The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-06

To the Editor OF tho Sun:
Sir.-1n Sundays Sun. IN an account
or tho second days battle at Gettys-
burg. July 2. the writer says:
1T was during this engagement that
the famous charge OF the Louisiana
Tigers was made. These men oamo
forward. 100 strong. and met the
Union forces In hand-to-hand con-
hict Just at that moment Carrolrs
brigade came TO the rescue. and the
Tigers retreated-these men of Early's
Division who boasted that they had
They retired with barely 600 men and
were never known arterward as an
As matter OF fact. Major Bob"
Wheats Battalion. known as ''Louisi-
Companies of New orieaans. numbe ernss
Is Of Manassas July q, rs 1851 aFss Ma a5e
Wheat was severely wounded, and his
daring and gallantry was specially
the Federal centre. when the Federal
army took flight TO Washington.
low Richmond. when Mcclellan was
defeated. Major Wheat was ordered
to charge Federal breastwork. which
presentiment that it would be his last
charge. and as he gave the order For
Eere a man br ne ADDED Hs WI FIJI
body was pierced with six bullets. and
! his last request was granted. He was
native OF Alexandria, Va. His broth
s. g. 4 Leo Wheat resides in Washington
The Louisiana Tigers (Wheats Bat
| talion) numbered about 800 men at the
and two years OF battle Intervening,
July. 1853. death and bullets had Woe
fully decimated their ranks. General
attrition was slowly. but surely play
ing havoc with Confederate soldiers.
Time. aided with unlimited resources
OF the North. verified General Grants
change of prisoners. He said: when
tho Federal army loses soldier by
capture. can replace him with two
or or three men, II necessary but II the
the South cannot replace him.
| That General Grants mathematical
calculation and attrition tactics were
executed in accordance with his mode
statement from the war Department
records show without doubt:
During the war Federal pris-
oners in Confederate prison. 100000
During the. war Confederate
prisoners in Federal prisons. 100000
iConfederates died in Federal
Federais died in confederate ''4'0
prisons. 22.570
| Notwi outstanding that the North had
better facilities and resources than the
South there were more Confederate
deaths in Northern prisons than Federal
deaths in Southern prisons. The Con-
| federates captured $4,000 Federal SOL
diers in excess OF Confederate prison
ers in Northern prisons.
When General Lee invaded PennsyI-
wanna he had three corps, numbering
about $4,000 soldiers, infantry. cavalry
and artillery; but General "Jeb" Stuart
had made n rail in the rear of the Fed
eral army. hence ne did not participate
In the three days engagement July l.,
| 2 and 3. The Federal army comprised
five corps, numbering about 10000
with General Lees army, instead Of
| ralding in the rear of the Federal
army, and kept General Lee informed
! Of the location Of the enemy, General
Lee would have selected favorable
grounds for battle. AS it was Cen
erai Leo was surprised to meet the
enemy at CRshtown. However, on July
| l and 2 General Lee defeated tho
enemy. when they .retreated to the
ing shelter behind immense powders
July 3 Lee made another desperate
assault but the Federals held their
ground. Three days battle depleted
General Lees ammunition to such an
extent as would not Justify another as
sault on the enemy in the strong posi-
tion behind the natural rock ribbed
forts on the mountain tops, though
General Lee asserted that had Stone
wall Jackson been with him he would
have won tho battle at Gettysburg
However, the little word "if' is a
mighty barrier to the plans OF great
events. and small ones too,
WASHINGTON luna 16