The Third Army of the American Civil War
Uncontrolled infectious diseases – including epidemics – killed two thirds of the 660,000 soldiers who died during the American Civil War. [1] Two thirds! I was astounded by this number until I read the Civil War letters written by my great-great-grandfather, William McAdams. [2] Just as the novel coronavirus epidemic has cancelled and delayed many events, these Civil War-era epidemics stopped or delayed a number of major campaigns, thus making the Civil War last perhaps two years longer than it would have otherwise. Pneumonia, typhoid, dysentery, yellow fever, and malaria were the predominant diseases that plagued the soldiers. Historians sometimes call this collection of Civil War era diseases “the third army.” William McAdams, a 25-year-old farmer and leader of his community near the town of Kansas, Illinois, was bright and optimistic as he enlisted in the 59 th Illinois Volunteer Infantry of the Union Army in late 1861. He was elected b...