Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-09-06

division aud two hrigades Of Pender's.
Of Hiils corps. These, with his three
divisions, were to attack. Longstreet
made his dispositions, and General Lee
went TO our centre to observe move
ments. The attack was not msde as
designed. Pickett's division, Heth's
division, and two brigades Of Pender's
division advanced. Hood and McLaws
were not moved forward. There were
mine divisions in the army; seven were
quiet, while two assailcd the fortified
line Of the enemy. A. P. Hill had or
ders 70 be prepared to assist Longstreet
|tHfl1 vie necessary. Andersen, who
commanded one Of Hills divisions, was
in readiness to respond TO Longstreet's
call, made his dispositions to advahee,
but General Lougstrce. told him i, was
Of no use-the attack had 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 not
be so at loss to understand what was
designed BY throwing forward, unsup-
ported. against the enemy's stronghold,
so small portion Of our army. Had
Gen. Lee known what was 10 happen
doubtless he would have manruvred
o 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
carry the enemy's lines, and believe
success would have Crowned his plan
had it been faithfully carried out.
AS previously stated, | obtained ac-
cess to the archives of the War Depart.
ment, U. S. A., and have taken copies
of the orr g,nal returns Of our army
On the 3lst Of May our effective
strength was SO, 352: but one brigade.
Pettigrew's, joined the army after this,
and to Offset Pettigrew, Corse's brigade.
Of Pickett's division, with one regiment
Of North Carolina troops {cf Pettigrew 5
brigade, remained a, Hanover Junction.
Pickett had but three OF his brisades
at Gettysburg. lam sure that the causes
already mentioned reduced Gen. Lees
effective strength at Gettysburg. includ-
ing Stuarts cavalry, to sixty two thcus-
and men. Perhaps l had better 60
more into detail. The return alluded
10 is the nearest to the invasion-in-
deed made but few days before the
army advanced. The strength of the
various arms were as follows: Infant
~, 54,356; cavalry, 1855; artillery,
4 ,460-of all arms, 6S, 322.
At TIE time OF that return the army
was divided into but two corps or wings
lone under Longstreet, and the other
Inckson's old corps-under A. P. Hill.
The former embraced four divisions,
McLaws's. Anderson $, Pickett's and
Hoods: and the latter the same num-
Der, viz: A. p. Hills, Eafly's, Rhodes S
and Johnson's.
Just before We advanced the amy
was recognized into three corps.-thc
first under Longstteet, second Under
Ewell, and third under A. P. Hill. The
first corps embraced the divisions OF
McLaws, Pickett and Hood; the Sec
ond those of Early, Rhodes and John
son, and the third those Of Anderson,
Heth and Fender.
The last two divisions Of H;lrs corps
were formed b. adding Pettigrew's
brigade, which had just then joined the
army, and Davis's Mississippi brigade
formed TOR him by bringing together
Mississippi regiments from mixed bril-
gadesl 10 the six which constituted A.
P. Hills old division, and dividing the
eigh. into two divisions of four brigades
each. The army renamed the same
as to br,sades, excep: Pettigrew's as
before mentioned, and received no ad-
ditional enforcement from any source.
On the Goth of July, 1863, after our re-
turn, the army numbered 41,3SS eifec-
tive, exclusive OF the cavalry, Of which
no report Is made in the return last
mentioned. Allowing 1914, a fair es-
innate for the cavalry, and the effective
total OF the army on the Goth of July.
1863. was 49.OO0-showing a loss OF
10000 in the campaign.
Concerning the strength Of the fed
eral army. Gen Meade testified before
the committee on the conduct of the war
that he had little under 100000 me,.
in action. He also said tina, when he
assumed command Ct the army, from
returns showed him, he ascertained It's
strength to be 105 900, including the
10000 under Gen. French at Harper
Ferry. Gen. Hooker, who was relieved
but a few days before the battle, on the
9th ofJune. telegrsphed to Gen. Hal
leck. MY whole force ofenlisted men
fer duty will not exceed 103 900 men,"
This would make his effective total (of-
fcers and mer) fully one hundred aud
twelve thousand. This communication
was sent to Gen. Halleck by wire, and re-
ceived at 9 clock, 4. NJ. Later in the
day he ,elegraPhed from Sandy Hook
concerning the troops q! Ha.pct's Fer
nv: ii find 10000 men here in condi.
ton TO take the field" SC. This dis
patch was received hy Gen. Halleck
at $50 M. II is evident that Gen.
Meade was in error in surprising that
the returns showing The i65, 600 enlist
ed men OF the army Of the Po'ortac in
cluied the 10000 al Harpsr's Ferry
Including the latter, Gen. Meade had
il5, 900 10 l2o 900 men ander his COM
msnd. He ordered Gen. French to
frederick with 900 men from Hsrpers
Ferry to protect his communications.
sud thus made available like member
Of the army Of the Potomac who would
otherwise have been detached for this
service. | nut the army Of Northern
Virginia st62 900; (inisntry 50. 0Qo. cav