{"value"=>"<p>Records consist of three groups of materials reflecting the USSC’s investigation and study of conditions affecting loss and gain in the strength of the U.S. Army over time: regimental returns of loss and gain, 1861-1866; summaries and diagrams of sickness and mortality covering the period 1793 to 1863; and battle statistics, 1861-1865. Date spans represent the time period for which data was collected unless otherwise stated. Pre-Civil War dates represent statistics collected for American and British armies.</p> <p>Data was collected from monthly regimental returns of loss and gain at the Adjutant General’s Office in Washington DC from the start of loss and gain investigations in 1861 up to returns on file in the War Department as of October 1, 1865 (dating to January 1, 1865), at which point access was denied (Gould, Report of the Actuary, 1867, p. 2). The USSC used records of state Adjutants General to fill informational gaps.</p> <p>Each of the above three groups examines regimental loss (casualties, discharge, sickness, furlough, et cetera) and gain (returns from hospital or furlough, enlistment or re-enlistment, et cetera) for the purpose of determining the relative positive and negative effects certain variables might have on the strength of military forces. Examples include studies of loss and gain data on a monthly basis for particular regiments over time; rates of sickness and death by season of the year, with further evaluations by region, particular armies, or type of sickness; and the condition of troops before, during and after a major battle. Depending on the variable nature of a study, the process typically included collecting and transcribing data from original government records (such as Army regimental returns and hospital reports), or USSC forms, on to manuscript or printed tables, and using tables, charts and bar graphs to analyze data and summarize findings. Many of these materials are oversize; some tables contain abstracted text where noted.</p> <p>Regimental returns of loss and gain contain transcriptions and tabulations of loss and gain data for specific state regiments over time, with abstracts and summaries studying individual state forces, armies of the east and west, and the whole volunteer army. These materials provide much of the data for the following studies on sickness and mortality.</p> <p>Summaries and diagrams (bar graphs) of sickness and mortality, including tabulations, analyze collected data by variables such as season of the year or location, army unit or military department, campaign, or soldier rank. Summaries include classifications of diseases and casualties. Comparative studies for the British Army and the U.S. Army prior to the Civil War are also present.</p> <p>Battle statistic materials, 1861-1865, consist of tabular studies of the effect of forced marches on the condition of troops taking part in the battles of Bull Run and Gettysburg; battle returns (casualty reports); reports of sick and wounded; and responses to USSC inquiries concerning the method of recording burials, and the loss and gain of medical staff attached to volunteer forces. Date spans are contemporary to the creation of the materials unless otherwise stated.</p>"}