Casualties During the Spanish American War

By Patrick McSherry

American Losses ||| Spanish Losses
American Forces
U.S. Army
 
Location
Officers Killed
Officers Wounded
Enlisted men Killed
Enlisted men Wounded
Officer deaths from Disease
Enlisted men deaths from Disease
Cuba
23
99
237
1,332
Puerto Rico
0
4
3
36
Philippines
0
10
17
96
Totals
23
113
257
1464
80
2803

U.S. Navy
 
Location
Navy
Killed
Navy Wounded
Marines
Killed
Marines Wounded
Navy
deaths from Disease
Marine deaths from Disease
Cuba
15
48
6
Not Listed
30
0
Puerto Rico
1
7
Included in Navy
Included in Navy
In above
Included in Navy
Philippines
0
9
Included in Navy
Included in Navy
4
Included in Navy
Elsewhere
7
2
40
 
Totals
23
66
6
Not Listed
74
Included in Navy

The Totals
 
Location
Killed
Wounded
Deaths from Disease
Cuba
311
1,479
Puerto Rico
4
47
Philippines
17
115
Other
2,957
Totals
332
1,641
2,957

Total number of Americans killed in war: 3,289
Deaths from loss of USS MAINE (not included in above wartime casualties, since the MAINE sunk before a state of war existed): 260

Total loss: 3,549


SPANISH LOSSES:

Information on the Spanish losses in the war are somewhat sketchy. The Spanish were already fighting an ongoing war with Cuban Insurgents when the U.S. became involved and the war officially began.

The best infromation we have on this is from one of our correspondents in Spain. It is as follows:

One century after the war experts still  do not a clear idea about the Spanish casualties in the Spanish American War. Data varies but indicates that between 55,000 and 60,000 men died. Of these men,  90 %  died from malaria, dysentery and other diseases; the remaining 10 % died during the battles or later as a consequence of their injuries.

More specific information is provided concerning the actions in Puerto Rico, where no ongoing war was already occurring. The records for this portion of the conflict indicate the following:

     Soldiers killed: 34

     Soldiers wounded: 91

     Civilians killed: 8

     Civilians wounded: 18


Bibliography:

Cardona, Gabriel, "A sangre y fuego." La Aventura de la Historia. Year 1, No 2. page 88. (Madrid: December 1998). (source for general information on Spanish losses; provided by correspondent Jose Poncet).

Clerk of the Joint Committee on Printing, The Abridgement: Message from the President of the United States to the Two Houses of Congress. (Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1899) Vols I, II. (source for information on American losses).

1898, La Guerra - Hispano Americana en Puerto Rico website (Source for information concerning the Spanish losses in Puerto Rico).

 
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