Overland Confederate Unit Strengths in the Overland Campaign (Army, Corps, Division, and/or Brigade)

(Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor)

Luke Freet

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I am wondering if anyone has any statistics regarding the number of troops Lee had at the start of the May 64 Campaign season. I know Antietam and Gettysburg have better documentation on this subject in their regard, but the only numbers I find are that Lee had overall 65000 men, and the Texas Brigade was at a strength of 850.
If anyone can expand on this, that would be helpful.
Especially interested in the strength of Johnson's division before it was overrun at the Mule Shoe (I know it lost between 2500 and 3000 men; don't know how many were left to form Terry's Consolidated Brigade, though I presume it was around 1500).
 
Meant to get to this the other day. According to Lee's Army in the Overland Campaign: A Numerical Study by Alfred C. Young, the estimated strength of the ANV at the start of the campaign was about 66,000 men.

Johnson's Division numbered 5,490 at the beginning of the campaign and lost 4,300 from May 5-12.

Estimated strength at the outset of the campaign:
Stonewall Brigade: 1,320
Steuart's Brigade: 1,610
Jones' Brigade: 1,850
Stafford's Brigade: 705

Terry's Consolidated Brigade only fielded 600-700 men after May 12; the 1st and 3rd North Carolina were each left with about 30 men; and the consolidated Louisiana Brigade numbered no more than 700, Stafford's 2nd LA Brigade probably around 265.
 
@AUG How about numbers for the rest of the Army? Maybe start start small with the other 2 divisions of II Corps, Gordon's and Rodes'. I believe it was in your May 12th Assault post, it was mentioned Clement Evans' (Gordon's Old Georgian) Brigade and Hoffman's (Pegram's) Virginia Brigade, in their counterattack, numbered together 3,500 men. I assume that corroborated by Young (would get a copy if I had the time and cash).
 
From Young, the infantry strengths of bdes:

Young 1st Corps.png


Young 2nd Corps.png







Young 3rd Corps.png



Young Misc Inf.png
 
Thank you.
Huh. These numbers really put the situation into perspecitive. The Texas Brigade and Johnson's division were noted for the heavy losses inflicted on them in the campaign, but many units seemed to have faired just as worse.
According to the statistics, R. D. Johnston's brigade lost half its men at Spotsylvania. The fact that they continued to campaign in the Valley at a poultry 600 strength is shocking.
 
So, lets see:
Mapping out the post-battle reorganizations of II Corps:
-Gordon's Division: 2710
--York's Consolidated Louisiana Brigade: 460 + 225 = 685
--Terry's Consolidated Virginia Brigade: 285 + 310 + 140 = 735
--Clement Evans' (Gordon's Old) Georgian Brigade: 1290
-Early's/Ramseur's Division: 2825
--R. D. Johnston's NC Brigade: 590
--Hoke's/Lewis' NC Brigade: 1360
--Pegram's Virginian Brigade: 875
-Rodes' Division: 3730
--Ramseur's/Cox's NC Brigade: 760
--Daniel's/Grimes' NC Brigade: 1175
--Doles' Georgia Brigade: 735
--Battle's Alabama Brigade: 1060

These numbers are rather appalling. Strange how the brigade had gotten so depleted, and yet it doesn't seem that much consolidating of regiments was done, with the exceptions of York's and Terry's Brigades. Johnston's brigade, for instance, is barely the strength of 2 regiments (average of around 300 men). It is a wonder this corps was able to take part in offensive operations in the Valley after Cold Harbor, all the way to Appomattox Court House.
 
According to the statistics, R. D. Johnston's brigade lost half its men at Spotsylvania. The fact that they continued to campaign in the Valley at a poultry 600 strength is shocking.
And that was also the same brigade formerly commanded by Iverson that lost so many men at Gettysburg.

According to Young, Johnston's brigade suffered a total of 733 losses at Spotsylvania: 150 on May 9 (opposing the advance of the IX Corps down the Fredericksburg Road); 54 on May 10 (counterattacking Upton's breakthrough); 2 on May 11; 401 on May 12; 2 on May 15; 2 on May 16-17; and 122 on May 19 (Harris Farm).

On the 12th it was the first brigade sent by Gordon to counterattack the eastern side of the Mule Shoe and was shot up after running into a large number of Federal troops, Gen. Johnston wounded and next in command, Col. Thomas M. Garrett of the 5th NC killed. Col. Thomas F. Toon of the 20th NC then assumed command of the brigade.
 
I just noticed: Martin's Brigade of Hoke's Division, had only 3 regiments but numbered 1890 men upon joining Lee. That is impressive, especially for a confederate brigade at that point in the war. Wonder how the regimental numbers breakdown there.
 
Are there similar tables elsewhere for Union strengths? @AUG @67th Tigers


67th has actually done an analysis of Union strengths, though it's only on the grandest scale. The bottom-line though is that the "PFD" strength reported by the Army of the Potomac (though not 9th Corps, at least at the start of the campaign) is not regulation PFD but is Effectives; a report elsewhere in the ORs does give their regulation PFD strength.

