Status Updates From This Republic of Suffering:...

•many uncounted casualties of noncombatant civilians by disease, stray bullets, slave/owners, and white northern citizens protesting against going to war for emancipation.
•Slaves were encouraged by disruptions to challenge masters and masters became paranoid and “witch hunted” those suspected of planning uprising, as well as retribution toward wives of runaway male slaves who joined the Union army.

•naming was difficult due to many completely obliterated bodies
•families were striped of the ability to even mourn because of the uncertainty of whether the soldiers were still alive
•prisoners size exceeded both north and south’s ability to supply food and medical care; regular prisoner exchanges

•personal efforts to communicate info about soldiers’ status
•dog tags, pre-written letters, bible inscribed with name and address

•sanitary commissions size far exceeded Christian commission; more importance on modern warfare realism rather than sentimentalism
•sanitary commission created Hospital Directory which acted as communication agency for families about soldiers’ conditions