Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-02

| The reason that no returns exist for those
months Is to be found in the fact that at
the end of June, 1862, and Tor some days
into July, Gen. Lees army was engaged
in battle with, or in pursuit of McClel-
lan,s army: that at the end of. August of
the same year his army was engaged with
Pope's army, and Immediately thereafter
moved into Maryland; and that at the
| end of June, 1868, his army was IN
Pennsylvania, where it engaged Meade's
army at Gettysburg on the 1st
I'd and Sd of July. This condition
| of things at the end of those
months prevented the regular monthly
returns from being made; and the writer
of the letter has taken advantage of the
fact to greatly magnify Gen. Lees forces.
1 The greatest force which the latter ever
commanded in the field was that with
which he attacked Mcclellan in June,
1862, and his entire effective force at that
time did not exceed so, if it reached
that Accommodating Jackson's COM
mand, and the troops held for the imme-
date defense of Richmond and at Drury's
and Chafin's Bluffs. The returns for
July, 1852, show the strength of his army
at the time of the movement against
Pope; and all of that was not carried
into the field against the latter, as at least
two divisions were left to watch McClel-
lan's army at Harrison's Landing, and did
not get up until after Pope had been
driven into the Notifications around WASH
ington. The returns for May, 1868, fully
cover the whole force with which the
movement was made into Pennsylvania,
as no fresh troops arrived after these re-
turns were made, and that movement be-
gan on the 4th of June.
1t must not be understood that the re-
turns contained in the following table,
even where correct, show the actual force
which Gen. Lee carried into the field.
These returns are sor "The Department
of Northern Virginia" embracing all the
troops north of James River, including
those usually kept in the Valley, so that,
in estimating the actual strength of the
of the "Army of Northern Virginia"
this allowance may be made. Referring
now to the returns bearing on the ques-
ton of Gen. Lees strength at the opening
of the campaign in the Wilderness, it
will be seen that, at the end of August,
1868, the first month after the return from
the Gettysburg campaign, the entire force
for duty in the Department of Northern
Virginia was Sc, 327, while at the end of
September it was 44,S67. This decrease
of IL, $50 was caused by the departure
of Longstreet's Corps from the army
during the month, two divisions of it
going to Chickamauga, and the other
(Pickett's) to the southside of James
River. The strength of that entire corps
was then q little less than 1900 for
duty. The returns for March, 1854,
show in the Department of Department
of Northern Virginia 39,407 for
duty, while those for. April show
SO, 626 for duty-this increase resulting
from the return of the two divisions of
Longstreet's Corps Field's and McLaw's
afterwards Kershaw's) which had been at
the battle of Chicamauga and afterwards
on a winter campaign IN East Tennessee,
also of some detachments which had been
on special service, and of furloughed
men. These returns were made at the
end of and for the whole month of April,
and not on the goth of the month as stated
by Gen. Badeau. Longstreet's two divis-
ions had then returned and were embraced
in said monthly returns, his third division
being at that time in North Carolina
and not afterwards rejoining the army un-
til the 22d of May lear the Hanover
Junction These returns for April, 1854,
which showed the condition of the troops
in fact on the LIST day of May, en-
braced the force in the Valley which |
was confronting Sigel, and other out
lying troops on special service north |
of James River. So that in reality |
Gen. Lees entire force with which he had |
to confront Grants army, including Long
streets two divisions, was under the ag-
gregate of 80, 900 present for duty. But
Gen. Badeau says that Longstreet's corps
was not embraced in the returns of Gen.
Lees army for April, 1854, and he says:
"His Oongstreet's) field return of date
nearest to the battle shows Is, 987 present
for duty" Now let us see how he ar
rives at this conclusion. Run your finger
down the second column of the letter to
the Tribune, until you get to the table of
returns under the head "ARNEs IN THE
WEST" and continue on down that table
until you reach the EtARMY OF EAST TEN
under which heading you will
find the following, which is all that is
necessary for my purposes: