Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-05-22


myself, in the Confederate States SEN
ate, says (page 59D: SAT New Hope
Church lie (Johuston) had of al arms
thousand. OF these eight
thousand were cavalry. Surprising it
not to have increased by recruiting up
to that time, that gives him ffty-six
thousand infantry and artillery"
Thus he alioNs us fifty-six thousand
infantry and artillery on the Goth of
Nav, after being out thirteen days
from Dalton; but admits only eis hit
thousand cavalry. There must be
as to this arm of the service.
Let us bear in mind that Gen. john
ston reports, in accordance with Mai.
Falconer's statement, on the 1st of
May, and previous to Gen. Sherman's
advance, only 1892 cavalry; and that
no other return is made up until the
10th day of June, when the army is
near Kennesaw Mountain, forty days
in the interim having elapsed. These
field returns are made up from the re-
turns of corps commanders, and may
be called for every ten days, or every
month or two, as the commanding
general may desire. It does not fol-
low, however, that commanders of
corps, divisions, brigades and regi-
ments neglect to make mp their re-
turns every few DAYS; in fact it is we'll
known that this duty is neglected by
no discreet officer, even during an ac-
tive campaign; otherwise there would
he no means of ascertaining the num-
Der of men engaged in any one battle.
The return of Major Falconer (page
574) I presume is correct so far as it
gives the effective strength of the cav
airy directly at Dalton on the LIST of
May, but it does not include brigades
"near Dalton" within the easy direc-
ton of Gen. Johnston, as shown by
the following extract from Mai. Gen.
Wheeler's official return of the 9th of
May, now in his possession, anda COPY
of which he furnished me on the DIST
of March, 1874.
"May 9th, 1864-General field and
staff and company officers present, 525;
total effective fighting force, 4,299; ag-
gregate officers and men effective for
battle, 1924. Dibrell and Harrison
Joined from East Tennessee, with 1, AIS
effective men, Just after this report
was made" "Dibrell nd Harrison
REACHED ResaGa about May LIST; ]
went down and inspected the COM
mand. This makes total effective
of G, 239. and it is evident that General
Johnston's Chief of Cavalry had this
number sat and near Dalton" not only
on the 9th, but on the 1st of May
As proof of the correctness of Genera
! Wheeler's report of the 9th,
General Johnston acknowledges the
presence of Dibrell's brigade on the
9th of May, by saying, page 3O7: COZ
the same day, Major General Wheele,
with DiPrell and Aliens brigades en-
countered large body of Federal cav
airy, near Varnells Station" Again
page 302. he admits Gen. Martins di
! vision OF cavalry at Gainesville on the
1st of May, and says "It had seven
teen hundred men for duty"
Let us continue the search for cav
ally before returning to New Hop,
Church, to make the first estimate O
the effective strength of this army
Gen. Johnston says. page 353 Jack
sons three thousand zine hundred me
rs at AdairsYille on the 18th. 'Th:i
I $500 cavalry added to Wheeler anc
/ Martins force of G, 23G gives an effect
i've total of 10, 1879, of this arm of til,
seryiee. This number in lieu Of tn
5000 reported at New Hope CHURCH
added to the $1,000 infantry and artil
lery gives &c, 139, instead of Ga 900 o
all arms as stated by Gen. Wigfall
Thus our first summary shows al
effective total of over &C, 600 men, thir
teen days out from Dalton. I will nov
estimate the strength of the army a
Aaailssilla on the 18th Of May, yhel
four days out from Dalton.
Soon after the fall Of Atlanta, ant
whilst We were lying iii camp at Love
joys Station, about twenty miles from
Atlanta, l sent for Major Kinlock,
Falconer, who was at that time one O.
my assistant adjutant generals, anC
called his attention to the outer,
against me through the press, which
charged that l had lost many MGR,
men during the siege of Atlanta thar
had GeD. Johnston during his cam
I paign; and as he Sts the adiutant gen
eraf of Gen. Johns ton, ] desired t,
/ know from HIM the entire loss from
all causes during the retreat from
/ Dalton to Atlanta. He Mt once replied
that he could not 6 i've me the exac
figures, as Ger. Johnston had will
! hila al the books, tecoris, etc, IL
! MACON, but THAT pc had LOST twenty
! five THOUSAND men; aud that We haC
when at Adairsville fifty-three Thousand
infantry. Two of my staff officers
| Capt, John Smith and Lieut.. E. B
Wade happened to be- present st the
t time, and gave me, whilst these facts
! We're fresh in their memory, the fol
lowing afidavits
HoUsToN, TEXAS, June 81, 1865.
Il certify that on or about the 1Otl
of September, 1864, Major Kinlocke
Falconer, Assistant Adiutant General
of the Army of Tennessee, reported
officially, in the presence of Lieut.. E.
b. Wade, Abide Camp, Mr.. Jas. H.
Haggerty end myself, to Gen. J. b.
Hood, at Lovejoy Station, Ga, that
the loss of that army from all causes
during the campaign from Dalton to
Atlanta, Ga, between the 9Th of May
and 18th OF July, 1864, was twenty-five
Thousand effective men. He also
vile, Ga, numbered fifty-three thou
sand effective infantry after the losses
sustained 1T RackE Face Mountain and
Resaca, Ga"
(Signed) JOHN SMITH,
Abide Camp.
Sworn to and subscribed before me
this 22d day of June; A. D. 1865.
(Signed) WILLIAM ANDREWS,
Mayor of Houston.
81 certify that, on or about the 10th
day of September. 1864, Major Kin
locke Falconer, late Assistant Adju-
tant General, Army of Tennessee, c.
S. A, reported officially in the pre-
sence of Capt. John l.. Smith, Abide
Camp, Mr.. Haggerty and myself, to
Gen. j. B. Hood, commanding army at
Eovejoy's Station. Ca. that the lossof
that army from all causes during the
from Dalton to Atlanta, Ga,
between the eth day of May, and the
18th day of july, 1864, was twenty-five
thousand effective men l25,OOO. He
Major Falconer, also stated that the
army when at .Adairsville, Ga, num-
bered (53, 0OO) fifty-three thousand eff
fective infantry after the losses sus-
tanned at Rocky Face Mountain and
Resaca, GA.
(Signed) f. D. WADE,
Abide Camp.
Sc STATE OF TENNESSEE, Rutherford CO.
"This dag came before me, J. n.
III II n