As a historian with a focus on American military history, I have extensively studied the various conflicts involving the United States. When it comes to the question of which American war had the most deaths, the answer is unequivocally the American Civil War.

The Civil War, which lasted from 1861 to 1865, was a devastating conflict that pitted the Northern states, known as the Union, against the Southern states, known as the Confederacy. It was a war fought primarily over the issues of slavery and states' rights, and it resulted in a significant loss of life.

The Civil War maintains the highest American casualty total of any conflict in U.S. history. It is important to note that the numbers often cited for war casualties include only those who were killed in action or died from wounds sustained in battle, and they do not account for those who were wounded, went missing, or died from disease or other non-combat-related causes.

According to historical records, over 683,000 Americans lost their lives during the first 100 years of the nation's existence. Of this total, the Civil War accounted for 623,026 deaths, which is an astonishing 91.2% of the total casualties during that century. This figure is often rounded to 650,000 to include an estimated number of deaths from disease and other indirect causes related to the war.

The scale of the loss was unprecedented at the time and had a profound impact on the nation. It is estimated that roughly 2.5% of the entire population of the United States at the time died during the Civil War. To put this in perspective, if the same percentage of the current U.S. population were to die today, it would equate to approximately 8.5 million people.

The war was characterized by large-scale battles, with significant numbers of casualties at each engagement. Some of the bloodiest battles included the Battle of Gettysburg, the Battle of Antietam, and the Battle of Shiloh, all of which had death tolls in the thousands.

The aftermath of the Civil War led to significant social and political changes in the United States. The abolition of slavery through the 13th Amendment, the strengthening of the federal government, and the beginning of the process of Reconstruction are all direct results of the war.

In conclusion, the American Civil War stands as the deadliest war in American history in terms of the number of deaths. Its impact on the nation was profound and long-lasting, shaping the course of American history and the development of the country as we know it today.

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The following numbers reflect only reported war deaths and exclude those wounded and/or missing. The Civil War maintains the highest American casualty total of any conflict. In its first 100 years of existence, over 683,000 Americans lost their lives, with the Civil War accounting for 623,026 of that total (91.2%).read more >>