Official Records of the Rebellion

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Camp at Harrison’s Landing, Va., August 14, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report the following information of the forces and defenses and the movement of the forces of the rebel army of Richmond and vicinity from the time of commencing the [270] Seven-days’ Battles at Mechanicsville to date of this report, including the movement from Richmond to the valley of Jackson and his forces and the re-enforcements sent to him from the army at Richmond, which informationhas been derived from statements made at these headquarters by spies, contrabands, deserters, refugees, and prisoners of war, in order of time as hereinafter indicated, and which at the time indicated were made the subject of special reports to you. I have also appended to and made it part of this report a varied summary of these forces and their movements, together with summary of the defenses in the vicinities of Richmond and Petersburg, showing the probable number of these forces and the position and strength of their defenses.

The summary of general estimates shows 200,000 men to have composed the rebel army of Richmond about the time of the Seven-days’ Battle, which estimates are abundantly confirmed by the specific information obtained up to date of this report, as will be seen by reference to the table showing organization of the rebel army accompanying and part of this report.

It is also shown that the rebel losses in the seven battles before Richmond in killed, wounded, missing, and prisoners was at least 40,000 men. It is also shown that General Jackson left for Gordonsville early in July with 40,000 men, and that at least as many more were sent to re-enforce him before the 10th of August, thus leaving the entire rebel force in the vicinity of Richmond and Petersburg, according to information received up to date of this report, 80,000 men.

The table of specific organizations of the rebel army shows that they had forty-six brigades, two hundred and fifteen regiments, nineteen battalions, and one company infantry, one legion, eleven regiments cavalry, two batallions, and six companies ditto, three battalions artillery, and seventy-six batteries of artillery; in all equaling two hundred and fifty-two regiments. Of course, in the nature of the case, this specific information does not cover their entire army, and must, therefore, be taken as below even a minimum estimate.

All of which, general, is respectfully submitted, by your obedient servant,

E. J. ALLEN.

Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN,

Commanding Army of the Potomac.

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