New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-10-27
GRANTS AND LEES ARMIES-LETTER FROM
GEN. BADEAU.
The London Standard of Oct. IL publishes

the following letter from Gen. Badeau:
Ny attention has recently been drawn to editorial
Gen. Robert T.. Lee. have Of course no right ana Ger
tanly no desire, to depreeate the estimate Put by dhe
acter Of ZEN Lee but as the article in question contains
az Use & ew e IN coTee1 Them
In your columns have the less hesitation in making
posed corrections is that Of Gen. Lee himself.
Ali the original documents still in existence which
possession Of the United states Government for, very
after the capture OF Richmond, they were by The
direction Of Mr. Jefferson Davis, surrendered by
Gen. Joseph Z. Johnston to Gen sherman AS Military
and Private secretary to Gen Grant from me ne %he
he became President have had Tor years unrestricted
these captured archives ana have had study
them more closely than sny hyl9s man bic
clareddoubtess in good athh for the declaration has
made before and in other quarter5-hat Gen Lee
$4,000 men under his command, while Gen. Grant mad
three times many. The official documents do not con.
this statement The field return OF Leedated nearest
the first battles Of the Wilderness, il that OF Aprl 20
1854 this gives $3.50 men present FOR duly Dp does nor
street joined Lee after Apri 90 ana prior 10 me pae
which e e sf ws oW 81 s s
making 722s under Lee a the battle OF the Wilder
shown by his field returns Of the same date as Lees
9sOl9 leaving preponderance III favor of Grant of
The calculation that Grant had three times as many
Lee has been obtained by emitting Longstreefs
corps altogether from the estimate, and by giving only
Lees force present for duty the Rap.dan; while, In
reckoning Grants numbers not only the present for duty
are counted those constituting what In military par
lance, is called the total, which includes the SICK the
extra-dnty men, and various others invariably amount
ing, in any large army, to many thousands anlfestly
either Lees total should be compared with Grant total
But besides this IN to Grants three
times large Lees Grants two forces in the Valley
miles from the Wildernessj included In the estimate
of his strength while the troops which Lee had IN front
citations altogether. Irepeat that in the battle Of the
wilderness Lee had about 100 men engaged, while
denal field returns made at the time by each General
to his own Government when no General would inten-
tiOnally misstate mislead
Again, it Is stated in The sndard article Of the 5th
inst that Lee moved out of Richmond, after it, fall with
2GOo His last field return made in February,
1861 is signed in s own hand and gives 5oo9i present
for duty aud 1919 total THIS does not include the local
militia OF Richmond the OF the gunbOats in
the James River, both Of which forces always put
into the trenches in assault, and many OF whom.
doubtless moved ont of Richmond with Lee Together
they numbered at least several thousands In the battle
OF Five Forks and the subsequent assaults Peters
burg, which resulted in the capture of Richmond Lee
may have lost 10000 men, but this would have left him,
Ivy any computation. AT least 10000 troops, with which he
lied from the fallen capital.
Once more the article in question states that 5000
surrendered by Lee ut AppOmatOX Court House.
The official records show that il6 soldiers were actually
parOed at that place beside the tens Of thousands also
belonging TO Lees army, who came in aftcrward and
yielded themselves prisoners OF war. Each of these
gave his separate written parole was present at the
surrender OF Cen Lee The event took place IN small
room Of what seemed an ordinary farmhouse,
and in the presence n ewGr ina than 2. persons
he Immediately requested Gen. Grant 10 supply
the prisoners with food, As they had been living on two
OF Indian corn day FOR several DAYS. Grant at
consented, aud inquired of Lee how many men he
had in his command Lee replied that he could not tell
he had received returns for several days; his troops
bad been killed OF wounded captured in such numbers
that he could not estimate his actual force. Grant n
quired il 25.OOO ratiOns would be enough and he
answered that lie thought they would; $4,000 raions
were accordingly issued the day by Grants officers
Lees army. This, therefore, Lees idea of his own
numbers on the day Of his surrender, although, as
proved by the paroles, il was too small.
The original documents from which the above figures
taken are now ON file in the War Ofice at Washing
ton bat official copies Of them all are now in my posses
sion.