Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-13

Army Of the Potomac. including Sheridan's
cavalry and Burnside's command. had been
Killed. 1921; wounded. 3S,SS9; captured or
missing, S,966; total, 1926. The services OF
all the men included in these figures we're
not, however, permanently lost to the army.
A number of them were prisoners who were
afterward exchanged, and many had been only
slightly wounded. and we're soon ready for
duty again. Some were doubtless counted
more than once. as a soldier who was
wounded In a battle twice, and afterward
killed, may have been counted three times in
making up the list Of casualties. whereas the
army had really lost but one man.
The losses OF the enemy have never been
ascertained. No precise Information on the
subject has been discovered. and not even a
general statement can be made Of his casual
ties. In a few Of the battles Of this campaign
MS losses were greater than the losses suf-
Tered by the union troops; In the greater
part OF the battles they were less. Our re-
Inducements had amounted to just about the
same number as the losses. 1t was estimated
from the best sources of information that
Lee had also received endorsements equal
to his losses, so that the armies were now
Oh ABOUT the same size, as when the cam
paign began.
All the reinforcements organized in the
north and reported as on their way to the
front did not reach us. There was a good
deal OF truth in the remark reported to have
been made by Mr.. Lincoln; 1--WE get a
large body OF reinforcements together, and
start them to the front; but after deducting
the sick. the deserters, the stragglers and the
discharged, the numbers seriously diminish
by the time they reach their destination. It's
like trying to shovel fleas across a barnyard
you don't get 'em all there"
TWO OF GRANTS ANECDOTES.
General Porter gives the following anec-
dotes that were related by Grant at the head
quarters mess.
Il was with General Taylor's command in
Mexico when he not only failed to receive
endorsements but found that nearly all his
regulars were to be sent away from him to
join General Scott. Taylor was apt to be a
little absent-minded when absorbed in any
perpleXing problem, and the morning he re-
ceived the discouraging news he sat down to
breakfast In a brown study. poured out a cup
or coffee, and instead of putting in the SUI
gar, he reached out and got hold of the
mustard pot and stirred half a dozen spoon
RUS OF its contents into the coffee. He did
not realize what he had done till he took a
mouthful, and then he broke out in a tower
ing rage.
1--WE learned something at Shiloh about
the way In which the reports of losses are
sometimes exaggerated In battle. At the
close of the first days fight Sherman met a
colonel of one of his regiments with only
about 100 of his soldiers in ranks, and said
to him, Why, where are your menu The
colonel cast his eyes sadly along the line,
wiped a tear from his cheek, and replied in
a whimpering voice: we went in 500 strong
and that's all that's left of us You don't
tell me! exclaimed Sherman, beginning to
be deeply affected by the fearful result of the
carnage. Yes said the colonel; the rebs
appeared to have a special spite against us.
sherman passed along some hours after
wards. when the commissary was issuing
%rations, and found that the colonel's men
were returning on the run from under the
bank of the river, where they had taken
shelter from the firing; and in a few minutes
nearly all of the lost 700 had rejoined, and
were boiling coffee and eating a hearty meal
with an appetite that showed they were still
very much alive"