OSAWATOMIE — Soldiers serving during the Civil War had a tough experience. Because the Civil War started 150 years ago and because of Kansas’ 150th anniversary, the has been the special focus of many Veterans Day activities this year. An estimated 650,000 men – and perhaps a few women – were killed on both sides in the Civil War, more than all other U.S. wars combined. Battles were marked by soldiers blasting away at each other with rifles and artillery at close range. However, it was just as dangerous off the battlefield as it was on it, said Grady Atwater, Osawatomie’s John Brown Museum historian. More soldiers died from diseases than battlefield wounds, he said. Most camps, especially at the first of the war, were unhealthy and deadly diseases were rampant, he said. In addition, food handling was often likely to result in foodborne illnesses that killed or incapacitated thousands of soldiers. Uniforms were bulky and uncomfortable and rarely offered much protection from the elements, he said. “It was a rough experience,” Atwater said.
Thursday, Nov. 10, 3 p.m.
