel_Reb]

There were battles where a number of men were killed by fires. Generally, people talk more about the 250 that were killed in The Wilderness in Virginia-May 1864 than any other. Some were also killed by fire at Kennesaw Mountain in Georgia-June 1864 and at Chickamauga in Tennessee-September 1863.
Edited by: Colonel_Reb

 

[Tom Iron]

Gentlemen, I thought I'd put this poem here, in that it's Memorial Day.

Alan Seeger. 1888â€"1916

121. "I Have a Rendezvous with Death"

I HAVE a rendezvous with Death
At some disputed barricade,
When Spring comes back with rustling shade
And apple-blossoms fill the airâ€"
I have a rendezvous with Death5
When Spring brings back blue days and fair.

It may be he shall take my hand
And lead me into his dark land
And close my eyes and quench my breathâ€"
It may be I shall pass him still.10
I have a rendezvous with Death
On some scarred slope of battered hill,
When Spring comes round again this year
And the first meadow-flowers appear.

God knows 'twere better to be deep15
Pillowed in silk and scented down,
Where love throbs out in blissful sleep,
Pulse nigh to pulse, and breath to breath,
Where hushed awakenings are dear...
But I've a rendezvous with Death20
At midnight in some flaming town,
When Spring trips north again this year,
And I to my pledged word am true,
I shall not fail that rendezvous.

Tom Iron...