Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-07-05
Strength ofthe Confederate Army-It New
err Exceeded $4,000 Men-A Critique
from the Tribune.

Strength of the Confederate Army-It New.
err Exceeded $4,000 Men-A CPitique
from the Tribune.
The new York Tribune gives an abstract
of the returns of all the armies of the Con-
federacy from 1862 to 1864, which it con-
siders complete. It thus comments upon the
exhibit made by this abstract:
''The number of troops at the East and
the West was throughout nearly equal, and
no considerable body of soldiers was ever
transferred from one army to the other. The
greatest number actually borne at any one
time on their muster-rolls was $50, 900 and
this was only when, by s'robbing the cradle
and the grave" every male from seventeen
to fifty was enrolled in the army. Half mil
lion is the utmost nominally enrolled at any
other period. The greatest number present
for duty at any one time, and that for only
a brief period, was 800 900; to which should
probably be added few thousand rangers,
partisans, and bushwhackers. There were
not three periods Of month when they had
100000. The army of Northern Virginia,
under Lee, was the great strength of the
Confederacy. At only three periods did it
for month number 1000 men present
for duty. A study of these reports, COM
pared with the known strength Of the Union
Army of the Potomac. will furnish materials
for more severe criticism on the conduct
of the war in this department and the mill
tary merits of the different commanders than
any man has yet dared to write Thus, in
October, 1861. when Mcclellan, with LAT, :
600 men "Gt for duty" feared to advance
toward Manassas, supposing that the enemy
had not less than $50 900, their actual force
was less than 40, 900; and in December they
had only $4,000. Again, when at the be-
ginning of April, 1862, ''the Unready''
reached the Peninsula, with not fewer than
100, 900 men, he was for fortnight held in
check by Magruder with barely Is 900, who
beside holding Yorktown, had to guard a
line of dozen miles. When, after digging
away at Yorktown for a fortnight, McClel-
Ian was ready to assail that fertilization, held
as he supposed, by at least 100000 men
he having, as he says, 85,00O-the Confed-
crates actually had on the whole Peninsula
less than $4,000 And when he Snally
reached the Chickahominy with about ITO,
600 effective men, the enemy had at Rich
mond but Al 900, increased at the close of
May to 81 600 sick and probably
about 60, 900 effective. Meade's success at
Gettysburg was SO decided and of such vital
moment that the feebleness of his subsequent
campaign in Virginia has been overlooked
When, at the close of July, he had reached
the Rappahannocl1, he had fully so, 900 men,
The figures which we give show that Lee
had only Al, 900. Yet, with this great
prependerance, Halleck would not allow
Meade to attempt any offensive operations.
But in October, when Meade had 10000
and Lee but As 900, the Union General was
actually driven back almost within sight of
Washington. This retreat from Culpeper to
to Centreville is utterly inexplicable, for Hal
leck had nothing to do with the movement.
and Meade knew that he was much stronger
than his enemy This abortiye compaign
showed that Meade, an excellent officer when
backed up by a stronger will than his own
was wholly deficient in the moral courage
requisite for the conduct Of campaign
When Halleck was displaced from the chic
command, and Grants firm will directed
Meade, the campaign assumed wholly DIFF
ferent aspect. ssForward to Richmond OF
wherever else the rebel strength might lie
became the 'war-cry'' not only of the nation
but of the Commander of the National Army
These are but few Of the points upon which
the Confederate muster-rolls, which are now
for the first time published, furnish occasion
for remark