The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-05-24
COMMUNICATIONS.
Gen. Howard and His Command.
To the Editor Of the Press

To the Editor Of the Press:
Perhaps the people of this State take so
great an interest in no general who has sud
denly risen from among them as in Gen. How
ard, and they appear always glad OF an oppor-
tunity of hearing of his successes and welfare.
4 saw in the Boston Journal about month
ago, a statement that by the consolidation OF
the llth and 18th corps, the Army OF the Po-
tomac would lose Howard and Slocum. Nei-
ther of them have been in that army since
about the middle of October when the Iith
and 18th corps were sent TO reinforce Rose
Grams, who was then in great danger of being
crushed by overwhelming numbers. When
the 1Ith and 18th corps were united TO the
20th corps, Siocum was sent to the defence OF
Vicksburg and Howard TO the command of the
4th army corps, the largest and best in the
Western army. When full, /. e. including the
sick aud furloughed men, it numbers 2S000 10
$4,000 men. The corps was formed by the
consolidation of McCook's and Crittenden's
corps after the battle OF Chickamauga Its
division commanders are such men as Major
Generals Newton, Stanley, Wood, &c. New
ton was formerly commander OF the Ist corps
till it was broken up. Stanley was distin-
guished 10 the battles Of Chattanooga and
Chickamauga Wood made the famous charge
which secured Orchard Knob in the second
contest at Chattanooga. He is considered one
oil the most reliable officers in that army.
Gen. Newton commands the corps formerly
under Sheridan before he was transferred to
the Cavalry of the Potomac Army
Gen. Howard retains upon his present staff
two-thirds of his old II th corps officers, among
them the following from Maine: Lieut. Col.
Charles III. Howard, Asst Insp. Gen. of Leeds ::
Capt. Harry M. Stinson, Aid-de- Camp. of An
gusta; Lieut. Frank b. Gilman, Abide Camp,
OF Portland; Lieut.. +. w. Giibreth, Aid-de-
Camp of Augusta
On the I'd OF May the 4th corps began its
march toward Georgia; not under the COM
mand of Scholfeld, as we saw stated in the
N. Y. Tribune, for he Is inferior in rank TO
several of the Division commanders of How
ards corps. To place ali these officers under
q commander whom they rank, would cause
the resignation of at least three or four Major
Generals in whom ihe country reposes conf
dence.
The latest direct news from this army, ex-
cept what we get by telegraph, was from the
vicinity of Dalton where, il was hoped, John
son would fight, since Mcpherson was in his
rear, and he must do that. retreat or starve.
1t seems that he chose to retreat. The army
had had a severe engagement in which many
men and officers had fallen. Gen. Howard
was badly wounded by bullet through his
coat-tail; and a grapeshot passed between
him and one of his staff while conversing to-
gether. An orderly was killed standing behind
him.
The telegraph announces Shermans army
south of Kingston, Ga, about twenty miles
from Atlanta. johnson is reported to have
begun the campaign with 10000 men, but If
he has not been reinforced he cannot have
more than $4,000.
My opinion based upon reliable data, as TO
the size Of Sherman's army, is as follows:
tOpiaions cannot be contraband. have seen
opinions in the N. Y. papers on this same
matter)
Howard's 4th corps, % 900
Palmer's l4th-eorps, $4,000
Hooker's Goth corps, 24OOO
Scholheld's 23d corps, 10000
McPherson's part of the 18th and 10Th
corps, $4,000
10000
Cavalry, 5000
10000
This does not include troops guarding rail-
roads, in garrisons at Knoxville, Chattanooga,
Nashville, Bridgeport, &c. CATHANcE.