Who was the common Soldier of the Civil War? (Taken from Civil War Times Dec 2003) by Micheal J McAfee How many fought? About 2.75 Million 2 million for the North 750.000 for theSouth The average soldier according to Historian Bell I. Wiley Was white, native born, farmer, prostant, single, between 18 and 29 years old. He stood about 5 feet 8 inches tall weighted about 143 lbs. Making a living--majority of the soldiers had been farmers before the war. Union roasters contained references to more that 300 careers. Accounting,surveyors, locksmith, teachers.carpernter, shoemaker, blacksmith,painter mason,teamaster and mechanic. Southerners who had not farmed included carpenters.mechanis, merchants,machinists, lawyers,teachers,blacksmith and dentists. ( I wonder why he did not mention Doctors?) In the Uniion Army 80 percent were in the infantry, 14 percent in the Cavalry and 6 percent in the Artillery. In the Confederate army 75 percent were in the Infantry, 20 percent in the Cavaley and 5 percent artillery. The odds against them---- Of every 1,000 Federals 112 were wounded; 150 of every 1,000 Confederates were hit. A Yankee stooda 1 in 8 chances of dying due to illness and 1 in 18 chances of dying in battle. a Rebel faced a1 in 5 chances succumbing to disease and 1 in 8 chances in dying in combat. 360,000 Yankees died 110,000 in battle and 225,000 of disease. The South lost 258,000 men 94,000 in Battle and 164,000 to disease. Roudhly 211,000 Union soldiers were captured and imprisoned in the South, 30,000 died there. 214,000 Confederates were imprisoned in the North and 26,000 of them died there. The large majority of soldiers were native born. Nearly one-quarter of the Uniion soldiers were immigrants, 200,000 German 150,000 Irish 45,000 English 15,0000 Canadians by the end of the War African-Americans soldiers made up roughlu 10 percent of the Union Army. Approximately 179,00 blace soldiers wwore Blue 37,000 lost their lives