The Numerical Strength of the Confederate Army An examination of the argument of the Hon. Charles Francis Adams and others

"The Numerical Strength of the Confederate Army" by Randolph H. McKim is a historical analysis that explores what really happened with the Confederate Army’s numbers during the American Civil War. McKim takes on claims made by Northern critics like Charles Francis Adams, who thought the South was lowballing their troop numbers. The story looks closely at things like how they got soldiers, the land they lost, and who didn't have to fight, all to figure out how many soldiers the South could actually put in the field. McKim argues that the South's estimate of 600,000 soldiers is pretty accurate, considering they were short on everything and still had to run the home front. Using records, stories from people who were there, and reports from generals, he makes the case that the South’s army wasn't as big as some people thought, and getting 600,000 soldiers was actually a big deal for them.