Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 06.djvu/38

28 There are in the returns a great many columns with various headings to show those present sick, on extra duty, and in arrest, and so with the absent, as well as for alterations. All the figures under these various heads are not given in the transcript furnished me, but enough is given to show all the present for duty, and the aggregate present, as well as the aggregate present and absent. Opposite the cavalry in the returns for June 20th and 30th is this remark: "Taken from last return received, May 31st, 1863." Opposite the artillery in the return for July 10th is this note: "Brigade of regular batteries, aggregate 595, omitted in last report of June 30 (on account of loss of previous returns and absence of the officer who could replace them), included as gain in this report."

Hooker in his testimony (page 162) says that, at Fairfax Courthouse, Stahl's cavalry, numbering 6,100 sabres, was added to his cavalry—which was about the 16th or 17th of June.

As the cavalry for duty on the 31st of May numbered 10,192, the addition of Stahl's increased it to over 16,000, from which are to be deducted the losses in action, &c.; but as the return for July 10th showed 11,842 for duty in that arm at that date, it must have numbered considerably more than 12,000 for duty at Gettysburg. The brigade of regular batteries, out of an aggregate of 595, must have numbered at least 500 for duty according to the ratio in the other artillery, and that ought to be added to the present for duty at the battle. Lockwood's Maryland brigade joined the Twelfth corps on the morning of the 2d of July, and Stannard's Vermont brigade was added to the First corps on the same morning: of this fact I am positively assured by the Comte de Paris in a letter to me, and Bates also states it. But the fact is very apparent that they were not included in the returns of those corps for the 30th from the returns themselves. Butterfield and Bates show that they numbered 2,500 each, making 5,000 for the two, and that number should be added. We shall thus have—

Meade certainly had at least that number for duty at Gettysburg, though all of it might not be regarded as effective for a fight. His report, however, shows what was the actual force of infantry