--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Probably half the cases of Civil War dead…" description: "\"Probably half the cases of Civil War dead were not identified. And so there was no way to let loved ones know, and there were no regularized processes ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/drew-gilpin-faust-13526_army_probably-half-the-cases-of-civil-war-dea_2144588.jpg" --- # Probably half the cases of Civil War dead were not… ![“Probably half the cases of Civil War dead were not identified. And so there was no way to let loved ones know, and there were no regularized processes in either Northern or Southern Army for notifying next of kin.” quote by Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/drew-gilpin-faust-13526_army_probably-half-the-cases-of-civil-war-dea_2144588.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/drew-gilpin-faust-13526_army_probably-half-the-cases-of-civil-war-dea_2144588.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/drew-gilpin-faust-13526_army_probably-half-the-cases-of-civil-war-dea_2144588.jpg) > “Probably half the cases of Civil War dead were not identified. And so there was no way to let loved ones know, and there were no regularized processes in either Northern or Southern Army for notifying next of kin.” [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civil War casualties often remained unidentified, leaving families without closure and lacking systematic notification. **In simple terms:** Many war dead were never identified. Key Takeaway Advocate for better record‑keeping and remembrance. Themes history war memory Mood somber thoughtful Type historical educational When to use this quote - family genealogy research - memorial projects - historical documentation - policy reform Key Concepts military bureaucracy civil war genealogy Questions to Reflect On - How can we honor unidentified soldiers? - What modern systems can prevent such gaps? A Different Perspective Historical records may be incomplete or lost. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Kin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kin/) [Loved ones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-ones/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-dead/) ## Related quotes > [Before the Civil War, there were no national cemeteries, no processes for identifying the dead in the battle. There weren't any dog tags, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/before-the-civil-war-there-were-no-national-cemeteries-no-processes/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [“And you, their best beloved one, are now to me, flesh of my flesh; blood of my blood; kin of my kin; my bountiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/and-you-their-best-beloved-one-are-now-to-me-flesh-of-my-flesh-blood/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [“After all, the Indo-European word cunt was derived from the goddess Kunda or Cunti, and shares the same root as kin and country.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/after-all-the-indo-european-word-cunt-was-derived-from-the-goddess/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“In your name, the family name is at last because it's the family name that lasts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/in-your-name-the-family-name-is-at-last-because-it-s-the-family-name/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [A departure from the movie with Michael J. Fox, 'Teen Wolf' tells the story of how a group of angsty teens deal with werewolves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keahu-kahuanui/a-departure-from-the-movie-with-michael-j-fox-teen-wolf-tells-the/) [Keahu Kahuanui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keahu-kahuanui/) > [Accuracy of statement is one of the first elements of truth; inaccuracy is a near kin to falsehood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/accuracy-of-statement-is-one-of-the-first-elements-of-truth/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [Among all the characters mentioned in the Bible, none is more mysterious than Melchisedec; said to be without father, mother, or earthly kin, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-heindel/among-all-the-characters-mentioned-in-the-bible-none-is-more/) [Max Heindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-heindel/) > [“You can take the Indian out of the family, but you cannot take the family out of the Indian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-can-take-the-indian-out-of-the-family-but-you-cannot-take-the/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Charles Darwin and I and you broke off from the family tree from chimpanzees about five million years ago. They're still our closest genetic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-camerer/charles-darwin-and-i-and-you-broke-off-from-the-family-tree-from/) [Colin Camerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-camerer/) > [I can remember that on the shelves at home, there were these books by Thomas Wolfe. 'Look Homeward Angel' and 'Of Time and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/i-can-remember-that-on-the-shelves-at-home-there-were-these-books-by/) [Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/) > [Everybody asked me about Aaron Chubb. I never knew him, but I knew I was kin to him. I was asked that over 1,000 times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-chubb/everybody-asked-me-about-aaron-chubb-i-never-knew-him-but-i-knew-i/) [Nick Chubb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-chubb/) > [“Finch was his own country, the government unstable, the population volatile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kealan-patrick-burke/finch-was-his-own-country-the-government-unstable-the-population/) [Kealan Patrick Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kealan-patrick-burke/) > [Those who are able to climb up the ladder will find ways to pull it up after them, or selectively lower it down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/those-who-are-able-to-climb-up-the-ladder-will-find-ways-to-pull-it/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [The Congress and its kin parties such as the BJP are up to grab the rights of Dalits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayawati/the-congress-and-its-kin-parties-such-as-the-bjp-are-up-to-grab-the/) [Mayawati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayawati/) > [I don't have any children, so I've decided to claim all the future freedom-fighters and hell-raisers as my kin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/i-don-t-have-any-children-so-i-ve-decided-to-claim-all-the-future/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) ## More by Drew Gilpin Faust > [One of the major jobs of the Harvard president is to choose the deans. I've had the opportunity to choose a considerable number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/one-of-the-major-jobs-of-the-harvard-president-is-to-choose-the-deans/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [I'd say Harvard graduates leave here with a sense of the possible and the limit - and a sense that there are no limits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/i-d-say-harvard-graduates-leave-here-with-a-sense-of-the-possible-and/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [Since the middle of the twentieth century, our understanding of the American past has been revolutionized, in no small part because of our altered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/since-the-middle-of-the-twentieth-century-our-understanding-of-the/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [“As the Reverend Robert Barnwell emphasized in an address to the ladies of Charleston, "WITHOUT YOU, THIS WAR COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CARRIED ON,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/as-the-reverend-robert-barnwell-emphasized-in-an-address-to-the/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [I think that the firepower of the Civil War, the numbers of bodies that were left to rot, the numbers of amputations in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/i-think-that-the-firepower-of-the-civil-war-the-numbers-of-bodies/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [I have always loved animals, and as a child, I read a lot of horse books. I had a particular favorite called 'Silver Snaffles'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/i-have-always-loved-animals-and-as-a-child-i-read-a-lot-of-horse/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [A leader has to keep saying the same things over and over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/a-leader-has-to-keep-saying-the-same-things-over-and-over-again/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [I've always done more than I ever thought I would. Becoming a professor - I never would have imagined that. Writing books - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/i-ve-always-done-more-than-i-ever-thought-i-would-becoming-a/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [A university is not about results in the next quarter; it is not even about who a student has become by graduation. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/a-university-is-not-about-results-in-the-next-quarter-it-is-not-even/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [Before the Civil War, there were no national cemeteries, no processes for identifying the dead in the battle. There weren't any dog tags, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/before-the-civil-war-there-were-no-national-cemeteries-no-processes/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [The ability to recognize opportunities and move in new - and sometimes unexpected - directions will benefit you no matter your interests or aspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/the-ability-to-recognize-opportunities-and-move-in-new-and-sometimes/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [I never planned my career. I never planned to be president of Harvard. People would have thought I was crazy, probably, at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/i-never-planned-my-career-i-never-planned-to-be-president-of-harvard/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [“Where there are so many negroes upon places as upon ours," wrote an Alabama woman to the governor, "it is quite necessary that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/where-there-are-so-many-negroes-upon-places-as-upon-ours-wrote-an/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [We have been telling and hearing and reading war stories for millennia. Their endurance may lie in their impossibility; they can never be complete,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/we-have-been-telling-and-hearing-and-reading-war-stories-for/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [I often read nonfiction with a pencil in hand. I love the feel, the smell, the design, the weight of a book, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/i-often-read-nonfiction-with-a-pencil-in-hand-i-love-the-feel-the/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) [Explore all 50 Drew Gilpin Faust quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have real strong feelings about our troops and support them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fichtner/i-have-real-strong-feelings-about-our-troops-and-support-them/) [William Fichtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fichtner/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) [Browse all 3,919 Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Probably half the cases of Civil War dead were not identified. And so there was no way to let loved ones know, and there were no regularized processes in either Northern or Southern Army for notifying next of kin.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Drew Gilpin Faust" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/probably-half-the-cases-of-civil-war-dead-were-not-identified-and-so/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Army" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/probably-half-the-cases-of-civil-war-dead-were-not-identified-and-so/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/drew-gilpin-faust-13526_army_probably-half-the-cases-of-civil-war-dea_2144588.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/drew-gilpin-faust-13526_army_probably-half-the-cases-of-civil-war-dea_2144588.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/drew-gilpin-faust-13526_army_probably-half-the-cases-of-civil-war-dea_2144588.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Probably half the cases of Civil War dead were not identified. And so there was no way to let loved ones…” — Drew Gilpin Faust", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Drew Gilpin Faust", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Probably half the cases of Civil...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/probably-half-the-cases-of-civil-war-dead-were-not-identified-and-so/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/probably-half-the-cases-of-civil-war-dead-were-not-identified-and-so/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```