The National tribune., 1906-06-07
"Richmoffd, March 10, 1865.

"Richmoffd, March 10. 1865.
"Gen. Hood: You ask to what extent
your army was strengthened at atlanta
by the return ofqdefailed men, and by
dismourlted cavalry ordered to you by
Gen. Bragg. l Have the honor to state
that so far as the detailed men are
concerned, 1t was found necessary 70
return them to tfle' arsenals and shops
in rear. and that they were, as / be-
lieve, all 50 returned before the eyacua-
the very day 1t PREACHED Atlanta, was
ordered bach to Alabama. Gholsen's
Brigade remained at Atlanta until It's
evacuation. IT was. however, very
small-not numbering more than ESQ
men, and was in most miserable condi-
ton: so that the reinforcements, in
truth, amounted to nothing. s.,,s
II have the honor to be very respect
"F. A. shoupe, Brigadier- General and
Chief of-Staff at Atlanta"
Although the number of killed and
wounded in the Army Of Tennessee
proper during the siege amounted to
1903, the actual loss was 1924, thus
proving that nearly 1900 wounded re-
turned to the ranks.
i shall now sum up the loss of the,
enemy during that same period.
sherman's Losses.
Gen. Sherman reports his loss in kill
ed, wounded and missing around Allan
ia during July, August and September
to have been 1903. His actual loss
during the siege must assuredly have
been in excess of this number. In ac-
cordance with his recapitulation he had
on the 1st Of July an army Of 100 070;
on the LIST of August, 91.675: and OH
the LIST of September, 81,758, demon
strating an actual loss OF 24,312 men
within two months. This number, less
the troops discharged or permanently
detached. must be the real Joss he sus-
tained. I have not been able to CLEAN
from his statements the decrease OF his
army from this latter source. find.
however, the following recorded inI
Shoupe's Diary on the 18th of August:
"Enemy's pickets called to ours, and
stated that Kentucky division 2,200I
strong, was going out of service, and
that neither Old Abe nor Uncle Jeff
would get them In service again."
Taking his own statements as basis
Of calculation, and assuming the cor
rectness of the report by the picket rel
alive to the discharge Of 1900 Kentuck-
ians 13 days prior to the fall of Allan
ia, his actual losses {provided he did not 4
during the siege receive reinforcements, |
OF which / can find no mention in his
Memoirs). prove to have been 24,312,
plus 1902 killed and wounded early in |
september, IHIHuS Z,LVU OlSCHdTkSu,
showing an actual loss Of 24,014 effec- |
tives against my loss Of 9.124. although
every aggressive movement of impor-
lance was initiated by the Confederates. |
On the other hand. and according to
my opponents statement, Gen. Sher-
man had, after Blair's Corps joined him
near Rome, force of 1928 electives
to oppose Gen. Johnston, and at the |
close of his victorious march from Dali
ton to Atlanta 10B,U70 electives, which,
subtracted from thertotal number, h..
s1s, in the field, tyhe beginning of the
campaign, demonstrates an actual loss
of only 6.74s. agaihst Gen. Johnston'si
loss OF $4,000 men,
This comparisen Or losses under OPP
posite modes of Handling troops eyinces|
the truth of heipIihciple for which ]
contend: that lo}ses are always COM
hs,o small army ayv which af.
day. as in the ibstsHee Of the Federal
army during the aDa1ton-Atlanta cam
paign; or in an army which holds its
ground, as In the Instance Of the siege
of Atlanta whent the. Federal loss was
greatly in excess, of Our own. by reason
OF the enthusiastic and self-reliance of
the Northern troops having. IN the sud-
den check given to their sweeping
career Of victory, been somewhat coun-t
teracted by depression, consequent de-
sertion and the tardy return of alb /
sentees.
(To be continued.)