The weekly standard. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-17
Report OF the Secretary o
War.

official history of the military events
of the last year Of the War. In the
report of the Secretary of War there
does not seem to be any disposition to
do injustice to the Confederate militia
ry leaders or to the soldiers who SO
long, SO obstihately and so valiantly
contended with the preponderating
resources of the Federal Government
and the overwhelming mrs ) / the
Federal armies. On the coLtra
they are very often complimented
their skill and courage. Perhaps the
sentiment most strongly aroused by a
perusal of this report is that of won
der, not SO much at the magnitude of
the results achieved, or at the extent
and Importance of the operations des-
cribed, as at the amazing exhibit of
military strength and resources on the
part of the Federal Government. We
had become used to descriptions OF
battles and sieges, victories and de-
feats, the roar of cannon, the charging
of battalions and the fight of broken
columns, but for some reason. or an
other we never cease to be wonder
stricken at these long lists of figures
which indicate the strength of those
great armies set in the field for the
preservation of the Union and the con-
quest of the South. In the spring Of
1864, tho Federal forces amounted to
970,710 men. OF this number, 662, ,345
were present with their colors, and fit
for duty. Gen. Sherman advanced
against johnson with $4,000 men,
and Gen. Grant crossed the Rapidan
with 100000 The other Federal for
ces in Virginia and North Carolina
amounted to 10000, exclusive of 3d.
600 in West Virginia. Thus $50, 900
men were operating against Richmond.
Notwithstanding the immense losses of
the memorable campaigns Of 1864, the
bloodiest of the war, embracing the de-
feats of Gen Banks, on Red River, and
the sanguinary repulses of Grants ar
my in the memorable march from the
Rapidan to the James, as well as Gen.
Shernan's obstinate struggles with
Johnson and Hood, we find that on
the first of March, 1866, the Federal
armies numbered 965, ,591 men, ofwhom
COZ, ,596 were fit for duty. Thus the
immense hosts at the disposal of the
United States Government seemed to
be never diminished, either by the ac-
tual losses of battle, which were some
times enormous, or by the wear and
tear of campaigning, which, in lifelong
run. is even more exhausting than the
immediate battle field.
When the war closed Gen. Sher-
mans army numbered 49, men,
and Gen. Grants 162,S51- each being
considerably larger than at the open
ing of the campaign of1864 And yet,
during that year of battle, Grants ar
my had lost over one hundred thous-
and lnen by the casualties of the field
alone and Sherman's had lost about
seventy thousand from the same causes.
If we add in the reductions by disease,
desertion and various other causes,
probably the total would equal the fig
ures representing the original strength
of the two armies. Thus, without re-
Enforcement, those two great hosts
would have melted away to the last
man; yet they were stronger at the end
of the year than at the beginning The
following table shows the strength of
the various Confederate armies at the
time of the capitulation:
Army of Northern Virginia, COM
manded by General Robert G.
Lee 27,S05,
Army of Tennessee and 9th
ers, commanded by Gen.
Joseph E. johnson 31,24s
Gen. JEFF Thompson's army
Of Missouri 1878
Miscellaneous paroles, depart
ment of Virginia 9,072
Paroled at Cumberland, Md,
and other stations 9,577
Paroled by Gen. McCook in
Alabama and Florida 6,428
Army of the department Of Al
ALBANIA, Lieut.. Gen. R. Tay-
lor 42,2s3
Army Of the trans Mississippi
dp't, Gen. &. K. Smith 1865
Paroled in the department of
Washington $500
Paroled in Virginia, Tennes-
see, Georgia, Louisiana and
Texas 1892
Surrendered at Nashville and
Chattanooga, Tenn, 5.Ol9