I don't know where he got his numbers Stan. Now, I can't say fairer than that can I? He does quote from a letter from Lee to Davis that he needs help to hear cases and authorize punishments in masse. Speaking of stragglers and deserters he says "I assure you some remedy is necessary, especially now, when the army is in a State whose citizens it is our purpose to conciliate and bring with us."

He does state Lee began his campaign with 55,000 men and that on September 14-15 he had 18,000 under his immediate command near South Mountain. Jackson and John Walker had men at Harpers Ferry and Lafayette McLaws was near the Potomac River. The others Lee had dispersed or they had deserted.

Maryland didn't seem in any rush to help out the Confederates. What sympathy they had was I believe located in the South-East part of the state.