The 5th New Hampshire Regiment, was one of the best. But after Gettysburg, the regiment was down to "100" men. Colonel Cross had been shot and killed and the regiment almost failed to exist. So, after Gettysburg, the "Fighting Fifth" went to Point Lookout to guard CSA Pow's. Then the winter of 63/64, the 5th recruited very heavy. But all of these new recruits were not into it for the cause. By the time of Petersburg, the 5th was prone to desertions. So many had deserted that the Confederates would yell out "send the colonel and the colors, we have the regiment." Now that did occur with many other Union regiments at Petersburg. Many good Union regiments, just recruited the wrong men and that showed during the Petersburg Campaign.
Lee's Army was still capturing flags till the surrender. Even the last "Rebel Charge" netted a few guidons (Which I believe came from the 1st Maine Cavalry.) As they were the only unit in front of MG.Grimes's division.
Certainly the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry lost guidons. The 54th Pennsylvania was captured and lost their flags, along with the 123rd Ohio infantry regiment. Battle of "High Bridge."
Lets not forget that Grant lost 11,500 men during the Appomattox Campaign. Add on 42,000 from the Petersburg Campaign and then add on 60,000 from May/June 1864. This will not embrace, the sick, slightly wounded nor deserters. Which in every catagory was extremely high. I figure that Grant had to have lost anywhere between 125,000-150,000 men. Might be even more higher, just a ball park guess. Either way, Grant still had 112,000 men when Petersburg fell on April 2nd, 1865.
Well the only good news, last month the cast on my right foot came off. I have been at Walter Reed for physical therapy, which I call them physical terrorists, lol. Do not ever let them touch you when your "slightly wounded." They will do something to make the whole thing worst.
Just like the Civil War, where I tell people NEVER to take any of those losses seriously. Lee did not stop counting his "slightly wounded" till May 14th, 1863, in General Order #63. So all losses from are off on Lee's Army. No other general in any other army, North or South did that. So, I do not believe that Gettysburg had "50,000" casualties or Sharpsburg with "23,000."
I am a perfect example of a "slightly wounded" soldier. Here something so trivial took me out of the war for the last 5 months. A piece of an IED hit my right boot, broke my right toe and that was it. Something to me, was so basic, wrap the damn thing up with duct tape and lets move on. So, I can imagine how many more thousands of US Soldiers had or are in the same situation.
The government only reports the killed we had. They don't report how many wounded soldiers we have had. That would be somewhere in the range of 50,000.
Well, Charles, excellent job!! (I have not been working on the Civil War stuff, lately) but I will never ever stop.
Have a good evening,
Shawn