Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/246

232 from the army field returns, Lee began the battle of Cold Harbor, June 27th, with 73,000 infantry, 3,000 cavalry and 4,000 artillery. These numbers included the divisions of G. W. Smith, Longstreet, Magruder, D. H. Hill, A. P. Hill, Stonewall Jackson, Huger, Whiting, Ewell and Holmes, comprising thirty-nine brigades of infantry besides Stuart's cavalry and the artillery, making a total strength, in all arms, of 80,000. General Lee stated in November, 1865, that the estimate made in the adjutant-general's office at Richmond of the Confederate strength at the chief battles, appeared to him to be larger than the true number. General Early placed Lee's strength under 80,000 effectives. Colonel Taylor, after elaborate calculations, stated the number at 80,835.

The official returns of McClellan's armies show that at the beginning of the battles around Richmond there were present for duty 115,249 men. This superior force, equipped with whatsoever a powerful government could furnish, had reached a position within 4 miles of Richmond, only to be driven back to the James river with a loss of nearly 20,000. Transferred thence, under a quick change of commanders from McClellan to Pope, it attempted another advance, with the hope of a change from defeat to victory, but only to be vanquished again at Cedar Mountain and Manassas Junction, after which, early in September, the great army under the boastful Pope took refuge again within the fortifications about the capital of the United States. While these great military events were occurring in Virginia, General Bragg' s army was at Tupelo; Van Dorn and Price were operating in Mississippi; Kirby Smith was in east Tennessee, and the cavalry of Wheeler, Forrest and Morgan were advancing into Tennessee and Kentucky.