An Enormous Lie.
We have before alluded to the statement of the Virginia renegade, General Thomas, made "in an order of the day," to the effect that he had buried three thousand two hundred of our dead after the battles of the 20th and 22d ultimo, before Atlanta, when, in point of fact, and according to the admission of the New York World, the Yankees sustained a most disastrous repulse, and would have been utterly routed but for the exertions of McPherson, who was killed in the action. In order that the public may have the best possible opportunity to pass judgment upon this report, we here republish it, with an analysis of its confused statement:
"army headquarters, July 26, 1864.
"The Major-General commanding the army congratulates the troops upon the brilliant success attending the Union arms in the late battles. In the battle of the 20th instant, in which the Twentieth corps, one division of the Fourth corps, and part of the Fourteenth corps were engaged, the total Union loss, in killed, wounded and missing, was one thousand seven hundred and thirty-three. In front of the Twentieth corps, there were put out of the fight six Thousand rebels, five hundred and sixty-three of the enemy were buried by our own troops, and the rebels were permitted to bury two hundred and fifty. The second division of the Fourth corps repulsed seven different assaults of the enemy with alight loss to themselves, and which must have swelled the number of dead buried by the rebels to beyond three hundred. We also captured seven stands of colors. No. official report has been received of the part taken in the battle by the Fourteenth corps. In the battle of the 22d instant, the total Union loss, in killed, wounded and missing, was three thousand five hundred, and ten pieces of artillery. The rebel loss in prisoners captured was three thousand two hundred. The known dead of the enemy in front of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth corps, and one division of the Seventeenth corps, was two thousand one hundred and forty-two. The other divisions of the Seventeenth corps repulsed six assaults of the enemy before they fell back, and which will swell the rebel loss in killed to at least three thousand. The latest report states we buried over three thousand two hundred rebels, killed in this fight. There were captured from the enemy, in this battle, eighteen stands of colors and five thousand stands of arms.
In the fight of the 20th, it seems, in front of one Yankee corps alone, five hundred and sixty-three rebels were buried by the Yankees, and the rebels were permitted to bury two hundred and fifty more; so that in front of that corps alone, on that day, eight hundred an thirteen rebels were killed. The second division of the Fourth corps buried three hundred more — total for that day, one thousand and thirteen killed.. There was no report from the Fourteenth corps; consequently, their share of men slain is not included in this list. On the 22d, the Fifteenth and Sixteenth corps, and one division of the Seventeenth, killed two thousand one hundred and forty-three. Added to one thousand one hundred and thirteen, this makes three thousand two hundred and fifty-six, thus far. The other divisions of the Seventeenth corps killed, it seems, at least three thousand. Grand total, six thousand two hundred and fifty-six, exclusive of what the other division of the Fourteenth corps killed on the 20th, which, us we have seen, was not reported, but which it is fair to put down at three hundred, as that was the amount of killing done on the same day by the one division of the Fourth corps. This makes a grand total of six thousand five hundred and fifty-six rebels killed on those two days, the 20th and 22d. Now, throughout this war, the wounded have uniformly been to the killed as six to one. Presuming the proportion to have been maintained in these two battles, there must have been thirty-nine thousand three hundred and thirty-six wounded. Added to the three thousand nine hundred and fifty-six killed, we have a total, in killed and wounded, of 45,892;. As the rebels also lost 3,200 prisoners, their total loss in killed, wounded and prisoners was, according to the veracious renegade from Virginia, 49,092! This was a much greater victory than Waterloo, and yet the Yankees have fired no cannon ordered no Te. Deum, and proclaimed no day of thanksgiving. What can they be waiting for?
A single circumstance connected with this stupendous victory is, that it was gained over a single corps of General Hood's army, and that corps still retains its organization in spite of such a tremendous loss! What a large corps it must have been, and what a prodigious Army General Hood must have under his command ! That nothing might be wanting to complete the strange character of this unheard of victory, the victors lost only 1,533 men — that is to say, but one man for every thirty lost by the rebels !
But the most singular thing of all, is that there should be a General bold enough to make such a statement as this to an army which had just been signally defeated, and must have known the truth of the case; a War Department which could tolerate such a gross falsehood; and a people, to whose general and secretary would dare to publish it.
It is refreshing to know that, in spite of this great paper reverse, General Hood still holds his own before Atlanta, and is not likely to be driven from his position.
