The National tribune., 1891-11-05
FALsITYING HISTORY.

than Senator VIM. T. Bate was orator Of the
day, and this man, who has been Governor
of Tennessee and sat for four years in the
United States Senate. gave the sanction Of
his high official position to as wicked falsi-
fications of history as ever have appeared in
the rankest rebel journals. He began by
repeating the stale old lie:
There were but about 100000 soldiers. all arms.
/ ia the Confederate army. We were met with an
army Of 25s9.0O0, nearly five to one and not
withstandng inadequate numbers, let the
world know we faced for four years 2.750,Doo men
with a heroism never equaled by any nation be-
! fore.
II is amazing that n man OF Senator Bates
position and record should utter what no
one knows better than he cannot possibly
be true. He was q Maior-General in the
Confederate army, and during the war and
since it has always been in n position to
/ know the exact facts connected with its his
tory. Therefore, there can be no excuse for
his not knowing that, from first TO last, the
rebels had at least 100000 men in the field,
against which were opposed not more than
100000 Union soldiers, making the pro-
portion in favor of the latter but as four is
to three-ridiculously small for an invading
army. As we have explained before, while
the number Of eHlistmeRts in the Union army
was 2S59,l32, this included every enlist
ment for three months, six months 100
days, etc. A vast number of men enlisted
twice, for three months and three years;
hundreds of thousands veteranized, and so
were counted twice; and great numbers en-
listed three times, many four times 1t was
possible for those who went into short-term
regiments 10 serve ont five enlistments.
Therefore, 100000 individuals is but fair
estimate for a total Of 2,S59132 enlistments.
Again, Senator Bate says:
From Chickamauga we pass TO Missionary
/ Ridge-an Inflated spot for Here we were
routed but II bad TO be top OF hill 10 fight
infantry. where you cannot place your artillery
/ 10 make IL available. Ia this engagement we had
marched from Chattanooga. and yet they crow
over a victory where there were three to one
against US. Look further.
This is quite different tune from that
which JEFF Davis sang a short time before
the battle, when he surveyed the beleag-
uered Army Of the Cumberland from the
summit of Lookout Mountain and tele-
graphed TO Richmond that nothing could
prevent its capture and destruction. Gen.
Bragg's official report for Oct. 3l-three
weeks before the battle-gave the following
returns Of the infantry and artillery:
Effective total present.. 1896
Aggregate 65.6O0
Pieces Of l6O
Besides this, he had 1000 cavalry guard
ing his flank and threatening our long
cracker liue'
Dec. 1O-two weeks after the fighting, and
with Longstreet still absent in East Tennes-
see Bragg gives the strength Of his artillery
and infantry as follows:
Present Tor DUTY 45bJD
Aggregate present - 753
Aggregate present and abseni............. ll3 253
Pieces Of III
lie had this many yet, though he mad LOST
1000 prisoners in the fighting on Lookout
Mountain and Mission Ridge, over 1000 Of
his men had deserted TO us besides Those
who had gone home and his losses in killed
and wounded were quite heavy.
The official returns Of the Union troop.
present for duty equipt" at aud about
Chattanooga Nov. 2O-four days befor,
the battle,-show:
L. II IL q