Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-07
OF saying ridiculous things which
brought down the house.
Strength Of The Confederate Armies.
To The Editor Of The Dispatch:

~ '"N 6NtW " WV 1'"F
The questions of your correspondent
"S.:C. r." which you do me the honor
to refer to me, should have had a
prompter reply but for press of other
duties.
A strictly accurate statement OF the
number Of soldiers enrolled by the Con-
federate authorities, and the number
actually in service at different periods,
would involve more careful calcula-
tons and take more time than | can
now give to the subject. But | have
at hand authorities which give the num-
bers with sufficient approach to accu-
racy for all practical purposes. in
Volume VII. Southern Historical So
cisty P0pers pages 28G-290l there is
a correspondence between DR.. Joseph
Jones, Of New Orleans the then able
secretary Of the Southern Historical
Society and General ;. Cooper, the
distinguished Adjutant and Inspector
General Of the Confederacy. in which
the question Of numbers and losses of
the Confederate armies is very ably and
satisfactorily discussed.
Referring any who may desire more
detailed information to that correspond
ence, | will simply state that these able
and painstaking writers agree that = the
available Confederate force capable of
active service in the field did not during
the entire war exceed six hundred thou
sand (G00,000) men. OF this number
not more than four hundred thousand
40O,000) were enrolled at any one
time and the Confederate States never
bad in the field more than two hundred
thousand (200,000) men capable Of
bearing arms at any one time, exclusive
Of sick, wounded, and disabled"
In Volume II. Sout.erS Historical
Society Papers page 6-2D General
Fairly, in his able and complete reply to
the romance of General Adam Badeau
on " The Relative Strength of the Armies
of Lee and Grant" quotes corre-
spondent of the New York Tribune
believed to be William Swinton, author
Of The Army Of the Potomac &C.,
as saving that after careful estimate
Of the Confederate returns on file in
Washington, be jndges that six hun
dred thousand 900, 0U0) in all were put
into the Confederate service during the
period of the war" This confirms the
estimate of General Cooper and DR..
Joseph Jones. and cannot be far from
the truth.
We have more exact figures of the
numbers enrolled by the Federal Gov
eminent. Mr.. Stanton, Secretary OF
War, states in his report at the close
Of the war see Southern Historical
! Society Papers, Volume H., page %,
that the United States Government put
into service two million SIR hUndrcd and
! fGtV.sir HousaHd IRE huHdred Gpd NJ
| n-fLree men t2.Gj6,j53), and the more
accurately.compiled statement Of the
Adiutant-Gencral's Office at Washing
ton Isec Somh0R historical Socie'!
| PopDrs. Volume IX., pages l34-l36,
gives the quota furnished by each State
and Territory, and f0ots up the enor
nous aggregate of 1853, l52 of mer
actually furnished.
The United States, therefore, pu
Tito the field nearly dre times as manJ
m,n as the Confederacy could muster
If, then, with these immense odds II
their favor certain writer's in The Cen
tury, Mr.. Rossiter johnson in the New
York Examiner, and other "histo
rians " e. Of that ilk are to be be
lieved. and the Federal forces were
beaten by " overwhelming numbers
wherever re gained victory, thei
there was an amount of laundering
stupidity on the part Of the Federal au
thorities and their Generals with whicI
their harshest critics have never we
charged them.
The better explanation seems to b
that given by General Early: "Ou
men in gray had habit of so multi
plying themselves in battle that eacI
man always counted Sereral to the rAel
opposed to them"
Respectfully,
). WILLIAM JONES,
Secretary Southern Historical Society
Richmond, "a, February 70, 1856