The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-06-02

engaged would be 34,S8l.
The two great armies of the West |
nerved themselves for trial of their |
strength on the field of CbiCkamauga,
on tho 10th aud Goth of Sep ember. |
1868. The soldiers In both armies had |
had their baptism of blood at Shiloh and |
Stones River and Gettysburg, and were
veterans. The Federals were command.
ed by General Rosecrans, while his di.
visions were commanded by such dis
tinguished officers as Thomas, McCook,
Crittenden, Sheridan, Negley, Granger
and Stecdman.
The Confederatcs were commanded
by General Bragg, with Cleburne,
Chcatham. Stewart, Walker, Bushrod
johnson, Undman, Law, Preston,
Breckinrdge and Forrest as division
commanders.
After two days fighting the the Uuion
soldiers retired behind the walls ofChat-
tanOOga.
Rosecans in his report of September
10Th, 1868, the last made before the bat
ties. said he had G3, l43 electives, after,
dcductiny all dctachmcnts which were
absent (vol, 80, p, 2G0, official rccorCls). =.
In Oidcr to get absolutely correct sta
tist'cs Of Bragg'S army in this battle,
the writer has gone through the regi-
mental, brigade and division reports
made at the time, and they show that
Bragg had electives ofall arms, SO, l2i.
The abstract ofrcturns for Rosecram's
army on September Goth, the day after
| the great battle of the l0th, Is as fol-
lows: Present for duty, G., ,S77; present
equipped, G0,SG7.
If RI secrans had GO, ,SG7 equipped for
duty on the morning of the 2OLh, after
tl!e great losses of the day before, is it
not POSSIBLE that he had more than G3,-
lib ut the beginning of the fight?
| The scene now shifts to Virginia.
General Mcclellan, with the best organ
lied army seen since the days of Napo-
leon, advances on Richmond. Chicka-
hom'ny was an cntrenchcd camp from
Mcchanicsville to Malvern Hill. The
authorities at Washington urged McClel-
Ian on, but he would not move TIL he
had the best organized army in the
world to sustain him. There must be
no mistake about capturing the rebel
capital.
On the 2Gth of June the battle opened
on the right wing of Mcclellan, at
Mechanlcsville, by an attack by Hill on
the breast works of Fitz John = )rter.
Porter made brave fight, but no troops
could stand long with Hill assaillny
them in front and Stonewall Jackson in
the rear. They fell back on their next
supports and when these supports were
driven away they continued to fall back
Tor seven long bloody days, leaving bag.
gage, artillery and equipments to the
vlctors, till Malvern Hill was reached
and there they checked the Cont edera tcs,
iniiIct;ns on them great loss. till their
trains and artillery had so far passed
that they could tall back to IIarrson's
lIundln" on James river, some thirty
miles lurtner from Richmond than they
were on the first morning OF the battle.
The losses in these battles were enor-
nous on both sides. The Confedcrates
were in the main poorly armed, and as
| they assai!cd the enemy behind breast
| works their loss was much larger than
Lhe FCderals.
The COmptc de Paris, in his "Civil War
III America" volume 2. page &c gives US
General McClellan's army report for
June 20, 1862, six days before the battle
opened, and his total "prescnt" was l 81,
S38, while his present for dutyD was
| lis, l02.
According to tie most accurate stats.
tics obtainablc from the Coniedcrates.
| General Lees army ranged bctwern So.
oou ana $4,000, no estimate from regi-
mental returns making it over IS 600.
General Mcclellan, in his letter to- the
secretary OF war, July 3, 1862, SAYS: at
| Is impossible to estimate our losses, but
doubt whether there are today more
than 10000 men with their colors.n
II the report Of General McClellae of
June 20, 1862, is correct, then here are
ll5, lo2 Federal soldiers who, after fight.
IN" seven days against $4,000 to IS 600
Contcdcrates, find themselves thirty
miles iutthcr fro II Richmond than when
the battle commenced. Verify, this was
not one OF the battles when the Federals
fought against superior numbers.
At Antlctam, fought on September
Ism OF the same year, General McClcl.
IAN ha on, and near this battle field,
71,iG4 troops, and General Lee had 40
600 (scc Volume >, page COS, BATTLES
and l.caders.")
In the eighteen days of the Maryland
campaign, which includes IIarpcr's
tcrry, Lees army, never larger than
10000, fought battles Of South Noun.
tam, Crampton's Gap, Iarpcr's Ferry,
Sharpburg (Antietam) and Shepherds
town, losing in killed, wounded and
captured, ll.l72; while Mcclellan with
an army of 81. 600, lost-kllled, 2,GG2;
wounded, ll,7l9; captured. 13, ,494;
total of 27,S75 (see iolume |, page SiO,
Tor Confederate loss and same volume
Tor Federal loss.)
Lee retired his army to fredericksburg
on the south bank Of the Rappahannock.
and Mcclellan moved his army to the |
other side. Both armies went into win.
ter quarters. McClellan's head, like |
Pos'e's, had falleu under tie official axe
OF the war department, and Burn side |
was now the commander. Burnsidc's
army crossed on pontoons aud made
{ eycral heroic attempts to storm Mary's
Heights, but were driven back with
great slaughter.
burnside on December 18th had llG..
G83 present; Lee on December 9th had |
% 200 present (see volume 3. page l43,
= 'Battles and Leaders,"O; difference in
favor nf tbo Ea,lnro1, 100