The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-03-04

On the next page we have a report headed
as follows: Strength of the Army of Northern
Virginia, Gen. Robert L. Lee, G. S. Army, COM
handing, Feb. 28, 1865 as shown by inspection
reports"
This report omits the artillery, Iomax's
Cavalry Division, Brig. Gen. Walkers COM
mand. the unattached commands, and gives an
aggregate present of sc, 800 men. and an aggre-
gate present for duty OF 46. 1913. The difference
between aggregate present and aggregate pres
emit for duty is as follows: The first includes
everybody connected with the army, both com.
missioned officers and enlisted men, and WAS
intended for the use of the rebel authorities
only, while the latter includes only officers and
men for actual line-of-battlc. and are the re-
ports they gave to the outside world. They
rgidly exclude all non com Blatant staff officers,
such as Quartermasters. Conf ssaries, Sur
geons. Signal officers, ETC.. and all non-com-
blatant enlisted men, such as proyost-guards
clerks, musicians, signal men, and, to use Gen.
Longs own words, "extra-duty and detailed
men of every description" In all of the rebel
reports of campaigns and battles their strength
is based on their aggregate present for duty,
while the Union reports OF the same campaigns.
ETC., are based on their aggregate present, which
included everybody, both commissioned officers
and enlisted men, serving with the particular
army reported.
The rebels scaled down their numbers still
farther in their reports Of battles, and excluded
commands acting as train guards. etc., for that
particular action. The reader will easily see
why they always managed to be outnumbered
by the Union troops in nearly all of their re.
ports of battles, while, as q matter of fact. they
had the most men in actual combat.
l have already shown by their own figures,
after scaling their strength down to the lowest
limit, that ON the 28th day of February, 1865.
Gen. Lee had over II 900 more men than he
IL. - 1.I a. AZ
about Petersburg and Richmond. But Gen.
Lee had more than 46, 1893 men present for duty
on the 18th Of February, 1865. The commands
reported ON the Goth of February, and omitted
from the report of tho 2S,h, had 5000 men ag-
gregate present on the Goth. Scale these down
q per cent, which is about the difference be-
tween the aggregate present of the report of
the 20th and the aggregate present for duty of
the report of tho 2Sth and we have 5, 800 plus
46 1893, equal to So 1913 men, for actual line-of-
battle ON the 28th of February. 1865, or in round
numbers 1900 more men than Gen. Lee claim
ed to have during the operations about Rich
mond aud Petersburg.
But there are other commands belonging to
tho defenses Of Richmond and Petersburg not
accounted for on either of the February re-
ports.
Gen. Gusts Lees Division Of Heavy Artil.
lery, belonging to Gen. Ewelps command,
known as tho Defenses Of Richmond is one of
them. According to Gen. Ewells report of the
Appomattox campaign this division numbered
5000 men for duty when Richmond was evacu-
ated.
An independents brigade of cavalry com.
manded by Col. J. r. Griffin is also omitted
from both of the February reports. The only
report we have Of its strength is on the returns
of July 10, 1864, when it had an aggregate
present OF 1880 men. This brigade was never
constituent part of the cavalry Of Gen. Lees
army, consequently its losses by battle were
merely nominal, aud it is probable that it was
numerically stronger in February, 1865, than
it was in July, 1864, as men who were com.
PEELED to 20 into the service after the last
named date would prefer o command where
there was the least danger.
Scale Griffin's Brigade down 25 pcr cent
and we have an aggregate present for duty Of
900 men on the 28th of February. and the two
commands (Custis Lees and Griffin's) would
have an aggregate present for duty Of $500
men on that day, which. plus So, 1873 men al
ready reported, would give Us 81, 900 men for
actual line Of battle, or 22, 600 more men than
Gen. Lee claimed to have had during the
operations about the two cities. During tho
month of March, 1865. Con. Lee was reinforced
BY two brigades Of cavalry from tho Valley,