The herald., 1895-12-15
TO THE EDITOR

lThe Herald under this heading prints com
munications. but does not assume respoivi-
bility for the sentiments expressed.l
EDITOR HERALD: In reply to the article
entitled, "Who was responsible for the
death of prisoners during the civil war?'
by John Shirley Ward, wish to say:
have no desire to criticize the treatment OF
Union soldiers in Southern prison pens, or
to hold any one responsible for their bad
treatment. Had Mr.. Ward not depressed
from his subject should not have answered
his communication. The subject of the
treatment of our prisoners should he
buried in oblivion. | am thoroughly con-
WINGED that if the brave soldiers in the
Confederate army had known the exact
condition of our prisoners at Anderson
vile they would have divided their scanty
rations with them, if it had been possible
for them to do so. Heartlessness and
cruelty are foreign to brave soldier, and
we all know that the soldiers of the Con-
iederate army were gallant and brave men,
They were Americans. The fact, however.
that the Union prisoners suffered for want
OF medicine, food and shelter. and even
healthy water, and that in consequence
they were sick, emaciated, and many OF
them insane, and unable to take their
places in the ranks of the Union armies, is
incontrovertib,e. On the other hand, the
Confederate prisoners had plenty of medi-
cine, good food. and were in condition to
join the ranks of their own army
as soon as exchanged. These
facts may have had some weight
with Secretary Stanton as we'll as with the
war department of the con iederacy. Mr..
Ward says: This military necessity
grew out of the fact that, whereas the
south had enlisted in her armies 100000
soldiers, the north only had 2,77S,3O4
soldiers on her roles" In ,Appleton's
Annual Cyclopedia $50, find total en-
listments = ,653,062, IA discrepancy in Mr..
Wards statement of 125,242; of those
1915 we're enlisted for three months
only, 105 1876 were enlisted for six months
and 3O9,5l7 enlisted for one year. A
great majority of those men re-enlisted; by
so doing they merely extended their time
of service.
On May 1,1s64, we had an aggregate
strength of 970,7l0 men, of whom $751;
345 were present for duty. lSee CYCLIC
pedia of 1868, page 80.
During the war of the rebellion, the
union troops took and held large portion
of the southern states. Our lines OF conmu-
nication had to be strongly protected; our
supplies were transported Tor several
hundred miles through the enemy's
country; many thousand men were re-
every man, woman and child in the south
was liable to act as spy on our move
ments. The enemy took strong positions,
as at Fredericksburg, Lee crossed north of
the Potomac twice. the first time
he remained thirteen days and
lost about 10000 men-( whore?)
the second time he remained seventeen
days and lost about 10000 men. This III
itself is instructive to one who desires to
study the advantages or disadvantages of
an offensive or defensive war.
Again Mr.. Ward says: WAS not this
the day of all the days i'll the year when
general, for three days on inaccessible
heights, with $4,000 men had hardly held
at bay an army of $4,000"
Mr.. Ward is here undoubtedly referring
to the battle of Gettysburg, and the day
which he extols SO highly was July 4, 1865,
do not see the force of his argument in
fixing the responsibility of the suffering of
the prisoners by stating that the Union
army of $4,000 posted on inaccessible
heights had hardly held at bay an army
of $4,000. do not understand this state
ment of Mr.. Wards, unless it be to ener-
gize and keep alive the almost forgotten
boast that lone Southern man could whip
five Union soldiers any time, for ii is ell
tirely outside of his original proposition,
to wit:-responsbility of the death
of prisoners during the civil war.
We acquit Mr.. Ward of any refer
ence for this purpose, as 1t would fail TO
illustrate any point n his predicate. and
treat it as an Il fortunate reference to sub
ject not under discussion. and only notice
il for the purpose of correcting an impress
sion under which he seems to labor as to
the strength of the two armies at Gettys-
burg.
When Mr.. Ward speaks of the great
gallantry and soidierly bearing of the con-
federate army he has my sympathy and
hearty concurrence. They were Ameri-
cans, and | am proud of their gallant
deeds, but when he draws invidious COM
parsons and tries 10 extol the confederate
army at the expense of the northern army
| take exceptions. From where does Mr..
Ward get his figures of the strength of
Lees army at Gettysburg? The muster of
Lees army of June 30. 1868 is not in en-
istence. He had nine divisions of infantry
and the muster of Rhodes division only is
on record. This was mustered at Carlisle,
Pa, June 30, 1868 and had aggregate
present 9,09S. Now il that was an aver
age then his infantry strength at Gettys-
burg was 81 $50. Pendleton's artillery
5.o32, twenty-three regiments of cavalry.
400 men in the regiment 300. would give
96,6l1. See records of the Rebellion Ser
ial No. A. page 564. Lees army mus
tered July 81, 1868, 53.2S6 Serial No. "A,
page 342. Add to this his losses at Get
tysburg and his losses by desertion and it
would bring it to about % 900.
The roll IN the adjutan t-generals Office
shows the names of = ,227 men captured
at Gettysburg. See Serial No. Al of Rec
ords of the Rebellion, page 346.
My conclusions as to the strength of
Lees army are at least logical and fairly
stated. If Gen. Rhodes division was be-
low the average, then my estimate is too
high if it was above the average then my
estimate of the strength of Lees army is
too high. The records, however, show that
he had 179 regiments of infantry, % regi-
ments of cavalry and 80 batteries of ar
tillery.
Mr.. Ward says; The Union army was
posted on Inaccessible heights On the
night of June 2ath General Lee ordered a
concentration of his forces at Gettysburg
about the same time General Meade order
ed a concentration of his army at Pipe
creek, some fifteen miles southeast of Get
tysburg. Neither general knew where the
other genera. was concentrating. General
Meade, to cover his movements from the
enemy, swung his left wing, under General
Reynolds, through Gettysburg. General
Buford found few Confederate cavalry
men in Gettysburg, drove them out on the
Chambersburg road, and about two miles
west of Gettysburg struck the advance of
Heths division, and held this posi-
ton till General Reynolds brought up
the First corps, and that opened the
first days fight, in which the whole of
Ewell S corps became engaged, and two
divisions of Hill : corps, making over half
the Confederate army upwards Of 10000
men. 70 this force the Union forces
hrOupht into action the First porpe and