The National tribune., 1899-09-21
BRACES ARMY.
S Overwhelming Force at tie Battle Of chlekamaug.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I read
with much pleasure w. E. Doyle's article
on the capture of Chattanooga; but / would
like to know where he gets his knowledge OF
Georgia militia in the battle of Chicka.
mauga. | can find no evidence, unless il
is in the letter of Gen. Lee to President
Davis of Sept. IA, 1863. He saws: His
total force will, therefore, be 6,219; as large
a number as presume he can operate with
This is independent of the local troops
which, you may recollect, he reported as
exceeding his expectations"
The following are the figures of troops
used on the battlefield:
The Army of the Tennessee had at
Chattanooga, Aug. 20, (30-4-51S, Rebellion
Records,) present for duty, officers, 3,5O2;
men, 41,12o; effective total, 4O,364; add
9S per cent. of the officers present for
duty as effective, 3,432; total, Army of the
Tennessee, 43,796.
| The renforcements from Mississippi.
which Except Gregg's Brigade, which
came later reached Chattanooga about
Sept. 1, were, on Aug. 20 (30-4-51S) Breck-
inridge's Division, present for duty, Off
add officers, $40; total Breckinridge s
| Division, 1902. Walkers Division, present
for duty, officers, $40; men, 6, 704; effective,
6,604; add officers, 532; deduct 10th S. C.
regiment and one battery at Rome, say,
375; total, 6,761. McNair's Brigade, being
one-half of French's Division, which
reached Chickamauga Sept. 1S, officers,
1913; men, 1 SIG; effective, 1,7l4; total from
Mississippi, 1897.
The reinforcements from Knoxville were
on Aug. 10 (23-4-962): Pegram's Cavalry
Division, in officers and men, 5.79S: Pres
toms Division (partly estimated) 6,OOO;
total brought by Buckner, II ,79S.
The reinforcements from Virginia were,
Aug. 30, as per Gen. Lees returns (29-2-
6SD: McLaw's Division. present for duty,
officers, $50; men, 5,277; effective. 5,277;
add officers, $50; deduct two brigades. which
Division, present for duty, officers. 527;
men, 5,3S2; effective, 5,3S2; add officers,
527; total, $500; deduct one brigade
which came too late for battle, 1,477;
total, 4,432.
Total Longstreets Corps, 1885; grand
total engaged, 76,306.
Proof that the Confederate force was not
less than this appears by these figures:
Oct. 1 (30-4-72D effective infantry and
artillery, 41,972; add officers, say. eight
per cent. of the soldiers, 1857; add Ector's
Brigade, 1,34O, returned to Mississippi,
less loss in battle 536, SO4; add McNair's
Brigade ia, returned to Mississippi, less
loss in battle, AL, 1878; add Wheeler's
cavalry, 7,142, Forests cavalry, 4491; :;
Pegram's cavalry, 5,79S, 17,43i; add loss
II ,S04, at Chickamauga, less Sol wounded
returned, 1900; deduct three brigades of
total engaged, 1857.
Another proof, based on report of Oct. 1S
(30-4-765), is as follows:
Effective total, infantry and artillery,
46,S75; add officers, estimated at eight
per cent, 3,750; add Ector and McNair,
2,O77; add cavalry (many regiments
fought as infantry, 17,431; add loss,
II 1904, less, say, 1000 returned, 1884; :;
deduct four of Longstreet's brigades
(Anderson arrived since Oct. s., $500;
total engaged, S0,337.
Because Bragg had failed to accomplish
what was expected OF him, which was moth
ing less than the annihilation of the army
under Rosecrans, Jefferson Davis called for
report from Gen. Lee, commanding the
Confederate armies. In reply Gen. Lee
said, in letter of Oct. S: His effective
strength givenme by Gen. Cooper, before
the battle, and before the addition Of Long
streets Corps, was 1920"
Then Gen. Cooper called upon Bragg for
a report, and on Oct. (30-4-733) he made
the following:
Present for duty, infantry, officers, 1864;
soldiers, 46, ,447; artillery, officers, 151; sol
diers, 3,4S0; cavalry (returns very i'm
perfect, 1890; total, 68,360.
Again, Oct. 10 (30-4-734l in conversa-
ton with Gen. Beauregard's brother, who,
by the way, refused to sit at the table with
President Davis who was then at Chatta-
nooga. Bragg called his effective force