Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-12-17


the. absence Of one of fieEztt(
the strength Of newly rscrd Ct zSf izslses
brought from North Gafolina just before the
campaign opened; tbs North fCarplins IN
fantry then ontnun5 5ered hat OF Virginia
present at the battle, but this was greatly
overbalanced by the cess Of yareilia cav
airy and artillery, and 1t IS an tiisputaSle
fact that more. Virginians than N North Caro-
linahs wefe leftSou that field. During ali the
foregoing, time. besides the Virginia troopsy ip
Western Virginia, there was Wisetss Virginia
brigade near Richmond 4!
In the campaign of 1864. from the RAM.
dan to Cold HaFfbor,, there were eight Yir-
einia brigades Of infantry and two Others.
nearly all Virginians; but PicEetts four
br'gades did not reach the army until near
Hanover junction. In the same campaign
there were eight North Carolina brigades and
two regiments of infantry, one of which
brigades (Hoke'sl REACHED. the army at the
same time with Pickett. There were then
four Virginia brigades of cavalry ana. one
North Carolina brigade Of the same arm with
the army, while the excess of Virginia over
North Carolina artillery. and in fact over all
others was very great. In addition, there was
Wise's brigade, near Richmond, three Virginia
brigades of infantry aud four btiyadcs of cav.
1t is true some North Carolina troops had
been brought into the State to meet Bntler's
army, but these were at least counterbalanced
by Wise's Virginia brigade and the three n>
tantry brigades under Breckenridge in the
Valley and SouthTestern Virginia, to say
nothing of the cavalry in the same districts
Some misapprehension in regard to the
number of Virginia troops in the field NAV
have arisen from the fact that such large
proportion OF those troopc were cavalry and
artillery; but the foregoing facts are srf,
hcien. to show how unfounded is the state,
ment that North Carolina had more troops in
the field in Virginia than the latter State had
on her own soil. 1t may possibly have been
that at some time, when new brieades of in
tantry, but recruited under the copscript Law.
arrived from North Carolina, that State could
show more infantry for duty in the Army of
Northern Virginia than Virginia could show
OF the same arm, but the Virginia brigades
and regiments always outbumbered those of
North Carolina even in that arm, aud the Vir
g,nia regiments had at some time been as full
as those of North Carolina, bat had been re-
duced by the ordeal through which the latter
had afterwards to go.
The preponderance of the Virginia cavalry
over all others arose; in great measure, from
the fact that the men had to keep themselves
mounted at their own costs. and that was a
very difHcnlt thing for men from the States
south of Virginia to do
The loss of our official returns renders Is
Impossible now to give the exact statement of
the number of troops from each State that
served IN Virginia, but the foregoioe data will
enable any candid man to settle the question
against the accuracy of General Hoods estiS
mate. an5
If North Carolina was able to furnish her
troops better than the Virginia troops were
furnished, in some respects, it must be re-.
mem bered that Virginia furnished the greater
part of the horses. provisions and forage for
the army serving in her borders, and that ali
her ports were hermetically sealed up ,whifs
nearly her whole territory was devastated.
Let North Carolina receive all the credit
she is justly entitled to-and she is entitled
to much-hnt let i. not he at the expense of
her sister States and would add. let ths
public men of North, Carolina and allthe Con-
federate States emulate the self SACRIFICING:
spirit and devotion of those who bore an hon.
orable part in the war.
In making the foregoing correction of the
error into which General Hood has fallen, I
must take occasion to disclaim all intention of
being disrespectful TO him, and to express nv
NPp'SS'"stOoOi VI scIsIC6S anu character,
had intended to notice the remarkable
statement by General Humphreys. u. s. A.. 4
IN regard to the relative strength and losses at
Gettysburg, but my friend, Colonel Allen of
Lexington, has done the work in yery salts,
factory manner. l have merely to add that
II, IN the condition of things existing in June.
1868, the Confederate government was en-
aoled to throw into the field tor the invasion
of the second State in the Union. in point of
wealth and population. AN army of 81, 600
imen-as General Humphreys makes it-and
send, portion of that army to the banks of
the susquehanna, north of Washington and
Baltimore, and the United States government
was able to. raise an army of only 81, 900
men to defend the "Keystone State" of
tbeSUnio aud the Federal Capital. a simple
calculation in the rule of three will show that
the Confederate government was the most en>
ergetic and efficient government, and the
Southern people the most spirited people that
ever existed, while the. imbecility of the |
United States government and the want of
spirit on the part Of the Northern people |
would stand out in remarkable contrast and
then General Humphreys' proposition that
the $4,000 defeated the 81 900 and made of
Gettysburg a Waterloo. with the part of |
Blucher left out, would resolve itself into the
.freduefio cd a5sur9unt," His estimate of our
numbers certainly is a high compliment TO the
Confedsrats army. and he is undoubtedly rigf1.
in ssviney that - Mead had st+,oLad -. --T:I