Study this source. Source C The following data shows the estimated total casualties (killed, wounded, and missing) at six major battles of the American Civi...

Source analysis

Source C presents casualty statistics from six major Civil War battles between 1861 and 1864. The data shows a clear escalation: from 4,900 at First Bull Run (1861) to 51,100 at Gettysburg (1863), with subsequent battles sustaining high casualty levels (34,600 at Chickamauga, 29,800 at the Wilderness). The source demonstrates the increasing destructiveness of the war over time. Compiled by a military historian in 1988, it is a reliable secondary analysis of battle statistics, though it only covers six of the war's hundreds of engagements.

Contextual knowledge

The source is useful for showing the escalating military impact, but it has important limitations. It does not distinguish between Union and Confederate casualties. It does not account for deaths from disease, which killed more soldiers than combat: approximately two-thirds of the estimated 620,000-750,000 total deaths were caused by illness. The source measures only military casualties and says nothing about other consequences: the destruction of Southern cities and infrastructure (Sherman's March to the Sea devastated Georgia), the collapse of the plantation economy, the emancipation of four million enslaved people, or the political transformation of the Union. Antietam (26,100 casualties) was the deadliest single day in American military history, while Shiloh (23,700 in April 1862) shocked both North and South with its unprecedented scale of killing.

Mark scheme (Levels of Response) [8 marks]

• Level 1 [1-3 marks]: Simple statements. For example, 'The source is useful because it shows many soldiers died.' No evaluation of what the source shows or omits.
• Level 2 [4-6 marks]: Evaluates content (escalating casualties, specific battle figures) OR limitations (only six battles, only military impact, does not distinguish sides). Addresses one dimension but not both.
• Level 3 [7-8 marks]: Evaluates BOTH usefulness AND limitations using source details and own knowledge. Explains what the escalating casualty figures reveal about the war's destructiveness, but also demonstrates that the source captures only one dimension of the war's impact (military) and omits disease deaths, civilian suffering, economic devastation, emancipation, and political transformation.

Exam reminder: 'Impact' is a broad term. A source about battle casualties is useful for military impact but tells you nothing about social, economic, or political consequences. Always assess whether the source addresses the full scope of the question.