The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-22

10 be considered. In the first place by
the spring of 1852 at least one fourth of
the territory OF the seeded states was
under the control OF the United states
territory was not available as "a source
OF supply for the Confederate army.
This cuts off nearly one-fourth or the
military strength.
Again. the conscript law, drastic as
II was. was very imperfectiy executeu :,
as those in charge of 1t AZ the tune amply
testified. The opposition OF the GOV
ernors Of Mississippi Georgia, South
Carolina. and North Carolina 20 the
oonscript law will be reInem bered. we
must also Tememb Der that thousands OF
men Were employed on the railroads.
in the government departments, ana
in various branches Of manufacture
and the people. and also for agricultural
labor. IL must also be remeun perez
that there We're thousands OF men w
all the Confederate States exempted
by State authority. General Preston
gives a BILE OF State officers exempted
on the certificates Of the 0oYernofss ;
Carolina South Carolina, Georgia.
Alabama. Mississippi. Tennessee LOUIS,
lana. and Florida there We're s.as sueh ,
exempts. The civil officers exempted
in Georgia alone were 547S.
In the same State the exempts for
agriculture and necessary purposes
reached the number Of o.5o5 nsse
Thousands of men detailed for special
work under the heading of Public
SecessitT."
II these things are considered IL
becomes plain that the prevlousIy
quoted estimates Of the several States
Of the COnfedcracy cannot possibly be
accepted at all near the real facts.
This NAV be made clear by taking sew
eral exam piles. thus The military popu-
latiOn Of Virginia IN 1861 - estimated,
exclusive Of West Virginia. at il6,VO'
If we add one tenth FOR the extension
or military age and twelve per cent for
youths maturing in four years. we nave
an aggregate Of l4i $40. But rom this
cent for physical and mental disability.
leaving liz 1856 az the total available
military population OF the state OF
Virginia for the four years OF the war.
But the representative writer In ne
South" puts the mum Der of men fur-
nished the Southern army at lso,yD
which is g. ss4 more than the available
Take the State of Georgia. In 1851
there was a military population OF
years swell the number 90 1875 .425. from
which II we deduct twenty per cent for
exempts there remains an available
alleged enrolment in the Confederate
army is 20. 90. ITO more than the entire
military population. although we know
that thousands Of these men could not
be reached by the conscript officers,
and thousands more were exempted
by State law.
In 1851 NORM AdEOi4Id
of ia 800 increased during the four years,
as per estimate, 10 40 go. After de-
Quoting twenty per cent for exempts
the available military population is
H. 53s The alleged Confederate en-
roilment was 1923 go, furnished the Union
army 3i5e and this gives a total Of
1872 l56, which is 1900 more than the
available military population. although
in one fourth Of the States the conscript
aw could not be executed. and thous-
nds OF men were exempted by State
".
Perhaps as suggested above. a large
element Of error may be found in the
failure on the part OF the special writers
20 observe the great number of re-
enl.strnents that undoubtedly took
place. especially in 1852. when the term
of service of nearly the whole OF the
Confederate army expired.
Enough has been said, / think 10
suggest to our Southern historians the
need of a thorough revision OF their
estimates and the publication TO the
world OF the facts on which they rely
and the sources of their information
The truth of history is at stake in this
matter and the reputation Of our great
military leaders. For If in fact there
We're over million men with the South
ern coioTs. IL IL a serious blot on the
Ca paclty of our commanders that they
could never concentrate in any one
battle more than II 00o.-Confederate
Veteran