Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-02-24

Prospeels--TheP Present Num-
Der Of status Of Our rArmy--Number Of Old
and New RnIistments--AccessIOn since
JaEnary Ist, IS63--Number Of NeGrO
Troops OrganIzed--Grand AEgregEte
&c.
Correspondence to the Cincinnati Commercial
According to the official report Of the
Provost Marshal General to Congress,
sixty-eight thousand two hundred and
forty-three volunteers enlisted in the army
from the lst Of January to the lst OF
November, 1868. The draft during the
same period, realized thirty-six thousand
men. A total Of about one hundred snd
Eve thousand new men were thus sdded to
the army in the ten months mentioned.
Our losses in the same time, by battle,
disease, capture and discharge, did not
exceed that number, so that on the 1st Of
November last the strength Of the Federal
army was substantially the same as on the
preceding lst Of January.
Since the 1st Of November up TO last
Monday, between one hundred and ten
and one hundred and twelve thousand
volunteers, under the Presidents last call,
have been formally mustered into the
United States service. About ten thou-
sand more are enlisted, but IS they are
not formally mustered in, do not include
them in my calulstious. Thus, our army
is At this moment Il2, 900 stronger than II
was on the 1st Of January, 1858, nearly
fourteen months ago.
Nor is this all. Up to the end Of las
week, no less than sixty i've thousand
colored troops have been reported, as re
gularly organized, to the department
About fifteen thousand more are enlisted
but not yet formed into regiments. or tn
former number, at leat one-third are al
ready SO efficient in all military duties
that they can safely be employed in often
siye operations. The remaining fortI
thousand are proficient enough to be uset
for ssrrisoning town and Notifications
guarding depot, protecting lines Of com
muHicstions, So. As they I'LL the places
and equal number Of white troops, tina
would be required for the same service
they can be well regarded as a corres
bonding accession to our effective strength
Next comes the Invalid Corps. 1t mum
bers at this time, nearly twenty. hve thou
sand msn. Here and elsewhere its ser
vices have proved invaluable, and, as
has relieved an equal number Of troop
fit for field duty, it may likewise be Pu
down as q clear gain 10 the army. Ii
usefulness is great not only in garrison
ing. guarding &c., but slso in doing ava
with the principal cause Of the depletion
our armies in the first and second year
the war, viz:
Absence without leave, by the syI
| tam Of Provast MRrshals and ProVol
Guards now extended 10 every count
throughout the loyal States. Since i
creation, some seventy thousand dssertel
and absentees have been returned to the
reziments, of whose services the Cover
ment was deprived at the beginning
the year, and whose return is tantamouI
, TO q reinforcement Of the army TO Il
same number.
Thus it appears, that the Federal arm
must have at the present time-the loss'
in 1853 being balanced, as shown sbov
By voluntary enlistment and dralt, in Il
same period-strength greater BY at lea
two hundred and fiVty thousand men thS
/ it had on the first Of January, lS6
This may seem large figure, but kno
it is rather below, than above, the foo
ings-up Of the War Department. That
e have gained one hundred and fifty tho
, sand men-one hundred and twelve tho
I sand whites, the balance colored-in 7
last two months, is absolutely proved
tho official returns.