The Civil War’s Long Reach

In December 1882 the U.S. Senate instructed the Department of the Interior to compile a full list of “pensioners on the roll”—individuals who were in receipt of government payments based on United States military service. The overwhelming majority owed their origin to the American Civil War. The list presented a snapshot of pensioners as they stood on January 1, 1883, detailing the particulars of both veterans and the dependents of deceased soldiers and sailors. Included among their number were over a thousand beneficiaries who lived beyond the nation’s borders.

The Widows & Dependents in the Atlantic World Project run by historian Damian Shiels has been using the pension files of foreign-based widows and bereaved parents to explore the significant international flavor and impact of the conflict. The graphics shown here highlight information about dependent pensioners located in Europe—and the soldiers and sailors they lost during the Civil War.

Dependent Pensioners by Area

Distribution of dependents is shown above using a modern-day map of Europe.

Top Five States of Volunteer Service

Top Five Locations of Wartime Deaths

1. Andersonville Prison, Georgia: 24% (shown above)

2. Fredericksburg, Virginia: 9%

T-3. Cold Harbor, Virginia: 8%

T-3. Salisbury Prison, North Carolina: 8%

T-4. Antietam, Maryland: 7%

T-4. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: 7%

5. Spotsylvania, Virginia: 6%

Classification of Dependent Pensioners

Widows: 77%

Mothers: 19%

Fathers: 4%

Year of Wartime Deaths

1861: 3%

1862: 27%

1863: 19%

1864: 38%

1865: 13%

Classification of Wartime Deaths

Disease/Accident: 56%

Combat: 44%

Military Branch Breakdown

Army: 94%

Combat Arms (Civil War Volunteers)
Infantry: 82%
Cavalry: 9%
Artillery: 8%
Engineers: 1%

Navy: 6%