What is the difference between casualties and deaths

First Known Use of casualty 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3. History and Etymology for casualty see casual entry 1. Learn More About casualty. Time Traveler for casualty The first known use of casualty was in the 15th century See more words from the same century. Style: MLA. English Language Learners Definition of casualty. Kids Definition of casualty. Medical Definition of casualty. Legal Definition of casualty. Get Word of the Day daily email! Muster rolls, generated every few months by commanding officers, list soldiers in their respective units as "present" or "absent.

Overlooking the common misspelling of names and general lack of specificity concerning the condition of a "present" or "absent" soldier, muster rolls provide a valuable look into the past.

Unfortunately, these little pieces of paper were usually transported by mule in the rear of a fighting army.

Their preservation was adversely affected by rain, river crossings, clerical errors, and cavalry raids. Casualty lists gives the number of men in a unit who were killed, wounded, or went missing in an engagement. However, combat threw armies into administrative chaos and the accounting done in the hours or days immediately following a battle often raises as many questions as it answers.

For example: Who are the missing? Weren't many of these soldiers killed and not found? What, exactly, qualifies a wound and did armies account for this the same way? What became of wounded soldiers? Did they rejoin their unit; did they return home; did they die? A wholly accurate count will almost certainly never be made. The effects of this devastating conflict are still felt today.

Civil War Article. Civil War Casualties. Union dead after the Battle of Gettysburg, Gettysburg, Pa. Photo by Alexander Gardner. Civil War Service by Population Even with close to total conscription, the South could not match the North's numerical strength.

Southerners stood a significantly greater chance of being killed, wounded, or captured. Click to expand Southern AE greatly modified by a 1st-generation Scottish-American mother, and growing up abroad. I agree with Panjandrum-- the difference between casualties and fatalities is by no means a small one. Also, casualties are not necessarily taken out of commission-- they can and do return to duty after medical treatment.

A relatively minor wound can make you a casualty if such treatment entails evacuation from the battle or your assigned station. Civilian victims of accidental or misdirected fire are euphemistically called "collateral damage," in part to avoid increasing the casualty figures-- but they are also casualties. Both words have obvious non-military applications, as in the case of natural and man-made disasters such as "dungeon, fire and flood.

You must log in or register to reply here. Among the casualties with the most dangerous implications for their future is education. But IBC is also a fair bit more inclusive in its definition of war casualties.

He has straightened out his line on the left; after a fierce fight which has cost him no less than fresh casualties. That will give us time to turn about us, and to prepare ourselves against similar unpleasant casualties. The American casualties that day, due solely to the morning skirmishes, amounted to four killed and thirty wounded.