The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1867-07-12
CONFEDERATE ARMIES.
An Estimate Of the Southern Strength
and Losses During the War.

The New York Z5i6une has what pur-
ports to be an abstract of the muster rolls
of the Confederate army. This document
shows, in the first place, that the Confede-
rate armies were much smaller than imagi-
native Federal Generals and excited civil
ians were, during the war, in the habit of
believing. We quote as follows:
The Army of Northern Virginia, com
manded b7 Lee. numbered about 100, 600
men wheu l. took It in hand. This was
in June, 1862 In July. after the seven
days battle before Richmond, those pres
ent for duty numbered SO, ,559. After An
tietam, Lees army was reduced to 52,6O7
present for duty. When the invasion of
Pennsylvania took place the army was
just about 100000 electives After Get
tysburg. those present for duty were re-
duced to Al, 1856. This shows a loss of
SO, 900 men in six weeks, about 10000
having been killed, wounded and taken
prisoners, the rest struggling or deserving.
In November, 1864, Lee had present for
duty 90, ,29O, while his nominal army was
I81,826
In December, 1852, while at Murfrees-
boro, and before the battle, Bragg had
81, ,O3O electives. After the battle he had
36.981. In April, 1868, Bragg had 52,-
069 in September. Al $40. Joe John
ston's army in December, 1868, was a.
439 present for duty in June. 1864, 81,
O85 Hood had, 10 commence with, A.
495. Longstreet had, in East Tennessee
in February, 1864, 1900 present for
duty.
The Confederate army undoubtedly
reached its highest point, both in numbers
and efficiency. in the early summerof 1868
when the movement in Pennsylvania was
commenced. At the close of March, be-
fore all preparations had been made, the
returns show a nominal force of 484 900,
of whom .34I ,O0O were present, and $751;
900 present for duty. Probably about,
10000 were added during the next six
weeks to the Army of the East; so that
we may safely say that at the middle of
June there were a little more than 500, 900
on the muster-rolls, of whom 800, 900
were present for duty. The army, especial
ly that under Lees were in the highest
state of efficiency. The recent victories
at fredericksburg and Charlottesville had
inspired them with perfect confidence in
their own invincibility. The Confederacy
was al that time like an athlete in the high
est condition of training Fully one-half
of the men, military age, were enrolled in
the army. If we take into account those
exempt by inffrmity, those employed in
the various civil departments, and those
detailed directly to perform labor in the
various military workshops, it is hardly
an overstatement to say that every able
bodied man was enrolled of these seven
out of ten were actually present, and six
out of ten we're actually present for duty
Nopeople could long sustain such a strain
In the first week of July they suffered los
ses amounting to fully 100000 men. At
the end of the month Lee had only Al 900
for duty out of 100, 600 with which he
had set out six weeks before and in a
month by every exertion he could get to-
gether only $4,000 more, and out Of this
Sc, 900 all told, he was forced to send 49,
600 of his best troops to the West If the
autumn campaign of 1868, in Virginia,
had been prosecuted by the Union COM
mander with any thing approaching vigOr,
there is no reason to doubt that it would
have closed the war; /; for Meade had an
army fully double that of Lee. When in
, the spring of 1864, Grant opened his cam
paign, Lee had only little more than 50,-
600, and in August, when the siege oi
Richmond was fully opened, he had, count
ing in those present with him, though still
nominally belonging to the Department o
North Carolina, less than 10000. From
this time the returns show how prevalent
became deseFtions from The Confederate ar.
mics at the East and West. Ia August
out of nominal force of O,OOO, ther,
were not 2OO. 900 present in all the armies
At the close Of February, the date Of th'
latest report in our possession, Lee ou
of nominal force of 16O, ,O00 had present
but rs, 900. and for duty but SO 900. Nor,
than half were absent wholly. and a littl'
:, more than third were present for duty
: When he finally abandoned Petersburg
and Richmond, it is doubtful whether b
had So, 900 men all told. We Judge tha
: in all 600, 900 different men were 10 the
Confederate ranks during the war. Il is
safe to say that in three years the SoutI
} lost by the war alone fully one third (?) o
its able bodied white male population.
= What is the difference between a fisher
? man and lazy schoolboy ?-one baiti
b his hook, the other hates his book.