English Diary 2

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"This soldier, at the head of a detachment of his company, dashed across an open field exposed to a deadly fire from the enemy and succeeded in dislodging them from an unoccupied house, which he and his comrades defended for several hours against repeated attacks, thus preventing the enemy from flanking the position of the Union forces." The medal has been forwarded to you today by registered mail. Upon receipt of it, please advise this office thereof.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) F. C. AINSWORTH,
Colonel, U. S. Army,
Chief, Record and Pension Office.

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SUMMARY
The variation — from month to month — of the proportion of deaths to the whole number of living is singular and interesting.
The following facts were taken from the official report, shows:
In April, one in every sixteen died.
In May, one in every twenty-six died.
In June, one in every twenty-two died.
In July, one in every eighteen died.
In August one in every eleven died.
In September, one in every three died.
In October, one in every two died.
In November, one in every three died.
Does the reader fully understand that in September, one-third of those in the Pen died, that in October, one-half of the remainder perished, and in November, one-third of those who still survived, died?
Let him pause for a moment, and read this over carefully again, because its startling magnitude will hardly dawn upon him at first reading.
It is true that the fearful disproportionate mortality of those months was largely due to fact that it was mostly the sick that remained behind, but even this diminishes but little the frightfulness of the showing.
Did anyone ever hear of an epidemic so fatal that one-third of those attacked by it in one month died; one-half of the remnant the next month, and one-third of the feeble remainder the next month?
If he did, his reading has been much more extensive than mine.

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Day and date of greatest number of prisoners at Andersonville — 33,114— August 8th, 1864.

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Day and date of greatest number of deaths, August 23d, 1864, 127. Number of Prisoners received during its occupation, 45,613. Daily average of deaths during its occupation, 29. Ratio of mortality per i.ooo of mean strength, 24 per cent. Mortality of 18,000 registered patients, 75 per cent.

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Number of Prisoners received during its occupation, 45,613.

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Daily average of deaths during its occupation, 29.

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Ratio of mortality per 1,000 of mean strength, 24 per cent.

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Mortality of 18,000 registered patients, 75 per cent.

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THE WAR'S DEAD.
The total number of deceased Union soldiers during and in consequence of the war, is 316,233.
Of these, only 175,764 have been identified, and the rest will probably remain forever unknown.
Of the grand total, 36,868 are known to have been prisoners of war, who died in captivity.
There are seventy-two National Cemeteries for the dead of the Union armies.
Besides which there are 320 local and Post Cemeteries.
The largest of the Government grounds are:
Arlington, Va,, the former homestead of Gent-ral Robert E. Lee, 15.547 graves; Fredericksburg, Va., 15,300 graves; Salisbury, N. C, 12,1 12 graves; Beaufort, S. C, 10,000 graves; Andersonville, Ga., 13,706 graves; Marietta, Ga., 10,000 graves; New Orleans, La., 12,230 graves; Vicksburg, Miss., 17,012 graves; Chattanooga, Tenn., 12.964 graves; Nashville, Tenn., 16,529 graves; Memphis, Tenn., 13,958 graves; Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis, Mo., 8,601 graves.
The National Cemetery near Richmond, Va., contains 6,279 graves, of which 5,450 are of unknown dead, mostly prisoners of war.
The cemeteries are kept in good condition, and are generally well sodded and planted with ornamental trees.

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Trial of Henry Wirz, In the foregoing pages' you will find the name of Capt. Henry Wirz mentioned in several instances as being cruel and inhuman to the Union prisoners. He was tried and convicted of murder, the trial commencing August 23, 1865 and ending October 26, 1865, hundreds of witnesses testified that he committed murder on eleven soldiers who were confined in Andersonville, Ga., prison. He was sentenced to death and the sentence was executed at Washington, D. C. between the hours of 10 and 11 o'clock, Friday morning, November 10, 1865. His body was interred in the Arsenal grounds.
(The above was taken from the official report of the trial of Henry Wirz )
(THE END.)