Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-08-21

NJ Il Al
would do the same. Longstreet delay
ed. He found that a force of the enemy
occupying high ground on their left
would take his troops in reverse as they
advanced.
Longstreet was then visited by Gen.
Lee, and they conferred as to the mode
OF attack. 1t was determined to adhere
10 the plan of attack by Longstreet, and
to strengthen him for the movement he
was to be reinforced by Heth's division
and two brigades of Pender's, of Hill's
corps. These, with his three divisions,
were to attack. Longstreet made his
and Gen. Lee went to our
centre to observe movements. The at
tack was not made as designed. Pickett's
division, Heth's division, and two
brigades of Pender's division advanced.
Hood and McLaws were not moved for
ward. There were nine divisions in the
army; seven were quiet, while two as
sailed the fortified line of the enemy
A. P. Hill had orders to be prepared to
assist Longstreet further if necessary.
Anderson, who commanded one of Hills
divisions, was in readiness to respond
to Longstreet's call, made his DISPOSE
lions to advance, but Gen. Longstreet
failed.
Had Hood and McLaws followed or
supported Pickett, and Pettigrew and
Anderson have been advanced, the de-
sign of the commanding general would
have been carried out-the world would
not be so at loss to understand avhat
aUds designed By throwing forward, I'M
supported, against the enemy's strong
hold, so small portion of our army
Had Gen. Lee known what was to hap
pen, doubtless he would have manoeuvr-
| ed to force Gen. Meade away from his
strong position by threatening his COM
munications with the east, as suggested
by -; but he felt strong enough to car
ry the enemy's lines, and believe sue
cess would have crowned his plan had
it been faithfully carried out.
AS previously stated, I obtained access
to the archieves ofthe War Department,
U. S. A., and have taken copies of the
original returns Of our army. On the
31st May our effective strength was 6S,-
352; but one brigade, Pettigrew's joined
the army after this, and to offset Petit
grew, COrse's brigade, of Pickett's divi-
sion, with one regiment of North Caro-
lima troops (of Pettigrew's brigade) re-
manned at Hanover Junction.
Pickett had but three of his brigades
at Gettysburg. am sure that the causes
already mentioned reduced Gen. Lees
effective strength at Gettysburg, includ-
ing Stuart's cavalry, to sixty.two thou.
sand men. Perhaps I had better &c
more into detail. The return alluded to
is the nearest to the invasion-indeed
made but few days before the army
advanced. The strength of the various
arms were as follows: Infantry, 81, 356
cavalry, 1886; artillery. 4,400-of al
arms, 6S, 352.
At the time of that return the army
was divided into but two corps or wings
one under Longstreet and the other
Jackson's old corps-under A. P. Hill
The former embraced four divisions
AcLaws', Anderson's, Pickett's, ant
Hood s-and the latter the same mum
Der, viz: A. P. HIPS, Early's, Rhodes
and Johnson's.
Just before we advanced the army wa'
reorganized into three corps-the frs
under LOngstreet, second under EWel1
and third under A. P. Hill. The frs
corps embraced the divisions of McLaws
Pickett, and Hood the second those o
, Early, Rhodes, and Johnson; and tn
third those of Anderson, Heth, and Pen
der.
The last two divisions of Hills corp
were formed by adding Pettigrew's bri
t gade, which had just then Joined tn
, army, and Davis Mississippi brigad
formed for him by bringing togethe
Mississippi regiments from mixed bri
3 gades) to the six which constituted A
: P. Hills old division, and dividing tn
D eight into two divisions of four brigade
each. The army remained the same a
to brigades, except Pettigrew's, as befor
mentioned, and received no additions
! re-enforcements from any source. o.
the Goth of July, 1868, after our return
elusive of the cavalry, of which no re
port is made in the return last mention
i ed. Allowing, 1872, fair estimate 70
e the cavalry, and the effective total of tn
: army on the Goth of July, 1868, was 40,
e 000-showing loss of 900 in the cam
paign.
: Concerning the strength of the Fed
e eral army, Gen. Meade testified befor
3 the Committee on the Conduct of tn
r War that he had little under 10000
s men in action. He also said that whel
he assumed command of the army, iron
returns shown him, he ascertained it
t strength to be 1O5, 900, including the 10,
/. 900 under Gen. French at Harper's Fer
s ry. Gen. Hooker, who was relieved bu
r a few days before the battle on the 27tl
0 of June, telegraphed to Gen. Halleck
"My whole force of enlisted men for dut,
e will not exceed 5000 men," Thi
q would make his effective total (officer
t and mem fully $4,000. This com
/, munication was sent to Gen. Halleck b,
: wire, and received at o'clock A. M
!. Later in the day he telegraphed from
: Sandy Hook concerning the troops a
Harper's Ferry II find 10000 men her
l in condition to take the field,n &c. Thi
r dispatch was received by Gen. Hallecl
{. at 2:55 P. M. It is evident that Gen
e Meade was in error in supposing tina
the returns showing the los, 900 enliste,
men of the Army of the Potomac in
), cluded the 10000 at Harper's Ferry. In
: Guiding the latter, Gen. Meade had lis,
600 to 122, 900 men under his command
e He ordered Gen. French to Frederick
:. with 1000 men from Harper's Ferry, t
/. protect his communications, and thu
e made available a like number of tn
r Army of the Potomac who would other
g wise have been detached for this service
, I put the Army of Northern Virginia a
!, $4,000 (infantry, $4,000; cavalry, 5000
artillery, 4,OOO-62, OOO) and the Army c
: the Potomac at los, 900 effective men q
T. Gettysburg. and believe these figures t.
I be nearly correct.
. THE MAN WHO WAS "BURNING u
= INSIDE. the excitement was q
J its height in Newark, Ohio, last week
a stalwart citizen felt the necessity O
:, bracing himself up. The mayor had OF
= dered the closing of all saloons an
!. drinking places, and the police had en-
! forced the regulations rigidly. But ther
was back door in Gingerbread row, an
behind the bar there was long-rang
lightning whiskey. The stalwart cit
. zen crept in, got his drink and beat
! retreat. Soon was overwhelmed wit
. burning sensations in his stomach
Something seemed to be blazing there
and he burst into DOCTORS Office ex
los Iic lro