than his own. Asked "what was your strength upon that battlefield?" his reply was, "Including all arms of Service, my strength was a little under 100,000 men—about 95,000. I think General Lee had about 90,000 infantry, from 4,000 to 5,000 artillery, and 10,000 cavalry.—I. p. 337.
Major Steele, "American Campaigns," says: "The returns of June 30, 1863, give the strength of the Army of the Potomac as 115,256 officers and men, with 362 guns," (p. 354), and he puts the strength of Lee's army, May 31, 1863, as 76,224 officers and men, and 272 guns. (p. 353).
To these Federal authorities, I add that of Colonel Walter Taylor, of Lee's staff, who puts the strength of Lee's army, May 31, as 74,451 effectives, but shows that its strength was much less on the eve of the campaign one month later, when it was, in his opinion, from 67,000 to 68,000 men. The estimate given above, by General Meade, would not be supported to-day by any competent expert authority.
Major-General Humphreys, who became Chief of Staff on the 9th of July, testified before the Congressional Committee (page 395), "that he thought the enemy's infantry superior in number to the Union infantry," and Major-General Butterfield stated that, in his opinion (page 420), Lee had 91,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry, and 235 pieces of artillery. He also testified that on the 10th of June, General Hooker had 78,245 infantry, and that before the battle additions had been made numbering 7,500 infantry, besides Stannard's brigade. If we estimate this brigade at 2,500, then the Federal infantry under Meade in the battle of Gettysburg should have numbered 88,245 men, not counting the 10,000 men under General French, who were ordered from Harpers Ferry to Frederick, and were under General Meade's command.
THE CONFLICT ON GULP'S HILL.
In a letter written soon after the battle, I said:
"The crest of the hill to the right was still more difficult to approach, and from it the enemy were able to enfilade our whole line. * * * The struggle for the hill now became more and more fierce. The enemy endeavored to drive us out of the works. They attacked us in front and in flank, and opened a terrific cannonading upon us from a battery posted about 500 yards off. * * * On the right and left flank, where our lines were almost perpendicular to the front line, there were no breastworks, and the struggle was very fierce and bloody. Our men maintained their position, however, and received reinforcements." The Third North Carolina was on the right, and suffered most heavily during this part of the battle, so that but a handful were left to participate in the final charge.
"As soon as we were unmasked, a most terrific fire opened upon us, from three directions. In front, on a rising ground heavily wooded, the enemy were posted in two lines behind breastworks, one above the other, so that both lines fired upon us at once. On the left was a piece of woods, from which the enemy's sharpshooters opened a very galling fire, raking our whole line. This decided the failure of our attempt to storm their works, for the regiments on the left first halted (while the right of the line advanced), and then fell back. * * * Still we pressed on. General Steuart, Captain Williamson, and I were all on the right-center, where was the Second Maryland and eight men of the Third North Carolina. Oh! it was a gallant band. We had our sabres drawn, and were cheering on the men, but there was little need of it. Their gallantry did not avail, and their noble blood was spilled
