The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1868-08-13
From the New York Tribune.
GRANTS LAST CAMPAIGN.

hnaI campaign Of the war; and so reso-
Lutte in asserting that Lee was never out.
generated but simply overbOrue by a
tremendous preponderanco Of numbers,
that we have been Ot the pains Of pTocu
ring from the official returns of both
armies, now preserved in the Archiye
Office al Washington, the exact figures
which ahOw the true Slate OF the case,
and sc beg for them the readers careful
altcN,ion. Lees field return for April
20. 1864, shows q force present for duty
of 53,87l, exclusive Of Longstreei's
cops, which joined him few days 10.
teri the field returns Of Longstrcet for
March 81 1864, shows Is. 3s7 for duty;
making u ,27G present for duty. Tbese
are tho returns nearest to the date of The
battle of the Wilderness which are ia
possession Of the government. The to-
Lal present, iu,ludiug sick, in arrest, and
extra duty men, amount by the same
papers 10 9O.742 in the field with Lee
when Grant crossed the Rnpidan, The
original papers now 10 The Arcbva Of
fee, War Department, are signed by
bolh Lee and Longslreel. Lees return
states that Hoke's Division ives absent,
no,rsPottcd, at the same dOte. and
Hoko's return shows 644 enlisted men
present for duty, or $3.50 officers and
men, total present. The Valley district
is also returned as not reported.
The fell return Of the Army of the
Potomac for the same dale as Lees,
april 90, 1864, shows 72il7 present
for duty. equipped and also present
for duty, equipped 9,747 cavalry, Be-
sides these Burnside's corps joined Giant
before tho Wilderness This corps was
1890 strong, for duty; but from these
Fesrcro's division. 3,o05, must be de-
ducied, as il was at this time never al
lowed to 80 into battle, being used as
guards for the trains. This leaves &c.
1865 as Burnile's real strength for duty
Adding this md the cavalry force to the
strength Of the Army Of the Potomac.
makes 9s,0I9 as tEe utmost limit Of
Grants effective force at the Wilderness.
1t should be remembered that Grants
movements were constantly offensive,
through denSely wooded country, and
that during every battle Of the Wilder.
ness comFaign, except the FIRST, Lee
fought behind brcastworks,an 2ivGutage
which nearly or quite doubles the
strength Of the defendants One other
impotenl consideration is that Grant
had a supply train sixty miles in length
TO guard in hosIilO country, while Lee
was constantly falling back nearer hi5
base, and through a region in which ey.
cry white was his friend.
Grants losses up TO the crossing of
the James, including the Wilderness,
6pOus,lyania, North Anna, Cold Harbor
aud all the smaller fights between tho
Rapidan and the James, as reported in
the Resimcnlal returns on file in the
War Office, were G,5s5 killed, 2GO47
wounded, and 5,O2G missing total, 80,
250, Ofthc wounded, very many were
only slightly hurt, and not absent from
duty more than day or two; and at
least 20, 900 out the &c, O47 eventually
returned 10 duty; so that Grants abso.
lute loss. from the R,pilan to the James
was probably not greater than 10000,
officers and men. The missing we're. IN
doubtcdly. most of them prisoncrs.-
Giant took, during the same time 10 462
prisoneB-at leas, 1000 moro ,hon Lee.
There arc no other dota on which to
form estimates Of Loo's losses, except
that 10 the WndcracsS he was Ss much
exposed as Gront, attacking and being
rcpeIied; at Spotlsylvania, each attacked
in turn, and each vas rePolledj q! Cold
Harbor Grant attacked but without sue.
cess, 1t is therefore, ioir to suppose
that Lees losses were equal to those Of
Grant. Atany rate, Leo suffered so
much that lie never again assaulted
GOnt, 10 force, during the nine months
longer that the war continued.
It has been repeatedly asserted that
Tnnis orp,,r ma nat ranruitnI IA anu a