The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-02-10


$50, pages 365 aud $40; Wrighps was 634,
pages $50 and SS1, and 'Mahores loss was
Ais, pages 371 10 BIT. Armis'ead gives only
q partial statement Of bis loss-taking 1t ut
$50 and we will have the loss in Huger's di-
vision 2,129. The1oss In Holiness division
was 81, in Stuart's cavalry, II, and in the re-
serve artillery, "A. The whole soss sums up
as follows: Longstreeps division, ,429; a.
P. HilPs division, 1910; Hugei'S division,
2,129; JacksoD's command, 6, 721; Magru-
der's command, 1926; Holiness division,
81; Stuart's cavalry, II; reserve artillery
Al. Total, 1857.
Mr. SWinton, the author of the History
OF the Armv Of the Potomac" examined
the Confederate returns 10 the Archlye once
at Washington. and in June, 1867, published
an abstract from them showing the strength
of our armies at various times. HIS STATE
ment shows that there were PRESENT. rduty
in the Department OF Northern Virginia al
the end of July, 1862. 69,559 meu aud
officers. This included not only all the com.
mands which had been at the battles around
Richmond, except Daniels brigade OF llttle
over 1900 men, " nch had gone back, out
also the brigade of Evans, which had ar.
rived. and Drayton's If 1t bad arrived,
"a well as the F. rty-seventh and Ferty.eighth
Alabama regiments, which had arFiEeo
aud been attached TO 'Taliaterro,s prlsaue )
Robertson's cavalry brigade OF tnree regi,i
ments. which had ebme from the Valley; all
the wounded at Williamsburg, Seven zines,
in the Valley. and the seven days battles,
who had returned 10 duty; the conya!escents
returned from hospitals, and prisoners VINO
| NAV have been exchanged under the cartel
then recently adopted. Add the effective
force for duty the last OF July to the killed,
wounded, and missing in the battles, and We
have All aggregate of S9,11G. Certainly Cen
eral Lees army, at the beginning OF the bat
ties, could not have exceeded this number;
very certain that more than 10000 men mad
come to the army after those battles.
l think this exhibit ought TO establish
conclusiyely, to any candid mind, that Gen
eral Lees army, at the beginning Of the bat
reply to Co'oiel Marshall you say :: 9 Colo
mel Marshall says, on The evidence Of su5se-
quent returns, that the troops of Holmes,
Ripley, and Lawton, amounted to but
II, SG6 men. This is not evidence to be- put
against the statements of those officers
Now, the returns which Colonel Marshall
are the coutemporaDeous reports of those
officers themselves, made under circum-
stances which imposed on them the very
highest obligations TO be accurate Certainly
you must admit that their statements in
writing, made when the events were fresh
in their minds, are OF higher aathority than
oral statements when they did not speak
from the record. The pamphlet copy. of
Colonel Marsha's address, which / send
you, explains, in note, the facts
in regard to Holiness command, and
shows, i think, how you might have
been led into error ia regard TO his force
You are likewise mistaken in assuming that
McCfellan's army was increased by 10000
after Seven Pines. His report, page IL,
shows that on the Goth Of April, 1862, he had
4.725 officers and 04,G10 men for duty-iu
all 100 335; and that OH the 10Th Of June he
had 665 officers and 101, 100 men-in all
1O5, S25 for duty. Dix's command never
joined him. II was the same command
which Wool had at Fortress Monroe when
we were at Yorktown. The only change
made 10 its status was the assignment of Dix
to the command, on the 1st of June, 1862, in
the place Of Wool. with orders to report to
Mcclellan ; but no part Of DiX's command
Joined Mcclellan. The only accession Nc.
| Clellan had after Seven Pines and before the
| battles was McCaul's division, 9,5l4 strongj
aud it did not make up Tor the losses in bat
tie and by sickness. General Lee GER
tainly received accessions, including Jack
sons command, to the extent Of about
| %, 600 men; and when the seven days
BATTLES began, the disparity between the
forces had been diminished, as well by the
decrease Of McClellan's army rs by the in
crease Of General Lees. One strong reason
why the attack could not be made sooner,
was because jackson could not be withdrawn
| from the Valley sooner. He came as soon
after Port Republic as was practicable, it be-
! Ing necessary so to battle and deceive the ene-
nv as to prevent the union of McDoIel's force
| with that of Mcclellan. In showing, there.
| fore. that the accession to General Lees ar
my was not as great as you suppose, there
can be no imputation upon his capacity as a
general. On the other hand, at least one
writer has seized hold Of your estimate OF
General Lees force and endeavored to
prove that he was Incompetent to- COM
mand great army in the field. He assumes
from the data given by you that General Lees
army numbered at least 100000 men, while
McCeIIn bad only 100000. Certainly,
if that were true, it would detract very
much from the credit generally accorded
the great commander Of the Army Of Moth
ern Virginia, for the relief Of tire Confederate
capital from the siege of 1862. If General
Lee had more men than Mcclellan hud it
would be impossible to explain Why he did
not destroy the army of the latter. Hence it
is that we, who were so long connected with
that army, feel it incumbent On us to place
the real facts before the world whenever they
are Incorrectly stated. In doing so we'feel
that We are doing no wrong to any, for the
fame Of all our armies and their commanders
must rest upon their own deeds, and that OF
none can be enhanced by depreciating others,
or diminished BY giving credit to those who
are deserving of it. Every soldier Of the
Army Of Northern Virginia who has not
proved a renegade, feels that he has personal
interest in the fame Of its great commander,
and when error is propagated in regard
to his campaigns and his history, we
all feel that We have q right, nay,
that there is a solemn duty incumbent on US
to challenge it, from however high source
it may come, or By whatever motives it may
be prompted In cherishing such senti-
ments in regard to him we so long followed,
we still can and do feel just pride in the
fame OF those who preceded him, and there
is no true soldier OF the Army Of Northern
| Virginia who would desire to pluck one leaf
| from the chaplets that adorn the brows OF
our comrades OF the other Confederate
armies or their leaders. ] accept most
readily and cheerfully the assurance given in
ISyour reply to Colonel Marshall, as we'll as in
your private letter to me. of your regard for
the fame of General Lee and Of the absence
of all desire TO diminish it. know that he
recprocated most heartily the sentiments OF
esteem you express, and am sure that, If
| among us, he would froWn most Indignantly
| imam anv effort IN enhance his own reputa-