New-York tribune., 1868-07-25
GRANTS LAST CAMPAIGN

GRANTS LAST CAlfPAIGN
The Rebels and their Northern allies are 80
fond of charging upon what they call Grants
"butcheries in the final campaign of the war,
and so resolute in asserting that Lee was never
outgeneIaled but simply OyerbOrne by tre-
mendOus prepOnderance of numbers, that we
have been at the pains of procuring from the
official returns of both armies, now preserved in
the Archive Office at Washington, the exact
figures which show the true state of the case,
and we beg for them the readers careful atten-
ton. Lees field return for April 20, 1864,
shows n force present for duty of 53S9l, ex-
elusive of LOngstreets corps, which joined him
a few days later; the field return of LOngstreet
for March 81, 1864, shows 1887 for duty; max
ing 72,27s present for duty. These are the
returns nearest to the date of the battle of the
Wilderness which are in the possession of the
Government The total present. Including sick,
in arrest and extra duty men, amount by the
same papers to 'SG,7l2 in the field with Lee
when Grant crossed the Rapidan. The original
papers now in the Archve Office, War Depart
ment are signed by both Lee and Longstrect.
Lees return states that HOke's Division was alb
sent, not reported, at the same date, and lloke's
return shows 5GG4 enlisted men present for
duty, or 1850 officers and men, total present.
The Valley district is also returned as not
reported.
The field return of the Army Of the PotO-
mac for the same date as Lees, April 20, 1864,
shows 72,117 present for duty, equipped, be-
side 0,7l7 cavalry, also present for duty,
equipped. Beside these, Burnside's corps joined
Grant before the Wilderness. This corps was
1880 strong, for duty; but from these, Fer
rero's division, 3O05, must be deducted, as 1t
was at this time never allowed TO go into
battle, being used as guards for the trains.
This leaves 1G,15j as Burnsides real strength
for duty. Adding this and the cavalry force
to the strength of the Army of the Potomac,
makes 0S019 as the utmost limit of Grants
effective force at the Wilderness. Ii should be
remembered that Grants movements were
constantly offensive, through a densely wooded
country, and that during every battle of the
Wilderness campaign, except the first, Lee
fought behind breastworks, an advantage which
nearly or quite doubles the strength of the
defendants One other important considera-
ton is that Grant had a supply train 60 miles
in length to guard in n hostile country, while
Lee was constantly falling back nearer to his
base, and through a region in which every
White was his friend.
Grants losses up to the crossing of the
James, including the Wilderness, Spottsylva
MIA, North Anna, Cold HarbOr and all the
smaller fights between the Rapidan and the
James, as reported in the regimental returns
on file in the War Office were G,586 killed,
2G,Oi7 wounded, and GG2O missing; total,
39,259. OF the wounded, very many were only
slightly hurt, and not absent from duty more
than day or two; and at least 10000 out of
the 2647 eventually returned to duty; so
that Grants absolute loss, from the Rapidan
to the James, was probably not greater than
2O,OOO officers and men. The missing were,
undoubtedly, most of them prisoners.
Grant took, during the same time, 10,462 pris-
oners-at least 1000 more than Lee. There
are no other data on which to form estimates
of Lees losses except that in the Wilderness
he was as much exposed as Grant, attacking
and being repelled; at SpOttsylvana, each
attacked in turn, and each was repelled; at
Cold Harbor, Grant attacked, but without sue
cess. 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 to any extent during
the last six months of the war, and that he had
but handful of men opposed to Grant in the
final campaign from Petersburg to the Apo
mattox. But Lees own ield-returns show that
on the 2Sth of February, 1895, he had 73,340
men present, 59,094 present Jor duty. This was
exclusive of the local militia of Richmond,
always put into the trenches in fight and
several thousand strong as well as the gun
boat crews in the James, who were also put
into land fights. Out of these, 27,416 were sur
rendered and paroled at Appomattox Court
House. and 1000 captured in battle, beside
about 5000 more in the assault Oh Fort Sedg
wick. At least 10000 men wero killed or
wounded and 10000 more deserted on the road
from Richmond to Appomattox. These two
last numbers, however, cannot be verified, rs
no report was ever made of the final move
ments by Lee.
Thus it will be seen that Grant began the