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[271]

General J. R. Jones says: ‘I found the division at this time very much reduced in numbers by the recent severe battles and the long and wearisome marches. * * * The division not numbering over 1,600 men at the beginning of the fight.’

General Early says: ‘Lawton's brigade had sustained a loss (in this battle) of 554 killed and wounded, out of 1,150; Hay's brigade had sustained a loss of 323 out of 550. Including every regimental commander and all his staff, Trimble's brigade, under Walker, had sustained a loss of 228 out of less than 700 present, including three out of four regimental commanders.’ The casualties in his own brigade are not specifically given, but he further says: ‘The loss of the division at Sharpsburg alone was 199 killed, 1,115 wounded and 38 missing, being an aggregate loss of 1,352 out of less than 3,500 with which it went into that action.’

General D. R. Jones says of his division: ‘When it is known that on moving my entire command of six brigades, comprised only 2,430 men, the enormous disparity of force with which I contended can be seen.’ The strength of General Hood's division at the commencement of the campaign was 3,852 (see return of July 20, 1862). His official report gives the loss of the division in the encounters with the enemy previous to the battle of Sharpsburg as 972. This would make his strength in that battle 2,880, making no allowance for straggling. General Evans states that his brigade numbered 2,200 effective at the opening of the campaign, and reports his loss in the battles about Manassas at 631; his brigade was also engaged at South Mountain and could not have exceeded 1,500.

General D. H. Hill says: ‘My ranks had been diminished by some additional straggling, and the morning of the 17th I had but 3,000 infantry.’ * * ‘In the meantime, General R. H. Anderson reported to me with some 3,000 or 4,000 men.’

General A. P. Hill's command consisted of the brigades of Branch, Gregg, Archer, Pender, and Brockenborough. He states the strength of the first three at 2,000. The other two were smaller, but allowing the average, say of 700, for each and we have for the division a total effective of 3,400.

General McLaws reports in detail the effective strength of his four brigades carried into action as 2,893.

General J. G. Walker, who commanded his own and Ransom's Brigades, does not report his strength. General Ransom puts his effective strength at 1,600, and I have his authority for saying that


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July 20th, 1862 AD (1)
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