32 



ARMY, UNITED STATES. 



It was also stated at that time that if one- 

 third of this number (230,932) were added to 

 the army in the field, it would consist of 

 461,844 men. From this it might he inferred 

 that the force then in the field was 230,912. 

 This is ahout the numher of veteran troops 

 estimated to be in the service at the beginning 

 of the year, to which 120,000 conscripts were 

 added. The number of youths passing annually 

 from sixteen to seventeen years of age, was 

 estimated at 62,000. 



The Secretary of War, in his report at the 

 session of Congress in November, alludes to the 

 enlistment of negroes as at that time unneces- 

 sary. He says : 



While it is encouraging to know this resource for 

 further and future efforts at our command, my own 

 judgment does not yet either perceive the necessity 

 or approve the policy of employing slaves in the 

 higher duties of soldiers ; they are confessedly infe- 

 rior in all respects to our white citizens in the quali- 

 fications of the soldier, and I have thought we have 

 within the military age as large a proportion of our 

 whole population as will be required or can be ad- 

 vantageously employed in active military operations. 

 If, then, the negro be employed in the war, the infe- 

 rior is preferred to the superior agent for the work. 

 In such a war as this, waged against foes bent with 

 malignant persistence on our destruction, and for all 

 that man holds priceless the most vital work is that 

 of the soldier, and for it wisdom and duty require the 

 most fitting workmen. The superior instrumentali- 

 ties should be preferred. It will not do, in my opin- 

 ion, to risk our liberties and safety on the negro 

 while the white man may be called to the sacred duty 

 of defence. For the present it seems best to leave 

 the subordinate labors of society to the negro, and to 

 impose its highest, as now existing, on the superior 

 class. 



The ration of the soldier is per month 10 Ibs. 

 of bacon, 26 Ibs. of coarse meal, V Ibs. of flour, 

 or some hard biscuit, 3 Ibs. of rice, 1-J- of salt, 

 half a bar of soap, and, in the season, potatoes 

 and vegetables. Sometimes fresh meat is al- 

 lowed. No sugar, no molasses, no coffee are 

 given except to the sick. The Government is 

 well supplied with coarse clothing for the sol- 

 diers. 



A benevolent asssociation, known as the 

 Richmond Ambulance Corps, was early formed 

 to look after the wounded in battle. Their 

 agency was similar to the Sanitary Commission 

 of the north. They have followed the Vir- 

 ginian army and been present in every battle. 

 They have every appurtenance necessary in their 

 humane vocation, such as hospital supplies, 

 sugar, tea, coffee, etc., with utensils for pre- 

 paring every thing on a large scale. 



The stringency of the blockade has com- 

 pelled the inhabitants to manufacture the mate- 

 rials for war. The Ordnance Department has 

 organized twelve arsenals, eight armories, seven 

 large harness shops, four powder mills, a labor- 

 atory for smelting lead, and many other small 

 establishments. They have supplied the army 

 with two hundred field batteries, upwards of 

 five hundred thousand small arms, several hun- 

 dred thousand sets of infantry accoutrements, 

 and millions of cartridges. A shoe establish- 



ment in Richmond, employed by the Govern- 

 ment, make six hundred pairs daily. The ma- 

 terial brought through the blockade in 1863, 

 was estimated to be sufficient to put four hun- 

 dred thousand men in the field. 



So successful has been the manufacture of 

 arms, that all the troops are provided with the 

 best rifles, and the smooth bore has nearly dis- 

 appeared. The field artillery of the armies 

 comprises now more than a thousand pieces. 

 The gun chiefly used is the 12-pounder Napo- 

 leon, to which has been added the 10-pounder 

 Parrott. The number of cannon foundries 

 built up since the commencement of the war, 

 is six ; two of which have capacity to cast guns 

 of the largest dimensions. Five powder mills 

 have been erected in different places, one of 

 which alone is represented to be capable of pro- 

 ducing all the powder required. Four hundred 

 thousand percussion caps are now manufactured 

 in a day, and there is sufficient machinery to 

 produce a million. The manufacture of the 

 materials of war seems now to have reached 

 such perfection, that it is asserted to be suffi- 

 cient to supply all wants, without asking any 

 thing from other countries. Such important 

 changes as were made of the commanders of 

 the armies are stated elsewhere. (See AEMY 

 OPERATIONS.) 



ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES. During 

 1864 the number of men called for by the 

 President to reenforce the army amounted in 

 the aggregate to 1,500,000, although by an 

 explanatory statement of the Provost Marshal 

 General this number was in fact reduced to 

 1,200,000. Notwithstanding the impulse which 

 the high bounties and premiums offered in 1863 

 gave to enlistments under the October call of 

 that year for 300,000 men, the number of men 

 realized seems to have been insufficient for the 

 needs of the service, and on Feb. 1st, 1864, an 

 order was issued by the President to draft 

 500,000 three years men on March 10th, less the 

 number enlisted or drafted into the service 

 prior to March 1st, and not previously credited. 

 This practically amounted to a call for 200,000, 

 as appears by the following circular : 



WAR DEPARTMENT, PEOVOST MARSHAL GENERAL'S I 

 OFFICE, Feb. 1, 1864. f 



The President's order of this date, for a draft on 

 tenth (10th) March, for five hundred thousand (500,- 

 000) men, after deducting all who may be raised 

 prior to March first (1) and not heretofore credited, 

 is equivalent to a call for two hundred thousand 

 (200,000) men in addition to the three hundred 

 thousand (300,000) called for October seventeenth 

 (17th). 



JAS. B. FRY, Prov. Mar. Gen. 



By an order dated Jan. 14th, 1864, the 

 Provost Marshal General also directed that the 

 time for paying the bounty of $300 and $400, 

 and the $15 and 25 premium, be extended to 

 March 1st. 



In anticipation of the momentous campaign 

 which was impending, and the losses likely to 

 be incurred by the troops in the field, the 

 President on March 14th followed vp his pre- 



