The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-10-29

sumo, was intended 20 cover only the artillery
aud infantry absout o. not engaged. which
differs materially from my own estimate. which
is as follows:
Headquarters guard ................... $50
hag"Hers garrison Ht ta.iauuo 2o6l
Cobur e Brigade at Murrec-buru. ......... 9s-
~ Mlo. Eugiueers ..........-. 675
Iosts Brigade. train EUHId estimated ....., 800
Artillery kcecrTe az Na-hvii. BOG
ofMicl,igan Eng .uccrsal Elk River. II
Dan Mcgooks Brigade AL Ru-svlic t1sti-
ui3ieHl ,-s.. 500
Ell Mich. iuf, train guard le-timacd) ....... 400
Tolal...................................... g.8Il
The entire cavalry force present consisted Of
two divisions The FiIsi comprising DO and the
Second eight regiments The First Division
makes no report Of ITS strength. The Second
Division reports It's strength at ls13 which
would make AN average Of 23i 10 the regiment.
Assuming the regiments 0i the First Division TO
have been OF the same average strength would
make the strength Oi the First Division , $40 or
the entire strength OF the cavalry a2l3 The
entire loss sustained by the cavalry was -
killed. 1876 wounded, aud 300 missing Part OF
this loss occurred in skirmishes aud rec0nnOis-
sauces during tho week preceding thc battle:
part oH the lsth, the day before the battle.
~ resisting the enemy'z crossing al Reeds
Bridge aud part on the 2Oth ia guarding fords
and truins No part OF ID can be said TO have
occurred iH the battle proper ID seems 10 me,
therefore, that In making calculation OF the
per cent OF loss, the loss Of the cavalry should
BIG deducted from the to,al losses and The cav
airy should be eliminated entirely from the
force lighting the battle proper This would
leave the force engaged as follows:
Infantry aud artillery per field returns
I, 49, o'ooi
return 1884
Ioill infantry and artillery ............... g. 2I7
But it must be borne IN mind that from
Sept 10 70 Sept - the army Was marching
and counteFmarchiup part OF the time CAV and
night. During this timC there would Doe some
details that would transfer men from the
present FOR duty equipped 10 the extra or
daily duty or " detached column of tbe re-
port, aud some mon would fall out from sick
ness Oh exhaustion, or other cause. II this
Ehrinkape amounted % bun man 10 tile COM
panE, OF ID mCH 10 thr regiment h would have
amounted % about ,5HJ men Ia the az rcrate
Considering the Further fact that practically
You hetcr get into aciiau as many men as Your
morning report shows present FOR duty
equipped 81 seems 90 mc that > 600 would not
BE au unreasonable deduction to cover the
GhrnEagc from all these causes. This would
leave my estimate o. the infantry aud artillery
telnaifN engaged. OF un tHc field. di2l1
DedgctIug tie loss OF The cavalry from the
aggregate loss b ieayes The per cent. Of loss OF
Tie infantry and artillery a. follows:
~ e.i''' hii'e '..-..,...,..... 3
wounded ...s... Id
ehiduicd aud missing ...................... so
Total. -........... .................... 5lI
But hat be there ihai iU5ilHc- tie a..amp-
tlon tHat but 10000 troops actually took Dart
on Tue lhlon side ln fighting the battle II
6ettl sfurgY Tho returns OF the ARMY gf the
Potomac for june aU tho dav before .-r rgm.
meheemcut Of The bale. SHOW us strength
present Tor duty equipped 10 BE- as lulluws:
lHihitiA ....,... ............. r. gIs
Ni''. '-''''''''..'' '......., C6g2
Toa infantry aud artillery. .............. "a g.0
e"N'ii9 '''''-'-'''.'..' - 4l
o. 0lt
III You have omitted the cavalry from tie
force engaged, you should also have deducted
the ias- 20 The cavalry lTom tic aggregate .J--rg
an aware that Gen. Iuut. iu au elaborate
article ou the battle Of Ge-tysburg in gEs C,B-
iug Sass this return b. worth hide cxceft AS
basE iAi guessing lhs certainly must be
hh uhtraeffea censuI Oh the administration of
TIC army oi ihc Potomac, lis returns must he
worn s1metAinR moro than that The future
hlhi8i hh Will hardly treat them $50 C0utrmD.u-
onalE A comparison Of The severity Of
lUssr f % hU made between tlc tv0HFUia4 I.
ltglN. just or fair t8 bold the ARMY al Tic
Aumb. taha responsible flr having put into
action every man shown 10 Do 90 Urr-rnt f,r
duty equipped by % field return made pipe
dave before The battle, aud TO deduct q 900
ron tae elective strength OF The Army oil the
Folomac aa shown b. lia return made lue day
bciuil l..e LattIef
That yoaT estimate Of 10000 g. grossly mac.
clfah tHc That ilIc rrtuw from June 3D. Is
substantially correct, think s. shown by the
lolioNiuR facts. The morning report oil the
Army ni the Potomac for the morning of .JuIv
9 shows the following present aud elective
strength.
lAihlilf -.s'.''.'' 81 g27
HAt'.'s .''--'-.' 'sr... .,........,,.... asI-
Ta'al.--.- ......~............., .......... 56Ill
~ WaflnP this report Tor The morning Of
July a tle First Second Fluh aud Eleventh
Corps report these numbers "a present FOR
ouLA lhe ahitd Corps ts effective strength"
hua ilr Twelfth Corps o. 4" lUr duty ppufupal %
Tie lae. that Tie different corps gave these
uihcIthl headings 10 tuCIT reports, would soum
10 luolnIir that they were not made on the
usual printed blanks. when we consider the
TIME AHa circumstances under which they were
MADE Hd that they were thus yaiIously
hSanes. can laeTe he alN reasonable doubt that
theg were intended u1 reports oil the lighting
htfehslH % lAe army tIru presetg from
the entire Toss boa Killed wounded aud missing
We deduct li4e entire Joss ol iIIr cavalry which
Wa o., "e have ~ The loss oil tic infantry aud
artillery 22lah The missing embraced iu
tAh report oi losses was INTENDED 10 include
only iIt captured, aud corresponds very nearly
Will ihe number Of prisoners claimed 10 have
been taken by The enemy. by this showing
We ha fes
lninHi1y mad artillery present JUy a...... B6 I8a
Aniahtis hHh artillery lost in the action - "a Ig7
1o'a'. rs .s3C
In tiiia there may be q slight Duplication. ns
some a. thc slightly wounded may be included
ln the report Of the wounded aud also Of Tie
force present FOR duty" on the morning of
guly q This, as compared with the return of
sune 80 shows discrepancy OF 5,56t Every.