Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-07-04

Sullivan and Duffie was Captain H. A
Dupont 8 ARTILLERY Brigade" Oper
ating independently, though two pieces
were permanently assigned to Duffie
This brigade" was the artillery that
fought at Piedmont, which Imboder
confidently says numbered 81 pieces
The number of artillerymen present
for duty 1901 was enough for thai
number of guns at this stage of the
war. But Hunter, when it was to his
purpose to make bis artillery seem for
midable, speaks of his ''30 pieces, .
when two we're absent with Duffie; but
Crooks II guns we're present. If he
included these, he had only 32 in ALA
Surprisingly small number; if not, be
had "A pieces. When Hunter was al.
ready near LYnchbnrg, Imboden was
perfectly satisfied that he had over
$4,000 men; with AZ pieces Of artillery. p"
| This estimate of the whole force agrees
with McCausland's, who does not give
any estimate of all the artillery. I'M
bOden 8 statement that some of the
guns were said to be heavy probably
was based on the enormous supposition
that the Fifth New York Heavy Ar
tillery had cannon.
Allowing then, 1000 for the aggre-
gate losses of Hunter in the Valley
Including the battle of Piedmont
and Crook with AverelI1 in Western
Virginia from May 81 to June 10, we
have present for duty" Is. .643 [agree.
ing with the estimate of McCausland
and Imbodenl, aggregate present, !"
$3.50, and at least 80 guns. The 3,O37
difference between the above fgures]
were presumably made up of trained
guards and other details, with the sick
and tired. Of course this force was
considerably reduced when it reached
Lynchburg; but a corresponding re
duction of the Confederates had taken
place.
THE CONFEDERATE STRENGTH.
Fortunately Breckenridge had exact
returns made On June 10-the day on
which the final movement began
though he had to estimate the strength
of McCausland's brigade proper, and
W. l.. Jackson S command. Jones' bri-
gade, under Col. w. E. Peters, number
ed 100 on the Sth. The Jenkins bri-
gade and that of jackson must have
brought the combined brigades close
to 2,000-say 1900 Imboden, after the
return of Breckenridge, had 1000.
Even after his march to Lynchburg be
reports that number. This gives $500
as the number Of mounted cavalry
which agrees with Breckenridge's re-
port-nearly 1000. The infantry, in
cluding dismounted cavalry, at Rock
fish Gap, June 10, numbered exactly
1923 present for duty. On June IA.
when Imboden had 1000 cavalry, he
reported that Gen. F. T. Nichols had
not more than 300 effective men in
Lynchburg. Afterwards detachments
amounting to 600 were ordered in. The
cadets probably numbered about 200
and the artlllerymen 500. This gives
an aggregate of II, ,223.
There are some unsolved questions
in regard to the artillery. On June 16
Imboden sent request that McClan-
ahan's Battery-which had been rest
ing it's horses at Lynchburg-be sent
out to him, and on the same day he
reports that be has oily = pieces at
New London. Four of these were
Lurty 's; the other three could hardly
have been McClanahan s battalion, but
possibly two of the guns were with the
cavalry. The Ringgold Battery is left
unaccounted for, but was probably not
at Lynchburg. Whether parts of Jack.
sons and McClanahan' g batteries were
with the cavalry or not, the whole
batteries were in Lynchburg the even
ing of the 18th and during the 18th.
The Boy Battery of reserves from
Staunton was with Breckenridge at
Rockfish Gap before the march began,
and was in Lynchburg on June q. 1t
seems fairly certain, then, that it
marched with Breckinride. At this
time it had 24pOunder and r.
FOUNDER howitzer, having exchanged
it's 20. O.pounder Parrott for Bryan's r.
FOUNDER howitzer. About the other
batteries enumerated there is no seri-
Gus doubt. The artillery in Lynch
burg, then, was as follows: Bryan 8
Battery 6, Chapman's 4, Douthat's G.,
Jackson's 6, Boy Battery 2; total. SO
pieces. If the three unexplained guns
with Imboden did not belong to any of
these batteries, the total is Al. If the
Federals captured one on the evening
of the 18th, as they claim, these figures
must be diminished by a unit.
The services of Bryan's and Dou-
that's batteries at New River bridge
have been referred to. At Lynchburg
on the 18th, Capt Chapman claimed
to have been able with:his four guns,
to repel the entire column of infantry
and artillery that attacked the centre;
and on the same day three of Bryan's
guns fought successful duel with =
or 10 of the best Federal guns, chiefly
McMullin's, not to give further illus
trations of the efficiency of the Con-
federate artillery at Lynchburg on the
next day the accuracy OF the artillery
was the talk of the army. And yet,
for third of century, the men who
worked these guns with all the enthu-
siasm of an athletic contest and the
zeal of duty we'll performed, had to
hear and read that not round would
have been fired in defense of the city,
had not Early arrived. The historian
recorded and the orator portrayed, in
all sincerity, how Early saved the city
with infantry aided by only four old
smoothbore guns. All this has recently