The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-02

ARMIES BEFORE nIcHMoND-THE OFFICIAL
CONFEDERATE FIGURES.
To rsx EDITOR THE WASHINGTON Posr:-
In the reported interview between Mr.. j. Russell
Young, OF the NEW YORK HERALD, and General U. s.
Grant, upon the subjec. OF the recent war ana the
character OF certain Confederate generals General
Grant Is represented saying that tho relative forces
OF the federal and Confederate s.ntss anout
nearly Tho same.
In the interest OF truth and historic accuracy /
have the liberty enclose herewith for puolca
tion extract from Major ". Tayers "Four cars
with General Lce, embracing tho oflcai report
OF the aggregate OF all arms Of the army under
General Leo from the Wilderness to Cold Hnrbor,
ana The aggregate OF troops employed by General
Grant from Inc RApidsn to the James In insuiutins
Comparison between tho scneraish OF tho Two CON-
mandsrs ssa The ngntng qualities OF the two armies
the umsrca strength OF each becomes the frat poiut
for consideratoD, and the fact mentioned W General
Grant that the negroes TOOK the place OF the whites
the farms thus enabling The majority VI the male white
population TO take up arms bearing wha,cvsr
upon The result Of battle between Two determined
forces or tho military characters and gcnerasnip OF
The commnndsrE Major ray Ior says-..It has been
that at the CONNIE nccmept 81 this extraordinary
campaign the effective strength OF the army under
General Lee was u 900 men aud that under General
Grant 14l, l60 men. the only reinforce.
nents received by General Lee were ~ FOL.
lows:-Nesr Hanover Junction lac was Joined by "a
small force under General Breckenridge from Souih-
western Virgins, 200 strong, aud Pckeis division
Of Lougstreets tFIrsD corps, which had Deeu on DO.
tachcd service In North Carolina; Hoke's brigade
OF Early's division, LOO s,roOs. which had
boon ON as,aened DUTY al the junction,
here also rejoiusd It's division. and at Cold harbor
General Lee received the DIVISION oi Gsaeral Hoko
also, Just from North Carolina, the Two divisions
(Pickeu's aud Hoks's) numbering ll,00o men. Tho
aggregate Of those reiuforcements 40O mcL) added
TO General Lees original strength, would ave ~ 400
the aggregate all troops engaged under him from
tho Wilderness TO Cold HarDor"
When At Spottsylvania Court House General Grant
reinforced from Washington, but can only co.,
lecture extent The federal Secretary Ot War
that tac cnief part OF the force designed TO
guard the Middle Department and the Department OF
Washington was called forward 10 the front (kcport
of thu Secretary OF War; fret session OF Thrtyninth
Congress, vol. L., lS65-6o, y. " At this time.' rnc
authority puts the effective strength OF these
two departments ON the 12tn oil May al 45.15l men
Ubd, pp. 6-6L OF which the chief part-let US say
50 000was sent the ard OF General Grant. AZ Cuid
Harbor he Joined by General W. f. smith, with tour
divisions taken IRON the Tenth and Eighteenth CORPS
numbering 10000 mon (Swinton's Army Of the
Potomac, D. 4s2l Adding these reinforcements TO
General Grants original strength We have 1872, LOO
mon as the aggregate OF the troops employed by HIM
his operations IRON the Rapidan to tho James The
federal loss the battles OF the Wilderness Spottsy
vania Norm Anna and Cold Harbor 10 put at "about
~, 700 msnp by MI Swinton IN his history OF the
sArny the Potonac." IL viii thus be that In
under General Lee ptcd against 1914 federal troops
under General Grant In the light oi tho results Of
those battles feel justified In saying tha had tue
respective forces Of the two armies sesn reversed,
instead of beng fetcd by crowned heads in Europe
and publishing TO tho world criticisms upon \ man
Grant would have ong since been rsisga,sd TO that
obscurty whence he sprang AT the commence ment Of
this war. A. Y. r g.
wAsIrsoroS, July 20, 1878.