The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1868-08-14

first, Lee fought behind breas.works, an ad.
vantage which nearly or quite doubles the
strength of the defendants. One other i'm
portant consideration is that Grant had a
supply train 60 miles in length to guard in
a hostile country, while Lee was constau tly
falling back nearer to his base, and through
region in which every White was his
! friend.
Grants losses up to the crossing of the
James, inc. nding the Wilderness, Spottsyl-
rania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, and all
the smaller fights between the Rapidan and
he James. as reported in the regimental re-
turns on file in the War Office, were 6,596
killed, 26.047 wounded, aha 6,626 missing !;
total, 80, 259. or the wounded, very many
were only slightly hurt and not absent from
| duty more than day or two; and at least
20, 900 out of the 26.047 eventually returned
to duty so that Grants absolute loss from
the Radidan to the James, was probably
not greater than 10000 officers and men,
The missing were, undoubtedly, most Of
them prisoners. Grant took, during the
same time, 1892 prisoners-at least
1000 more than Lee. There are no other
data on which to form estimates of Lees
losses, except that ia the Wilderness he
was as much exposed as Grant, attacking and
being repealed at Spottsylvania. each at
tackled III turn. and each WIS repelled at
Cold Hsrbor, Grant attacked. but without
success. 1t Is, therefore, fair to suppose
that Lees losses were equal to those of
Grant. AT any rate, Lee suffered so much
that he never again assaulted Grant in force
during the nine months longer that the war
continued.
1t has been repeatedly asserted that Lees
army was not recruited any exteXt during
the last six months Of tie war, and that he
had but a handful of men opposed to Grant
in the final campaign from Petersburg to
the Appoma,tox. But Lees own held-re-
turns show that on the 2Sih of February
1856, he had 73,349 men present, 5l,094
pre- ent for duty. ] his was exclusive of
the local militia of Richmond, always put
into the trenches in a tight, and severa
thousand strong, as well as the uLboat
crews IN the James, who were also put INTO
land fights. Out of these, 21,4l6 were sur
rendered and paroed at Appomartox Court
House. and 1909 captured in bsttle, be-
: ide about 3, 900 mere i'll the assault on Fort
Sedgsick. At least IL, 900 men were killed |
or wounded, and 10000 more deserted on |
the road from Richmond to Appomattox.
1 he>e two last numbers. however, cannot be
verified, as no report was ever made Of the
final movements by Lee.
Thus it will be seen that Grant began the
with O., 0l9 effective men. and Lee
with - rs, and that consequently Lee, hav-
ill., AZ the advantages Of position. breast
" J-ks, friendly country, and short and |
constantly shortening line of supplies in (
his favor, was virtually the stronger of the
two. The losses during the Wilderness
campaign were about equal, not more than
%, 900 on each side. Aud finally, when Lee
eacned Petersburg, he had more men than
rere with him at the beginning OF the cam
"a ign, showing that he had been heavily re-
1t seems to us this settles the
question of Grants generalship.