THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 91, 7 June 1911, Page 6

THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR.

WHAT IT COST. It is just "half a century ago since the American Civil War begun, since the first shots wove fired in that long campaign which was to cost thrccouarters of a - million lives, twentyfive hundred million dollars, and four years of desperate fighting before it came to an end. There is much in all the circumstances of this momentous conflict which is worth recalling to the memory of a generation of Englishmen' mostly horn since it opened. All the great actors in that Titanic drama Lincoln Grant, Sherman, Leo, Sheridan, Jefferson, Davis, Stonewall Jackson—have passed away, and (lie episodes which once thrilled all England as the news of them vibrated across the Atlantic are growing dim. Yet they are worth remembering, if only that we may keep in mind the stern resolution with which ear kinsmen bent themselves to the task of subduing rebellion and maintaining the unity of the nation. The sympathies of many Englishmen were with the gallant rebels, the men who fought so bravely in a bad ' cause, who almost redeemed secession and slavery by the heroism of their champions. Yet wo must not forget that when tiie Confederates attacked Fort Sumter the chances of victory seemed in their favour. For they were on the defensive, and it was necessary for the Union generals to subdue a population of eight millions of white men, and to invade, occupy, and hold by force a territory equal to the combined areas of Great Britain, France, Spain, Germany, and Switzerland. Consider that wo took throe years to conquer the far smaller territories of the South African Republics with a population not •one-twen-tieth that of the Secession States. Tp achieve this immense military and naval enterprise, including the blockade of UyOO miles of sea coast, Lincoln had a regular army of 17,000 officers and men, and a fleet of 42 vessels, mostly small and old. Vol””teers were called for, and never did a patriotic call receive so ample a response. Within a month of the firfmr on Fort Sumter the military establishment of the United States had grown to 1/50,00!) officers and men ; within a year 007,000 soldiers wore the uniform of “Uncle Sam” ; and during the next 'three years the enormous total of 2,090,000 recruits had taken the oath of service for slioi (or or longer terms. On May Ist, ISOO, no fewer than a million and a half troops were onrollied in the armies of the Union. In the four years from the bombard-ment-of Sumter to tint surrender of Leo at Appomattox, there were fought in all two thousand engagements and skirmishes and no fewer than 112 battles, in each of which one side or the other lost over .TOO in killed nr wounded. Such was the price the American people paid for unity.