The National tribune., 1906-03-22

ton" OF this General on the 9Th Of
May. Let US, however, for the present
adhere to the question OF the strength
and losses Of his army.
Since the cavalry Increased 50 greatly
In number after May !, II Is reasonable
to suppose that the infantry and artil.
lery likewise augmented after tina
date. and before we left Dalton
Hood and Harsee Had $3.50 lGen.
It was telegraphed over the country
that Gen. Sherman was about to ad
vance. This information induced quite
large number OF absentees to re-
turn; as Gen. Hardee and myself had
noticed this increase a short time be-
fore the retreat began. the subject wa:
mentioned between US when discuss
ing the approaching campaign, and W.
found by comparison that we had q!
many as 1880 effective infantry and
artillery in our two corps. exclusive
OF not less than 500 electives in the
reserve artillery. II q return had beer
made up on the 10th or 18th OF May
the number I have stated would have
appeared upon 1t.
The following extract from a letter
OF Col. w. III. Sellers. Assistant Adju-
tant-General OF Hoods Corps, Army
Of Tennessee, dated Oct. 20, 1872. Gal.
weston. Tex, furnishes evidence OF the
correctness Of my statement I'm this
regard:
Il cannot be as positive regarding
the strength of your command during
the operations at and from Dalton to
Atlanta as I could wish. My recoIlec-
ton. however, is that you mustered
$1,000 to $4,000 electives at Dalton
and Resaca, at which latter point some
diminution occurred in casualties, and
in assertions on the night of our re-
treat on Cassville.''
-
the army, and numbered about 2.00C
more than my corps.
AS previously stated. the assertions
Of Gen. Wigfall as to Johnston's
strength and losses may safely be re-
garded as correct; and Gen Johnston
furnishes evidence Of his satisfaction
Herewith by inserting in his Narrative
Senate Chamber of the Confederate
States. This Senator, in his estimate
of the strength of Folks Corps, says
'ft amounted to less than $4,000 men.
Col. Douglas West, of New Orleans
La, who was at that time Assistant
Adjutant- General of Folks Corps, says
on Nov. 13, 1869. in answer to a letter
from me in regard to the strength OF
that corps when it Joined Gen. John
ston. eve bore on the rolls an aggre-
gate of about $4,000 present. Gen
Johnston acknowledges to have re-
ceived 1900 from that source.
We now have 42.500 In Hoods and
Hardee's Corps at Dalton, exclusive OF
900 reserve artillery. and about 10000
rapidly to that point, together with
$40 Of WheeIer's Cavalry, exclusive
Of Jackson's.
We find by this summary 70,500 eff
fectives-a number in excess Of that
which is stated in my official report
This number of troops. however, did
not at that time embrace all the avail
able forces which were subject to the
order of Gen. Johnston
The Georgia Militia.
The following extract from Maj
Gen. G. w. Smiths official report at
tests the presence of over 5000 Geor-
been, In May. 1864, assembled at Dali
ton. in the event the Commanding Cen
eral of our army had desired to offer
battle, when in possession of Rocky
faced Ridge:
Headquarters, Georgia Militia, Ma
con. Ga, Sept Is. 1864.
Gen. j. B. Hood, Commanding Army
OF Tennessee. near Lovejoy Station:
General: My appointment was dated
1st OF June. I took command a few
days thereafter. relieving Gen. Wayne
who returned to the duties Of his office
as Adjutant and Inspector-General OF
the State. The force then in the field
was composed entirely Of State Off
GERS, civil and military; They had been
formed into two brfgadeS of three regf-
ments each. and one battalion of ar
tillery. making in all q. little over 1900.
The command had reported for duty
to Gen. j. E. Johnston, and had been
ordered to guard the crossings of the
Chattahoochee River from Boswell
Bridge to West Point"
These troops were far superior to
those usually found in the ranks of the
militia, as they were composed Of the
civil and military officers OF the State,
and were possessed of more pride and
intelligence. They could have per-
formed noble service in well-construct-
ed redoubts in Mill Creek and Snake
Creek Gaps: would have proved the
equal Of regulars in those positions,
grand opportunity to attack Sherman
with his main army by passing over
the northern slope Of Rocky-faced
Ridge.
We find. as above stated. 1880 In
Hardee's and Hoods Corps. $4,000 i'm
Folks Corps. S.410 In Wheeler's imme-
date command, and 5000 Georgia
State troops under Gen. Wayne, thus
forming a grand total Of 1850 effec-
tives "at and near Dalton" either
marching to or in readiness to be
promptly massed at that point.
1t will be observed that have esti-
mated the total effective cavalry at
1919, whereas Maj. Falconer. in his
return Of the 10th of June. acknowl-
edges 1886; also, that I have made
no allowance for the return to duty of
some Of the wounded, prior to the
passage of the Etowah, nor for the
killed and wounded Of the cavalry,
prisoners, stragglers and deserters in
the two estimates at New Hope Church
and Adairsville.
Johnston Took Away His Records.
I have been compelled to make these
various estimates in order to demon
strate the actual strength of Gen.
Johnston's army, since he furnished
the War Office with no returns after
the 1st of May until June 10, and
since he, as stated by his own Adju-
tant- General. took with him all the
books and records of the army when
he relinquished the command Mai.