Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/275

Rh in practice upon the Confederate batteries. The service in the trenches and rifle-pits was dreary indeed to both armies, but especially so .to the Confederates, whose rations were scant and clothing well worn. In the extremity of the siege, one bold but unsuccessful attack was made March 25th, by a part of Lee's force, led by Gordon, in which Fort Stedman and a mile of breastworks were gallantly taken from the Federals, only to be lost again. One week later, on the 1st of April, Grant moved against Lee's right, and destroying the divisions of Pickett and Bushrod Johnson by a powerful flank attack during the day, pursued his plans of assault next day with a general movement, which broke the thin Confederate line at many positions and compelled the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond.

This Confederate disaster, occurring after four years of successful resistance, will be explained by examination into the relative condition of the two armies. The last return of the strength of Lee's army in Virginia, made February 20, 1865, accounted for three corps of infantry, Johnson's division, General Early 's Valley command, the cavalry divisions of W. H. F. Lee, the troops of Gen. J. A. Walker, at the defenses of the Richmond & Danville railroad; some unattached commands, and all artillery. The aggregate present of this whole force at all places is given at 73,349; the present and absent, 160,411. The inspection reports summed up, on the 28th of February, the aggregate present for duty 45,633, to which adding one brigade of 2,000 on picket, and the effective artillery 5,000, it is ascertained that Lee's whole effective force at this date was about 53,000. It will also be taken into the account that serious Confederate losses occurred from this time to the beginning of Grant's final assault, April 1st, and that a considerable part of the force mentioned in the report was detached and not directly available by Lee at the time of that assault. The estimate of Lee's army at 45,000 of all arms when the battle on Lee's