HEADQUARTERS HARRISON'S BRIGADE,
April 17 1865.

General WHEELER:

Various rumors have just come into camp regading the surrender of the army, which has already induced some men to leave, and it is probable that others will do so in the course of the night, and I therefore desire that you will be kind enough to furnish me by the return courier the latest authentic intelligence on this subject.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

BAXTER SMITH,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Abstract from return of the Army of Tennessee, General Joseph E. Johnston, C. S. Army, commanding, for April 17, 1865. a

Present for duty.

Command. Officers. Men. Effective

total

present.

General staff b. 16 . . . . . .

Hardee's army

corps:

Staff. 13 . . . . . .

Brown's division 161 1,461 1,412

c.

Cheatham's 186 1,966 1,911

division.

Hoke's division. 385 2,857 2,722

Total. 745 6,284 6,045

Stewart's army

corps:

Staff. 9 . . . . . .

Loring's division. 194 2,012 1,929

Walthall's 188 2,150 2,115

division.

Anderson's 81 924 909

division.

Total. 472 5,086 4,953

Lee's army corps:

Staff. 16 . . . . . . .

Hill's division d. 202 2,137 2,054

Stevenson's 56 666 627

division.

Total. 274 2,803 2,681

Total infantry. 1,507 14,173 13,679

Artillery. e

Hardee's corps. 12 214 211

Stewart's corps. 29 485 467

Lee's corps. 4 97 95

Total artillery. 45 796 773

Pioneer Regiment 25 326 318

(Tucker's).

Grand total. 1,577 15,295 14,770

Command. Aggregate Aggregate present

present. and absent.

General staff b. 16 16

Hardee's army corps:

Staff. 13 13

Brown's division c. 2,108 8,030

Cheatham's division. 2,623 9,864

Hoke's division. 3,835 15,550

Total. 8,579 33,457

Stewart's army corps:

Staff. 9 11

Loring's division. 2,769 9,602

Walthall's division. 3,022 7,788

Anderson's division. 1,299 4,666

Total. 7,099 22,067

Lee's army corps:

Staff. 16 22

Hill's division d. 2,858 11,062

Stevenson's division. 885 4,743

Total. 3,759 15,827

Total infantry. 19,453 71,367

Artillery. e

Hardee's corps. 251 282

Stewart's corps. 619 840

Lee's corps. 108 150

Total artillery. 978 1,272

Pioneer Regiment 398 621

(Tucker's).

Grand total. 20,829 73,260

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a No formal reports of the cavalry yet received. April 7, 1865, effective total, 5,090; total present, 6,726: aggregate present, 7,183.

b The staff of General G. T. Beuaregard is not reported.

c 150 men detached from Brown's division and 250 from Hoke's division were dtailed for fatigue with the chief quartermaster of the army when is passed through Raleigh, and have not yet rejoined their divisions.

d Detachments from Cooke's Lane's brigades are not included in the report of Hill's division; effective total, 288; total present, 428.

e The artillery of the Army of Tennessee has not arrived. Johnston's battalion is at Salisbury, but not included in this report. The larger portioin of the artillery of the Departments of North Carolina and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida has been sent to the rear for reorganization, and is not included in this report.

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