“The States of the North,” wrote McClellan, “are flooded with deserters and absentees.  One corps of this army has 18,000 men present and 15,000 absent; of this 15,000, 8,000 probably are at work at home."* (* Ibid part 2 page 365.) On September 28, General Meade, who had succeeded to the command of Hooker’s corps, reported that over 8000 men, including 250 officers, had quitted the ranks either before or during the battle of Antietam; adding that “this terrible and serious evil seems to pervade the whole body."* (* Ibid page 348.) The Confederates, although the privations of the troops during the forced marches, their indifferent equipment, and the deficiencies of the commissariat were contributory causes, had almost as much reason to complain.  It is said that in the vicinity of Leesburg alone over 10,000 men were living on the citizens.  Jackson’s own division, which took into action 1600 effectives on September 17 and lost 700, had 3900 present for duty on September 30; Lawton’s division rose from 2500 to 4450 during the same period; and the returns show that the strength of Longstreet’s and Jackson’s corps was only 87, 992 on September 22, but 52,019 on October 1.* (* O.R. volume 19 part 2 pages 621, 639.) It is thus evident that in eight days the army was increased by more than 14,000 men, yet only a few conscripts had been enrolled.  Lee’s official reports and correspondence allude in the strongest terms to the indiscipline of his army.  “The absent,” he wrote on September 23, “are scattered broadcast over the land;” and in the dispatches of his subordinates are to be found many references to the vagrant tendencies of their commands.* (* General orders, September 4; Lee to Davis, September 7; Lee to Davis, September 13; special orders, September 21; circular order, September 22; Lee to Davis, September 23; Lee to Secretary of War, September 23; Lee to Pendleton, September 24; Lee to Davis, September 24; Lee to Davis, September 28; Lee to Davis October 2; O.R. volume 19 part 2.  See also Report of D.H.  Hill, O.R. volume 19 part 1 page l026.  Stuart to Secretary of War, October 13.  On September 21, Jackson’s adjutant-general wrote, “We should have gained a victory and routed them, had it not been for the straggling.  We were twenty-five thousand short by this cause.”  Memoirs of W.N.  Pendleton, D.D. page 217.  It is but fair to say that on September 13 there was a camp of 900 barefooted men at Winchester, and “a great many more with the army.”  Lee to Quarter-Master General, O.R. volume 19 part 2 page 614.) A strong provost guard was established at Winchester for the purpose of collecting stragglers.  Parties of cavalry were sent out to protect the farms from pillage, and to bring in the marauders as prisoners.  The most stringent regulations were issued as to the preservation of order on the march, the security of private property, and the proper performance of their duties by regimental and commissariat officers.  On September 23, General Jones reported from Winchester that the country was full of stragglers, that be had already sent back 5000 or 6000, and that the numbers of officers amongst them was astonishing.* (3 O.R. volume 19 part 2 page 629.) The most earnest representations were made to the President, suggesting trial of the offenders by drumhead court-martial, and ordinary police duties became the engrossing occupation of every general officer.