The manner of estimating numbers in the two armies differs materially.  In the Confederate army often only bayonets are taken into account, never, I believe, do they estimate more than are handling the guns of the artillery and armed with muskets (36) or carbines.  Generally the latter are far enough away to be excluded from the count in any one field.  Officers and details of enlisted men are not included.  In the Northern armies the estimate is most liberal, taking in all connected with the army and drawing pay.

Estimated in the same manner as ours, Lee had not less than 80,000 men at the start.  His reinforcements were about equal to ours during the campaign, deducting the discharged men and those sent back.  He was on the defensive, and in a country in which every stream, every road, every obstacle to the movement of troops and every natural defence was familiar to him and his army.  The citizens were all friendly to him and his cause, and could and did furnish him with accurate reports of our every move.  Rear guards were not necessary for him, and having always a railroad at his back, large wagon trains were not required.  All circumstances considered we did not have any advantage in numbers.

General Lee, who had led the Army of Northern Virginia in all these contests, was a very highly estimated man in the Confederate army and States, and filled also a very high place in the estimation of the people and press of the Northern States.  His praise was sounded throughout the entire North after every action he was engaged in:  the number of his forces was always lowered and that of the National forces exaggerated.  He was a large, austere man, and I judge difficult of approach to his subordinates.  To be extolled by the entire press of the South after every engagement, and by a portion of the press North with equal vehemence, was calculated to give him the entire confidence of his troops and to make him feared by his antagonists.  It was not an uncommon thing for my staff-officers to hear from Eastern officers, “Well, Grant has never met Bobby Lee yet.”  There were good and true officers who believe now that the Army of Northern Virginia was superior to the Army of the Potomac man to man.  I do not believe so, except as the advantages spoken of above made them so.  Before the end I believe the difference was the other way.  The Army of Northern Virginia became despondent and saw the end.  It did not please them.  The National army saw the same thing, and were encouraged by it.

The advance of the Army of the Potomac reached the James on the 14th of June.  Preparations were at once commenced for laying the pontoon bridges and crossing the river.  As already stated, I had previously ordered General Butler to have two vessels loaded with stone and carried up the river to a point above that occupied by our gunboats, where the channel was narrow, and sunk there so as to obstruct the passage and prevent Confederate gunboats from coming down the river.  Butler had had these boats filled and put in position, but had not had them sunk before my arrival.  I ordered this done, and also directed that he should turn over all material and boats not then in use in the river to be used in ferrying the troops across.