208
MANASSAS TO SENEN PINES.
hominy; nor the position of the little stream behind ns, for we had fourbridges over it. The position of Seven Pines was chosen for the center, theright somewhat thrown back. But the scarcity of water induced me to drawnearer to Richmond, which was done on the 17th.
Mr. Davis makes statements [II., 106] regarding the strength of the Armyof Northern Virginia, on the 21st and 31st of May; but as he treats the sub-ject more minutely farther on, we will examine what he says [p. 153]:
“ In the Archives Offices of the War Department in Washington, there are on file some of thefield and monthly returns of the Army of Northern Virginia. . . . The following statements
have been taken from those papers by Major Walter H. Taylor , of the staff of General
Lee. . . .
“ A statement of the strength of the troops under General Johnston shows that on May 21st,1862, he had present for duty, as follows: Smith’s division, . . . 10,592; Longstreet’sdivision, . . . 13,816; Magruder’s division, . . . 15,680 [240 too little.— J. E. J.] ; D. H.Hill ’s division, . . . 11,151; cavalry brigade, 1289; reserve artillery, 1160; \ total effectivemen, 53,688.”
The above is from Major Taylor ’s memorandum given the President, madefrom estimates of brigades, not from returns. Without being accurate, it isnot far from the truth ; corrected as above, Magruder should be given 15,920men. Mr. Davis continues:
“Major Taylor in his work (‘Four Years with General Lee’) states: ‘In addition to thetroops above enumerated, . . . there were two brigades subject to his orders, then stationed inthe vicinity of Hanover Junction, one under the command of General J. E. Anderson, and theother under the command of General Branch. They were subsequently incorporated into thedivision of General A. P. Hill .’ [Mr. Davis continues] : . . . He estimates the strength of
the two at 4000 effective.
“ . . . Previous to the battle of Seven Pines, General Johnston was reenforced by General
Huger’s division of three brigades. The total strength of these three brigades, according to the‘ Reports of the Operations of the Army of Northern Virginia,’ was 5008 effectives. Taylor says:‘ If the strength of these five be added to the return of May 21st, we shall have 62,696 as theeffective strength of the army under General Johnston on May 31st, 1862.’”
But according to General Huger’s report to me, there were 7000 men(instead of 5008) in his three brigades, which does not exceed the ordinarystrength of brigades then (that is to say, three average brigades would havehad not less than 7000 men); and what Mr. Davis calls two brigades of “4000effective ” were, in fact, Anderson’s division sent to observe McDowell’s corpsat Fredericksburg, and so large that General Lee called it the army of theNorth, and estimated it as 10,000 men; ☆ and the second, Branch’s brigade,greatly strengthened to protect the railroad at Gordonsville, and estimatedby General Lee as 5000 men. J When these troops were united on the Chick-ahominy, General Anderson’s estimate of their numbers was, of the first, 9000,and of the other, 4000; 20,000 then, and not 9008, is the number to be added
\ According to General Johnston’s memorandum Carolina (Anderson’s), in all 8000, in addition toof May 21st, 1862, “Official Records,” Vol. XI., those [2500.— J. E. J.] previously there.”—Gen-Part III., p. 531, the reserve artillery numbered eral Lee’s letter, May 8th.—“Official Records,”920 .—Editors. Vol. XI., Part III., pp 500-1.—J. E. J.
& “ I advised you, April 23d, of certain troops j “ Two brigades, one from North Carolina ordered to report to General Field, viz.: two regi- (Branch’s) and one from Norfolk , have been or-ments from Richmond, two light batteries, a bri- dered to Gordonsville to reenforce that line.”—gade from South Carolina , and one from North General Lee’s letter, as above.— J. E. J.