Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-21
The Force that Invested Richmond
Lees Army Only Forty Thousand
StrOng-Interesting Particulars.

From the Richmond Whig.l
The report THE Secretary of War throws
light on the matter Of history in regard to
which much interest has been felt by the
public. We refer 10 the strength Of the
Army of the Potomac, under the immediate
command Of General Meade, but directed
by the Lieutenant General at the two i'm
portant periods of the Spring of 1864, and
the Spring of 1865. General Meade crossed
the Rapidan, on the 4th of May, 1864, with
l20, $50 men. General Grant SAYS, in his
report, that by six o'clock of the morning
of the 9th, he General Burnside) was lead
ing his corps into action near the Wilder
ness tavern" Burnside's force (the Ninth
Corps) numbered 10000. Thus, in the sec
ond battle (Wilderness) after crossing the
Rapidan, General Meade had under his
immediate command, one hundred and forty
odd thousand troops. From the best infor-
nation we can obtain, General Lees army
commenced this series of battles about sew
enty thousand strong, and received no re-
endorsements, except the small force of three
or four thousand that came from the Valley
under Breckenridge, shortly before the bat
tie of Cold Harbor
kfter the battle of Spottsylvania Court
House, re-enforcements, in large numbers,
were sent TO Gen. Grant from Washington;
and upon his forming junction with Gene
raj Butler, he was REINFORCED by the whole
strength of the Army of the James. In the
meantime General Lee had been compelled
to weaken himself by sending Breckenridge
back to the Valley, and dispatching Early,
with some fifteen or twenty thousand men,
TO meet Hunter, then moving on Lynchburg
This reduction of force was not compensa-
ted by the accession gained from the garri-
son Of Richmond and the force batween this
city and Petersburg under Beauregard.
On the LIST Of March, 1865, a month be-
fore the final and successful assault on Lees
lines, the strength of the Army of the Poto-
mac is given by Secretary Stanton as l03,-
273. This was the available force present
for duty" The exact strength of the Army
Of the James, at that date, is not stated but
the number Of troops present for duty in the
Department of Virginia was 1886. These,
without doubt, were nearly all with General
Butler Added to the Army of the Poto-
mac they make 1925 TWAS understood
in Richmond that, in addition TO the num-
beers here given, General Grant was receiv-
ing heavy rc-enlorccments all through
March, and it is known that toward the
close Of that month he was Joined by Gene
ra! Sheridan with his splendid cavalry.
Altogether, it seems probable that the force
in front of Richmond and Petersburg nearly
Appropriated if it did not reach, 100000.
To meet this immense array General Lee
could muster not more than 10000 men.
The number surrendered by him is stated in
the report as 27S05; but we believe the
number on duty, with arms in their hands
the morning uf the day on which the sur
render was made, did not reach 5000. If it
be said that 40, 600 men behind such defen-
ses as had been constructed around this city.
ought to have been able to resist 100000,
the reply is that the sllillful maneuvering of
General Grant compelled General Lee to so
extend his lines that his works were at no
point sufficiently manned. Where his line
was first broken the men stood ten or fifteen
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