The National tribune., 1885-06-11

During the six days OF combats, Lee mao infiicted
loss of % 900 men, ne many as he had in his whole
army on the field of Antetam.
1t was. perhaps the conclusive test Of the relative
prowess Of the Confederate and Federal troops.
During the over COO 600 men were enrolled
in the Federal armies, while all enrolled in ours
were something over 100000. We captured 10000
prisoners; they captured 10000 prisoners. Over
900 Confederates died in Northern prisons, while
$4,000 Federals died in Southern prisons. The
stoppage of the exchange of prisoners the making
medicines, etc, contraband of war and insufficient
food two years caused the loss of IS young
mems lives These were the most cruel war meas
ures of modern wars.
This reminds one Of What distinguished
man said awhile ago, after reading some
similar gasconade:
A few more years and few more books and it
will appear that Lee and Longsreet, and n one
armed Orderly, and casual with shotgun.
fought all the battles of the rebellion and killed all
the Union soldiers, except those who ran away.
In the first place, the rebel reports show
that Lee had at least 81, 900 muskets in line of
battle at the Antietam, without counting his
artillery and cavalry, which made the aggre-
gate in excess of $4,000, without counting
teamsters, hospital attendants, Quartermaster
details, etc, which were never counted in
the rebel reports, while they were carefully
included in our daily returns. In the next
place, the battle of the Antietam was really
fought by the First, Second, Ninth and
Twelfth Corps of the Army Of the Potomac,
which had, including teamsters, musicians,
cooks, etc, $1,000 men,-nOt a dispropor-
tionate number when it is remembered that
the rebels occupied q very strong position
and our men had to make the attack. Lee
reported that he lost 1O,291 on the banks Of
the Antietam, but Mcclellan reported that
he buried 300 rebel dead, which would
make Lees losses about $4,000. Mcclellan
reported his own losses as 10000
There is great discrepancy i'll the figures
given by various parties as to the losses sus-
tanned in the Maryland campaign, but one
thing is sure, and that is that Lee crossed
| the Potomac on the 4th of September at the
head of 10000 electives, but led back less
than half that many two weeks later. So
much for the conclusive test of the relative
proves of the Confederate and Union
troops"
Gen. Maury's other statements are even
| more erroneous. 1t is nonsense to talk of
there being but 600, 900 men enrolled in the
| Confederate armies. Every one who knows
anything at all about the war knows that
every able-bodied white man in the South
was in the army, and was kept there until
the surrender. With the population Of the
seeded States this meant an actual enroll
ment of nearly three times 100000 men.
Instead of there being 100000 rebels capt
ured there were 47G, 100, or more than twice
as many as Maury says. Instead of 100000
Union soldiers being captured there were
212,6 70, or $4,000 less than he reports. In
stead of 10000 Union soldiers dying in prison,
more than three times that many rofted to
death there At Andersonville there are
1874 graves, at Salisbury 1926, at Flor
ence 2,99S, at Danville, Va, 1927. at Rich
mond 6,542 Here we have 36,7O7 alone,
without counting the thousands of dead
prisoners at Charleston, Millen, Savannah,
Columbia, Macon, Cahaba, Montgomery,
Mobile, Blackshear, Jacksonville and Camp
Ford, of which no report has ever been
made.
1t is Unreasonable audacity for this man
to blame our Government for the loss of life
resulting from the barbarism of his Govern
ment toward the men it captured.