Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-09-10
The Respective Forceg Before md After a
Bktilc, According to YnnHce5oua,


Whenever battle is about to come off, the
New York and Cincinnati papers represent the
Federal forces marshalcd for the conflict Us
we'll armed, in overwhelming numbers, and
only wanting chance to "wipc out" the reb.
els Al single dash. The rebels are invariably
reported, previous to an engagement, as con-
temptiblt in number and as badly armed or IS
unarmed altogether. But So soon as an en-
gagement takes place, the official and unofficial
announcement goes forth from Washington
that the Federal forces had 10 contend against
a vastly superior force.
This is so in all the fights between tie par
lies, great and little. Previous to the battle Of
Manassas, the Lincoln Journals reported the
Yankee Army Of the Potomac as being l,ore
than double that of the Confederates in hume
rical strength; and the latter according TO
their account, were in no condition for either
attack or defence. But Immediately after that
event, they stated the "rebel' force at thirty
thousand more than theirs, and they
persist in that assertion. Before the bat
tic OF Oak Hill, they set down the Con.
federstes under McCulloch and Price at
eight thousand, and theirs under the command
of Lyon at fifteen thousand. Since the battle,
they have ascertained that the rebels bad ex.
actly tRenty.three thousand, while their whole
force under Lyon was but five Or sx thousand.
The day before the battle of Cross Lanes
Yankee dispatch stated that Col. Tyler, with
three thousand men, had gone in pursuit Of
Floyd with view to cut him Of Since the
affair" at Gross Lanes, they say that Tyler
had but eight hundred men with him all told
Now, how are these conflicting statements
to be reaonced? Do the main bodies Of the
isuker troops retire from the Acid before the
commencement Of battlss Do they Think it
bad policy to fght before they run It
would seem 50. Whence come the t1enties
of thousands, and the hundreds Of thousands
of "rebels," as if by magic, in the hour Of
battle? Can Greeley, or Bennett, or Prentice,
give solution OF these matters, SO important
to tlIsln and 10 the Lincoln Government
Correction.
We copy elsewhere an account Of the battle
Of Cross Lanes, from the editorial corrcspon-
dence of the Lynchburg Republican" Our
cotcmporary, in portion of his letter which
We ta not copy, makes an error, '.i:aa, ~ 4
matter Of history, VIC sci right. Referring 70
the adventure fthc 25ti, in which Col. jenkins
cayalrr suffered from IN GmLuscadc Oi the cne-
my, he speaks Of it is part OF Gen. Eiss's
command The occurrence, indeed took place
much nearer to Gen. Wise's camp than 10 Gen.
Floyd's; bnt Col Jenkins cavalry was, never
thelcss !. par! If 7fa. Floya'i command, and
was At Inc time engaged in scouting the coun.
try, in obedience to Gen. Floyd's orders. l1ru
Wise was not cognizant of the movement, OF
OF the contguity Of Col. jenkins, until the fir
ing wns heard Two OF Gen. Wises cavalry
companies, Nhe Rockingham Valley Rangers
and the IIenrico Light Dragoonsl then hasten
cd to the assistance OF Col. jenkins, and were
followed by the infantry; Gen. Wise also, in
person, galloped to the scene, and added his el
forts to those Of Col. jenkins, who behaved with
the utmost coolness and gaslantry. But the
prompt retreat OF the enemy to his stronghold
at Hawks Nest rendered unsvsing tho cndea-
Vors to Chastise him.