The problem is that there's no regulation PFD numbers for the AotP units broken down at a scale smaller than "the Army of the Potomac" so it'd have to be estimates.
 
67th has actually done an analysis of Union strengths, though it's only on the grandest scale. The bottom-line though is that the "PFD" strength reported by the Army of the Potomac (though not 9th Corps, at least at the start of the campaign) is not regulation PFD but is Effectives; a report elsewhere in the ORs does give their regulation PFD strength.

The problem is that there's no regulation PFD numbers for the AotP units broken down at a scale smaller than "the Army of the Potomac" so it'd have to be estimates.
Thank you. I have already viewed the thread.
 
Thank you. I have already viewed the thread.
Gotcha.

Probably the best you can do if there's any breakdowns in "AotP PFD" is to basically track forward with casualty counts - however this approach is non-exhaustive because there were also straggling casualties, which don't show up as battle casualties but which do still reduce the strength of the army. I tried doing something like this to get an upper bound on the number of troops who mustered out, but because I couldn't estimate straggling it was an overestimate by several thousand.
 
@67th Tigers Do you have any numbers on the strength of Bushrod's Johnson's Division (the 5 brigades left over in Richmond at the time of Cold Harbor)? I guess that goes outside Young's study.

Johnson report his strength (in effectives) on 16th June thus:

BrigadeCommanded byEffective StrengthAggregate Strength
Ransom’sCol. Paul F. Faison25812730North Carolina Troops
Johnson’sCol. Jonathan S. Fulton633708Tennessee Troops
Wise’sCol. P.R. Page13631462Virginia Troops
Elliott’sBrig. Genl. Elliott18872050South Carolina Troops
Gracie’sBrig. Genl. A. Gracie9441394Alabama Troops
6 companies of 64th Georgia RegimentCapt. Pritchett160180Georgia Troops
Total75688524

Johnson's bde took 12 casualties 7-9 May.

Casualties on 16th May were:

Ransom: 215
Johnson: 319
Gracie: 314
(Wise and Elliot/Evans not at Drewry's Bluff)

Wise took 180 casualties 17-20 May.

This implies the brigade strengths were:

Ransom: 2,876 effectives
Johnson: 964 effectives
Wise: 1,543 effectives
Elliot/Evans: 1,887 effectives
Gracie: 1,258 effectives
Total: 8,528 effective infantry

From searches for returns:

Two brigades of Buckner's Division were ordered from the Dept of East Tennessee to Richmond, under Bushrod Johnson.
  • Bushrod Johnston's Brigade: OR 36(2), 1010, which is a 15 May field return giving 871 effectives, and 852 effectives at Swift Creek.
  • Gracie's Brigade: OR 36(2), 988: 1,578 effectives on 10th May.
Evans' Brigade is spread out, and no-one knew the brigade's strength.
  • Holcombe Legion cavalry battalion: at Richmond with 201 effectives on 10th May
  • No other returns found
For Ransom, taking the February monthly return and knocking off the casualties sustained in the meantime gives 2,701 (by Newton, Lost for the Cause)

Wise's brigade is in SC before the campaign and brought up. No returns located.
 
Johnson report his strength (in effectives) on 16th June thus:

BrigadeCommanded byEffective StrengthAggregate Strength
Ransom’sCol. Paul F. Faison25812730North Carolina Troops
Johnson’sCol. Jonathan S. Fulton633708Tennessee Troops
Wise’sCol. P.R. Page13631462Virginia Troops
Elliott’sBrig. Genl. Elliott18872050South Carolina Troops
Gracie’sBrig. Genl. A. Gracie9441394Alabama Troops
6 companies of 64th Georgia RegimentCapt. Pritchett160180Georgia Troops
Total75688524
Johnson's bde took 12 casualties 7-9 May.


Casualties on 16th May were:

Ransom: 215
Johnson: 319
Gracie: 314
(Wise and Elliot/Evans not at Drewry's Bluff)

Wise took 180 casualties 17-20 May.

This implies the brigade strengths were:

Ransom: 2,876 effectives
Johnson: 964 effectives
Wise: 1,543 effectives
Elliot/Evans: 1,887 effectives
Gracie: 1,258 effectives
Total: 8,528 effective infantry

From searches for returns:

Two brigades of Buckner's Division were ordered from the Dept of East Tennessee to Richmond, under Bushrod Johnson.
  • Bushrod Johnston's Brigade: OR 36(2), 1010, which is a 15 May field return giving 871 effectives, and 852 effectives at Swift Creek.
  • Gracie's Brigade: OR 36(2), 988: 1,578 effectives on 10th May.
Evans' Brigade is spread out, and no-one knew the brigade's strength.
  • Holcombe Legion cavalry battalion: at Richmond with 201 effectives on 10th May
  • No other returns found
For Ransom, taking the February monthly return and knocking off the casualties sustained in the meantime gives 2,701 (by Newton, Lost for the Cause)

Wise's brigade is in SC before the campaign and brought up. No returns located.
Thank you. This is quite helpful.
I am working with a friend over in the "What if" forum discussing OoB's for early 1864. I often cite the figures you have been providing. I could never have gotten this much information on my own. Thank you
 
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