The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-07-17
Strength Of the Confederate Army
Il nerer Ercecaed $50 600 Ne,,

IT nerer Exceeded $4,000 Rea.
The New York Tribune gives an ab.
stract OF the returns OF al the armies Of
the COME ieracy from 1852 TO 1864.
which 1t considers comp ete. Il thus
comments upon :be exhibit made by this
abstract
"rhe 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
porne at any one time on their muster
rolls was 10000; aud this was only
when, by "robbing tho cradle and the
grave" every male from seventeen to (ifv
was enrolled in the army. Half a million
ls the utmost nomiualIy enrolled at any
other period. The greatest number pres
ent Tor DUTY a. any one time, and that for
only brief period, was 800 600; to
which should probably be added few
thousand rangers, partisans and bush
&hackers. There were not three periods
of month when thew had 100000 -
The army of Northern Virginia, under
Lee, was the great strength Of the Con
federacy. AT only three periods did i
for a month number 100 900 men present
Tor duty. A study Of these reports, com
pared with the known strength of the
Union Army Of the Potomac, will furnish
materials for a more severe criticism on
the conduct OF the~yar in this department
and the military merits OF the different
commanders thar anv man has vet dared
TO write. Thus. in October, 1851, when
Mcclellan, with $4,000 ruen fit for du
ty," feared TO advance toward Manassas.
supposing that the enemy had not less
than $50 600, their aetna, force was less
than 10000; and in December thew had
only 54 600 Again, when At the begin,
ning'of April, 1862, ";he Unreadv" reach
ed the Peninsula with not fewer than
100000 mon, he was for fortnight held
IN check by Magruder with barely Is 900,
who, besides holding Yorktown, had TO
guard line OF dozen miles. When,
alter diggng.awa at Yorktown for fort
night, McC'ellan was ready 10 assail that
Fertilization, held, as he supposed, bv at
least 100 900 man-he having. AZ he
says, S5 5000-he CNnfederates actually
had on thd whole Peninsula less than
$4,000. And when he finally reached
the Chickahominy with about 10000
effective men, the enemy had at R,chmond
but $1,000, increased at the close of Nav
to $1,000, sick and weI-pronaby abou,
10000 effective. MeaJe's success nj
Gettysburg Was so decided and Of such
vital moment that the feebl.neSs OF his
subsequent campaign in Virginia has heen
overlooked. When, At the close Of July,
he had reached the Rsppahannock, he
had fully $4,000 men. The figure, which
we give show that Lee had only 4l.0OO
let, with this great prepOrderance, l{L-
leck would not allow Meade to a,tenp,
any offensive operations But, in October,
when Meade bad 10000 and Lee bu,
IS, 900. the'Union General was actually
driven back almost within sight Of .Wnshr d.
lngton. This retreat from Culpepper to
Cen,resi'le is utterly inexplicabe. for Hal
leck had nothing to do with the move
mont, and Meade knew that he was mach
stronger than his enemy. This abortive
campaign showed that Meade, an excellent
officer when backed no BY stronger will |
than his own, was wholly deficient 10 the |
moral courage requisite for the conduct of |
a camfach. When llaIeck was dis, |
placed from the chief command, and |
Grants firm will directed Meade, the |
campaign assumed wholly drfferen, as
pect. Forward to Richmond" or where
ever else the rebel strength nigh, lie, bet
came the war cry" not only OF the ma
ton, but OF the Commander Of the Nation |
al Army. These are hut n few of the |
points upon which the Confederate mus
ter rolls, which are now for the first time
published, furnish occasion to remark"