The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-10-10
AT CEDAR MOUNTAIN.
Strength of Various Regiments Engaged in
that Conflict.

that C0DnICt.
FDIToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In the
issue of your paper for Aug %, in answer TO
VIM. nj. Newcomb, you say you are unable
TO give The strength of the various regiments
engaged at Cedar Mountain.
In April, 1885, there was published in
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE description OF
the part taken in the battle by Banks's
troops, written by myself, in The preparation
of which / took great pains TO ascertain the
strength Of the various commands engaged
in that action belonging to Banks's Corps.
From that article / make the following ex-
tracts:
First Division (Williams's), First Brigade
(Crawford's), had four regiments-46th Pa,
Col. Jos f. Knipe, % officers. 4sl men, on
the right; 2Sth n. Y, Col. Dud CIV Donnelly,
Is officers, 339 men; 5th Conn, Col. George
ID. Chapman, 81 officers, 424 men 10Th Me-,
Col George L. Beal, % officer, 435 men
making total effective strength present in
the brigade of SO officers and 1879 men.
Two companies of the 5th Conn. and one
company of the 25th n. Y. were detached
for other duty on that day.
There was no Second Brigade in the First
Division at this time.
Goidon's Third Brigade of Williams's
Division had Cuihran's Battery NJ, LIST \. Y.
L. A. of three-iBch rifles, and three regi-
ments of infantry-the I'd Mass. Col. An
drews; Sd Wis, Col. Ruger; and 9th Ind,
Col. Colgrove; and one company of " Zoo
Zoos" Capt. Coils, attached TO the I'd Mass.
Gordon had less than 500 men, exclusive
of artillery.
Gen. Augur's (Second) Division had three
brigades-the First, Brig.-Gen. John W.
Geary, had the 9Th Ohio, Coz. Patrick; 9TH
Ohio, Col. Creighton; 29th Ohio, Capt. Ste
vens; and Goth Ohio, Col. Candy Total
enlisted men, including Knap's Battery,
1,12l.
The Second Brigade, Brig-Gen. Henry
Prince commanding, was composed of a
battalion of the Sth and 18th u. S., Capt.
Pitcher; 102d n. Y, Maj. Lane; 109th Pa,
Col. Shamrock; 111th N. Y, Maj. Walker
Sd Md, Col. Dewitt, and 4th Me. battery.
Total enlisted men, ABS.
The Third Brigade, Brig. Gen. George S.
Greene had the 18th N. Y; bal TALON of
District Columbia Volunteers; aud the 9th
Me. battery-157 enlisted men. Total en-
listed men OF the Second Division present,
3013.
Estimating 20 officers for each regiment
and battalion, and five for each battery,
which is liberal estimate, and we have 235
officers, which gives grand total of 3,24S
officers and men in that division. There
were present in the field, belonging to the
First Division, the batteries OF Best, Goth
ran and Roemer, not included in the returns
of that division. Calling the strength of
these batteries 100 officers and men each
would give Banks 6Sl5 officers aud men
of infantry and artillery present at Cedar
Mountain, and not over 1000 cavalry, or
5000 men of all arms.
/ am satisfied that the strength of Banks g
force, present for duty on the field. was
within the above limit After the publica-
ton of my article, had considerable CORE
spondence with the ex-Coniederate soldier
and historian, Col. VIVA. Allan; and after /
had given him the details from which |
made my estimate Of the strength of Banks
he frankly wrote me that he was satisfied
my estimate was substantially correct.
/ have no details as 10 the effective force
of McDowell's Corps, as they did not come
up till the engagement WIS over. and their
total loss Excluding the cavalry WAS one
officer and one man killed, six officers and
"a men wounded, and 20 men missing; and
the brigade of Bayard, which, in the return
Of casualties is placed as in the Third Corps
Ahbbo"Sl ~, was Win US during the entire
action, and is included in the total strength
of Banks's force.
If Comrade Newcnmb will consult Rebel.
lion Records, Vol XII, part 2, he will find
reports from every part of the forces that
were engaged in the battle of Cedar Mount.
ain, and from those he can draw his own
conclusions.
j have many reports that have not beer
mn h1ished TO my knowledoe and MANY let
tiers from officers and men, both "blue and
gray" who were engaged in that hard
fought action.-H. A. TRIP, Co. +, 10th
Me, Crawford's Brigade, Williams's Division
GAINESVILLE, Mimi.