Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-06-25
ABOUT THE ARMIES.

"A ID U III II IA IL III IL W
THE FORCES THAT FOUGHT THE
CIVIL WAR.
THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE.
TIE SOUTHERN VOLUNTEERS AND Con-
scRIPTs-RALLY OF THE NORTH AT THE
CALL OF PREsIDENT L1NcoLN-ORGANI-
zATIoN AND EQUIPMENT.
The surrender of Lees command at Ap-
pomattox, April 9, 1865, was taken as a
signal for all the distant forces to follow the
example. During the month of April aud
up to May 26, forces varying from 1000 to
10000, and amounting to nearly 10000
laid down their arms, the last being the
Trans Mississippi Army under E. Kirby
Smith. Smith surrendered about 10000
men on the 26th. On the 18th of April
Secretary of War Stanton ordered the en-
/! rollment of volunteers discontinued. The
dishandment of Union troops began April
80, three days after Johnston surrendered
to Sherman, and tho great armies of both
sides were soon reduced to masses of citi-
zens.
In April, 1851, the United States army
numbered about 10000 men. The force
comprised five regiments of artillery, six of
cavalry and nineteen of infantry, and was
broken up into small detachments and post
ed across the country from coast to coast.
The states that contributed to the Confed-
crate army were fourteen in number, and
their aggregate population, including
slaves, was about 10000 900. The states
of the Confe deracy we're eleven in number.
The northwestern counties of Virginia Sc
ceded from the old state and Joined the
| Union, and the eastern portion of Tennes-
see adhered TO the Union cause. The bor-
| der slave states, Maryland, Missouri and
Kentucky, supplied soldiers for both armies.
The population of the slave states included
about 1900, 900 slaves. and the free states
of the Union had population of about co.
100000 whites; The population of the
north was largely increased by serviceabls
material during the war through immigra-
| tion, while that of the south decreased
through the constant emigration of those
| subject to military duty who were not in
sympathy with the Confederacy.
After deducting the slaves and the white
population of the border states who did not
unite with the Confederates, and the re-
fugees, the south had probably less than
5, 1000, 900 people. and put abont 100000
men into the field, or at least had them un-
der arms. This estimate includes local
troops. The north, with it's 10000, 1000
population, to which should be added white
aud black refugees from the south who
contributed soldiers, and the immigrants,
put about 2, $50, 900 men into the fisId, and
at the close of the war had about that mum
ber of civilians subject to military duty.
When the war ended the north had about
1, 1000, 900 men in arms and the south sur
rendered about 175, 900. The south had a |
population from which to draw its armies |
amounting to about one. fifth of that of the |
north.
HOW IT WAS DONE.
South Carolina seeded from the Union |
December 20, 1860, and on the 9th and |
Both of that month Fort Moultrie, Castle |
Pinckney and the United States arsenal at |
Charleston were seized by the state author
ties of South Carolina. One after another
the remaining states, afterward forming
the Confederacy, seeded, and as far as
possible seized the forts and arsenals within
their borders. On the 4th of February
Confederate convention assembled at Mont
gomery, Ala, with delegates from South
Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Lou
isiana and Mississippi. Delegates from
Texas joined on Feb. IA. A provisional
congress was organized and a constitution
was adopted, with the election of Davis as
president. Davis appointed Leroy Pope
Walker secretary of war, and on March 1
Davis himself assumed military control of
affairs in the seeded states. The next step
was an act by the provisional congress es.
tablishing an army of 100 coo men.
One nf the nrOVigiouS made hv the Mont
gomery congress established regular army
of 10, 900 men, to be recruited from the sew
eral states and be well officered and equip
ped. The troops, which were organized
under the calls for volunteers and also un.
der tho later system of CONSUMPTION, retain
ed throughout their state designations.
At the outset the states which were
threatened WITH the war on their soil kept
their soldiers on an independent basis.
Beauregard, who was in command at Char
lesion harbor with force limited to 5000
men, had South Carolina troops, with few
volunteers from other states. He acted
under orders of the Confederate secretary
of war, and his command was known as the
Provisional Army of the Confederate
States, but the organizations under him
lima. At Pensacola, Fla, Bragg was over
numbered 5000 men, and was composed of
troops from Georgia, Alabama Mississippi,
Louisiana and Florida. Louisiana MAIN
tanned a state army and navy until after
the fall of New Orleans in 1862. Virginia
seeded April II, and r. E Lee was ap-
pointed major general of the state forces on
the 23d, and the organization of state
troops was carried On until June s, when,
by proclamation, the governor turned over
the state army and navy to the Confsder-
acy.
The great need of the Confederates was
arms and equipments and munitions. Large
quantities had been seized in the govern
me It arsepals located in the south. Still
there had not been large supplies at any
one point, and those seized we're not more
than would supply the local troops. The
muszets were chiefly old flint locks and
had to be changed to percussion caps before
they could be used. There were no arm
cries in the south for the manufacture of
small arms, the government mandatory
being at Springfield, Mass, and as a result
the Confederates were not thoroughly
equipped in this respect until they received
regular supplies from abroad. After that
time they had the advantage on many bat
tle-feda, for they we've equipped with new
English field rifles from the noted English
armory.
The first quota of volunteers called for by
the south, that of 100000 in April, 1861,
were to serve twelve months, and the vol
unteers under this call were the last that
eau be so called. The first few months was
the stage in which ''o-e eoutherner could
whip Eve Yankees" and, also, when the
current opinion in the south was that the
war ''won't be much Of fuss, only frol-
ic." Two OR three sharp battles changed
all of that. and after the first six months
the authorities we're never again harassed,
as they had been during the first thirty
days, by an over supply Of volunteers. Du-
ring the winter the soldiers whose camps |
were in the vicinity of their homes were
LII l.