Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-07-06

Total East aud West-.-ITs,0o0 2sOo0 443GoO
The Confederate army undoubtedly
reached its highest point, both IN num-
5ers and efficiency, in the early summer
Of 1868, when the movement iato Penn
sy!vania was commenced. At the close
Of March, before all preparations had
been made, the returns show a nominal
force of 4S4 900, OF whom 81 ,0Q0 were
present, and 2Sl 900 present for duty.
Probably a5oUS %, 900 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 little
more than 1860 on the muster rolls, of
whom 100000 were present for duty.
Ine army, especially that Under Lee,
were In the highest sIate Of efficiency.
The zeeent victories at Fredericksburg
and Charlottesville had inspirsd them
with perfect confidence IN their own in
viucibilitY. The COnfederaey was 81
that time like an athlete in the highest
condition Of training. Fully one-half OF
the men Of military age were enrolled in
the army. II we take into account those
exempt by infirmity, those employed in
the various civil departments, aud those
detailed directly to perform labor in the
various military workshops, it is hardly
an Over-statement to say that every able
bodied man was enrolled; OF these seven
out Of ten were actually present, and six
out Of ten were present for duty. No
people could long sustain such g strain.
In the first week OF July they suffered
losses amounting to fully 100000 men.
At the end OF the month Lee had only
II 900 for duty out Of the 100, 600 with
which he had set out six weeks before:
and in month by every exeTtiOn he
could get together only 1000 more, and
out Of this ST, coo, all told, he was forced
20 send 10 200 Of his best troops to the
west. II the autumn campaign of 1868
in Virginia had been prosecuted by the
union commander with anything ap-
preaching vigOr, there is no reason to
doubt that it would have closed the war;
for Meade had an army fully double that
Of Lee. Wnen in the spring of 1864
Grant opened his campaign, Lee had
only little more than $4,000, and in
August, when the siege of Richmond
was fairly opened, he had, counting in
those present with him, though still nOm-
inally belonging to the department of
North Carolina, less than $4,000. From
this time the returns show how preva-
lent became desertions from the Confed-
crate armies at the east and west. In
there were not 2OO, 900 present for duty in
all the armies. At the close Of Eebru-
ary, the date Of the latest report ia our
possession, Lee, out Of . mammal force of
lG0, coo, bad present but "a, ,0O0 and for
duty but SO 900. More than half were
absent wholly, aud little more than a
third were present for duty. When he
finally abandoned Petersburg and Rich
mond, it is doubtful whether he had ad,-
900 men all told.
We Judge that ia all 600, 600 different
men were in the Confederate ranks du-
ring the war. OF these We do not believe
one half are alive this day. Once in the
ranks there was no escape except by
death, disablement from wounds or sick
ness, or desertion. OF the 3O0, 600 Of the
Confederate soldiers yet alive, no man
can say what proportion are wholly or in
great part disabled by wounds or dis
ease but it is sale to say that in three
years the south lost by the war alone
fully One-third Of its able-bodied white
male population. : great part of the
accumulated wealth of the people was
swept away not merely changing from
one hand to another, and so in the natu-'
raj course Of things certain to be redis-
tributed, but absolutely annihilated. Not
merely the created wealth, but the means
Of creating il has been destroyed. We
think that there is not IN all history the
record % . war attended by such utter
disaster. These facts are quite sufficient
to account for the great cry Of distress
which suTges up to ua from that unfnr-
tunate region. The mills Of tie gods
have ground swiftly, bat they have yet
ground exceeding nne. With the CHASTITY
array before Us Of the figures which have
been set forth IN this paper, we have lit
tie sympathy with any man, even though
ne may have suffered the loss Of his best
and dearest, who will how lit up hand or
voice save 10 aid sud console the suffer-
ing people OF the south. If they commit
ted, As We believe they did, grievous
wrong, most grieyOusly nave they an
sWered for it.