Thinness of Earlys force.
General Early took my report, glanced at the totals, and, handing it to
Colonel Douglas, ordered him to have them all consolidated into a corps report, and
Colonel Douglas ordered me and another young staff officer named
Russell (J. B., I think) to proceed to consolidate them into division, and then into a general corps report, and tabulate it, which we did; and I remember distinctly my great surprise that the aggregate of
Early's forces was only seven thousand, two or three hundred (7,200-7,300) infantry.
The remarks were passed on what great odds we would have against us in
Sheridan's 35,000 or 40,000 finely equipped, well-fed men, with repeating (or breach-loading) rifles—5 to 1 against us—to say nothing of their superior equipment of supplies, longer range cannon, etc.
I mention this to give my recollection of the number of
Early's
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force and an idea of what we had to oppose to the Sheridan host, which consisted of three corps of infantry (Sixth, Eighth and Nineteenth) and one of cavalry, with a numerous and well-equipped artillery.
