From 1861-1865 it cost the United States Government approximately 2 million dollars a day to prosecute the war; the Second World War cost more than 113 million dollars a day.

In 1880 the Secretary of the Treasury reported that the Civil War had cost the Federal Government 6.19 billion dollars. By 1910 the cost of the war, including pensions and other veterans benefits, had reached 11.5 billion dollars. World War II was three months shorter than the Civil War, but from 1942-1945 approximately 156 billion dollars was spent on the military establishment.

The total cost of the war to the South has been estimated at 4 billion dollars.

The public debt outstanding for an average population of 33 million rose from $2.80 to $75 per capita between 1861 and 1865. In mid-1958 the per capita debt stood at $1,493 for a population of 175.5 million.

In 1958 the government was providing pensions for 3,042 widows of Union veterans. In June of that year, as a result of special legislation, 526 widows of Southern soldiers and the two surviving Confederate veterans became eligible for Federal pensions. The last Union veteran, Albert Woolson, had died in 1956, leaving the two Confederates, John Salling and Walter Williams, to draw the highest Civil War pensions paid by the United States Government. The last Civil War veteran, Walter Williams, died in December 1959 at the age of 117. Since then, William's claim as a veteran has been disputed in the newspapers, but sufficient evidence does not exist to positively prove or disprove his military status.

The pursuit and capture of Jefferson Davis at Irwinville, Georgia, cost the Federal Government $97,031.62.

From 1861-1865 it cost the Federal government, in millions of dollars:

$727—to clothe and feed the Army
18—to clothe and feed the Navy
339—for transportation of troops and supplies
127—for cavalry and artillery horses
76—for the purchase of arms
8—to maintain and provide for Confederate prisoners

Soldiers and sailors of the United States received 1.34 billion dollars in pay during the war.

In 1861 an infantry private was paid $13 per month—compared to a private's pay of $83 today. A Civil War colonel drew $95 per month and a brigadier general $124. Their counterparts today are paid a monthly base rate of $592 and $800.

During the 1860's the average cost of a musket was $13 as compared to $105 for an M1 Garand in World War II.