The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-05-21


the effective force at different points, an
lastly, the number of available troops
Dalton, from which deduct the effectiV
total turned over 10 me by Gen. Johnsto
en- the 18th of July, and we shall final
J have the entire loss during the campaign
The army reached New Hope Church o
the 10Th and Goth of May, and rename
in that vicinity about ten days previou
to our retreat upon Pine and Kennesa
mountains, near NJ rietta. 1t was her
visited by Gen. L. T. Wigfall, a man {
talent, and at this time In the Confedel
ate States Senate, but who, owing to hi
intense enmity to President Davis, a
lowed himself to be governed by undu
influences. Gen. Wigfall was virtual
the political chief of staff of Gen. John
ston, and considering the close relation
of these gentlemen, any statement of hi
as to the strength of Gen. Johnston
army may safely be regarded as not onl
official and good authority, but also no
an over-estimate. This Senator, in
speech directed against President Davi
and myself, in the Confederate State
Senate, says page 1919 cat New Hop
-Church he (Johnston) had of all arm
sixty-four thousand. OF these eigh
thousand were cavalry. Surprising i
not to have increased by recruiting up Il
| that time, that gives him fifty-six thou
sand infantry and artillery"
Thus he allows us ftty-six thousand
infantry and artillery ON the 26th of May
after being out thirteen days from Dial
ton; but admits only eight thousand cav.
airy. There must be a mistake as to this
arm of the service Let us bear in mind
that Gen. Johnston reports, IN accordance
with Major Falconer's statement, on the
1st of May, and previous to Gen. Sher-
mans advance, only 1892 cavalry; and
that no other return is made up until the
10th of June, when the army is near
Kennesaw mountain, forty days in the
interim having elapsed. These field re-
turns are made up from the returns OF
corps commanders, and may be called for
every ten days, or every month or two,
as the commanding general may desire.
1t does not follow, however, that COM
manders of corps, divisions, brigades and
regiments neglect to make up their re-
turns every few days; in fact, it is well
known that this duty is neglected by no
discreet officer, even during an active
campaigns; otherwise there would be no
means of ascertaining the number of men
engaged in any one battle. The returns
of Major Falconer, page ga, } [ presume
is correct so far as 1t gives the effective
strength of the cavalry directly at Dalton
on the 1st of May; but it does not include
brigades "near Dalton" within the easy
direction of Gen. Johnston, as shown by
tbn foil aoR 4 A
Wheeler's official return of the 9th of May,
how in his possession, and copy of which
he furnished me on the 21st of March,
1874:
''May 9th, 1864--General field and
staff and company officers present, 525;
total effective fighting force, 1929; aggre-
gate officers and men effective for battle,
1924. Dibrell and Harrison joined from
East Tennessee with 1415 effective men,
just after this report was made. Dibrell
and Harrison reached Resaca about May
1st; | went down and inspected the com
mand." This makes a total effective force
of 6239, and it is evident that Gen. john
ston's chief Of cavalry had this number
of 1892 in line sat and near Dalton"
not only on the 9Th, but on the 1st of
Wheeler's report of the 9th, Gen.
Johnston acknowledge the presence of
Dibrells brigade on the 9th of May by
saying, page 3O7: 'On the same day
Major General Wheeler, with Dibrelrs
and Aliens brigades, encountered large
body of Federal cavalry near VarnelPs
Station" Again, page 302, he admits
Gen. Martins division of cavalry at Car
tersville on the 1st of May, and says:
cit had seventeen hundred men for du-
ty."
Let us continue the search for cavalry
before returning to New Hope Church,
to make the first estimate of the effective
strength of this army. Gen. Johnston
says, page 353: "Jackson's three thou
sand nine hundred met us at Adalrsville
on the 18th This 3, 900 cavalry ado ed
to Wheeler's and Martins force of 6, 239
gives an effective total of 10, 139, of this
arm of the service. This number in lieu
of the 5000 reported at New Hope Church,
added to the Sc, 900 infantry and artillery
gives 66, 100 instead of 66, 900 of all
arms as stated by Gen. Wigfall.
Thus our first summary shows an effect
i've total of over sc, 900 men, thirteen OBJ
mate the strength of the army at Adairs-
vile on the 18th of May, when four days
out from Dalton:
Soon after the fall of Atlanta, and
whilst we were lying in camp at Lovejoy's
Station, about twenty miles from Atlanta,
/ sent for Major Kenlock Falconer, who
was at that time one of my assistant
Adiutant- Generals, and called his atten-
ton to the outcry against me through the
press, which charged that | had lost many
more men during the siege of Atlanta
than had General Johnston during his
campaign; and as he was the Adjutant-
General of Gen. Johnston, desired to
know from him the entire loss from all
causes during the retreat from Dalton to
Atlanta. He at once replied that he
could not give me the exact figures, as
Gen, Johnston had with him all the
books, records, etc., in Macon, but that
we had twenty-five thousand men; and
that we had when at Adairsville, 81, 900
fifty-three thousand infantry. Two of
my staff officers, Capt. John Smith and
Lieut.. E. B. Wade, happened to be pres
ent at the time, and gave me, whilst these
facts were fresh in their memory, the fol-
lowing affdavits;
Houston, TEXAS, June 81, 1860.
Il certify that on or about the 10th of
September, 1864, Major Kinloch Falco-
ner Assistant Adjutant General, Army Of
Tennessee, reported officially, in the pres
ence of Lieut.. E. B. Wade, Abide
Camp, Mr.. Jas H. Haggerty and myself,
to Gen. ]. B. Hood. at Lovejoy Station,
Ca, 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 stated