If these things are considered, it becomes plain that the previously quoted estimates of the several States of the Confederacy cannot possibly be accepted as at all near the real facts.
Let us now compare these estimates of the Southern writers quoted with the military population of some of the States:
| The military population of Virginia in 1861, exclusive of West Virginia, is estimated by Livermore at | 116,000 |
| Add one-tenth for extension of military age down to seventeen and up to fifty | 11,600 |
| Add twelve per cent. for youths maturing to seventeen in four years | 13,920 |
| Total | 141,520 |
| Deduct exempts for physical and mental defects, twenty per cent. | 28,304 |
| Available military population | 113,216 |
But the representative writer in "The South" puts the number of men furnished by Virginia to the Southern armies at 175,000, which is 61,784 more than the available military population! Could there be a more palpable reductio ad absurdum?[13]
Besides, as I have shown, in Virginia and all the States there were large numbers of men exempt as State officers. This considerably increases the twenty per cent. which Colonel Fox says are in all countries exempted from military service.
Take next Florida:
| Her military population in 1861 was | 15,739 |
| Add one-tenth for extension of military age down to seventeen and up to fifty | 1,573 |
| Add twelve per cent. for youths attaining seventeen years in four years | 1,888 |
| 19,200 | |
| Deduct exempts, twenty per cent. | 3,840 |
| Available military population | 15,360 |
But the writer quoted by Mr. Adams states that Florida furnished 15,000 to the Confederate States army, and the War Office records show that she furnished the Union army 1,270; making a total of 16,270, which is 900 more than the entire available military population!
| Georgia.—Military population in 1861 was | 111,005 |
| Add one-tenth for extension of military age down to seventeen and up to fifty | 11,100 |
| Add twelve per cent. for youths attaining seventeen years in four years | 13,320 |
| Total | 135,425 |
| Deduct twenty per cent. for exempts | 23,085 |
| Available military population | 112,340 |
But the alleged enrollment in the Confederate States army is 120,000, which is 7,110 more than the available military population, making no allowance for the failure of the conscript officers to put into the army every man liable to military duty, and none for the thousands exempt from service.