[Inclosure No. 1.] ADJUTANT-GENERALS OFFICE, Richmond, Va., June 29, 1863.
General R. E. LEE,
Comdg. Army Northern Virginia, Winchester, Va.: GENERAL: While with the President last night, I received your letter of the 23d instant. After reading it, the President was embarrassed to understand that part of it which refers to the plan of assembling an army at Culpeper Court-House under General Beauregard. This is the first intimation that he has had that such a plan was ever in contemplation, and, taking all things into consideration, he cannot see how it can by any possibility be carried into effect. You will doubtless learn before this reaches you that the enemy has again assembled in force on the Peninsula, estimated between 20,000 and 30,000 men, from 6,000 to 10,000 of whom are reported to be in the vicinity of White House and the remainder at Yorktown. It is impossible to say whether the estimated number is correct, as the several accounts vary and are not deemed altogether reliable; but the estimate, making due allowance for errors, is quite near enough to satisfy the most incredulous that the enemy is in this vicinity in sufficient force in cavalry, artillery, and infantry to do much harm, whether his purpose be to make a demonstration on Richmond or to confine himself to raids in breaking your communications and devastating the country. His efforts in the last case may prove more successful than in the first, if we may judge by what took place at Hanover only two days ago, when about 1,000 or 1,200 of his cavalry suddenly appeared there, and did some execution in breaking the railroad and burning a bridge, some buildings, public stores, & c. It was unfortunate that this raid took place only about two days after General Corse's brigade had left there for Gordonsville. Had it remained at Hanover Junction, it is reasonable to suppose that most of the enemy's cavalry would have been either destroyed or captured and the property saved from injury. Every effort is being made here to be prepared for the enemy at all points, but we must look chiefly to the protection of the capital. In doing this, we may be obliged to hazard something at other points. You can easily estimate your strength here, and I would suggest for your consideration whether, in this state of things, yon might not be able to spare a portion of your force to protect your line of communication against attempted raids by the enemy. Very respectfully, your obedient servant S. COOPER, Adjutant- General.
[Inclosure No. 2]
Addenda
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, June 23, 1863. General S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.: Upon leaving Fredericksburg, a regiment of General Pettigrew's brigade was sent to relieve General Corse's brigade, at Hanover Junction, to enable the latter to rejoin his division. General Corse was subsequently ordered to remain at the Junction, and I have not heard whether he has yet been sent forward. If not, I think the regiment will suffice for a guard at that point, and wish Corses brigade to be ordered to rejoin its division under General Pickett as soon as possible. He will march by Culpeper Court-House, and thence through Chester Gap to Winchester, where he will be instructed by what route to proceed. I wish to have every man that can be spared, and desire that Cookes brigade may be sent forward by the same route, if it is not needed at Richmond. I think there will be no necessity for keeping a large number of troops at that place, especially if the p lan of assembling an army at Culpeper Court-House under General Beauregard be adopted. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. E. LEE, General.
Addenda
RICHMOND, VA., June 28, 1863. General R. E. LEE, Commanding, & c.: GENERAL: Yours of the 23d* received this evening, and hasten to reply to the point presented in relation to the forces on the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. The hopes indulged as to our opera- tions at the time which would intervene between the discharge of the enemys trained troops and the substitution of them by others, have been disappointed by the very error against which it was sought by warning to guard. Grant reached the river, got re-enforcements, made intrenchments, and General Johnston continues to call for re-enforcements, though his first requisition was more than filled by withdrawing troops from Generals Beauregard and Bragg. General Bragg is threatened with attack, has fallen back to his intrenched position at Tullahoma, and called on Buckner for aid. General Beauregard says t that no troops have been withdrawn by the enemy from his point [front] since those returned to New Berne, and that his whole force is necessary to cover his line, this being in answer to a proposition to him to follow the movement of the enemy, said to be to the west, with all his disposable force, pointing him at the same time to the vital importance of hold- ing the Mississippi, and communicating the fear that Vicksburg would fall unless Johnston was strongly and promptly re-enforced. D. IL Hill has a small force, part of which has been brought here. Cling- mans brigade is near Wilmington; Colquitts, Kinston; Martins, nominally on railroad (Weldon, & c.). Cookes, Ransoms, and Jen- kins have been brought here, the last two temporarily from the de- fense of Petersburg and country thereabouts. Wises brigade is, as you left it, engaged in the defense of Richmond, and serving in the country to the east of the city. The enemy have been reported in large force at White House, with indications of an advance on Rich- mond. We are organizing companies for home defense, and the spirit of resistance is increasing. Corses brigade, in accordance with your orders, left Hanover Junction. All the artillery, I am informed, was taken away, and the single regiment of infantry which consti- tuted the guard for the bridges proved unequal to the duty, as you have no doubt learned. Re-enforcements were ordered to go up, but some delay occurred, and they arrived too late to save the bridge or the brave guard which had unsuccessfully defended it. The Yan- kees, reported to be three regiments of cavalry, returned from the Central road in the direction of Hanover (Old Town), and nothing has been heard of them since. It was stated that General W. H. F. Lee was captured at the houseof Mr. Wickham, but I trust it will prove to be one of the many startling rumors which the newsmongers invent. The advance of your army increases our want of cavalry on the north and east of the city, but, excepting one regiment from North Carolina, I do not know of any which we can expect soon to be available to us. In yours of the 20th, you say, if any of the brigades that I have left behind for the protection of Richmond can, in your opinion, be spared, I should like them to be sent to me. It has been an effort with me to answer the clamor to have troops stopped or recalled, to protect the city and the railroads communicating with y our army. Corses brigade has gone, and Wises is the only other left by you. Cookes was in North Carolina, and Davis brigade was sent to com- plete Heths division in place of Cookes. Ransoms and Jenkins constitute the defense of the south side as far as Weldon, and are re- lied on for service elsewhere, from Wilmington to Richmond. General Elzey is positive that the enemy intend to attack here, and his scouts bring intelligence which, if I believed it, would render me no more anxious for the city than at any former time. I do not believe the Yankees have such force as is stated, but that they have enough to render it necessary to keep some troops within reach, and some at Petersburg; at least, until Suffolk is truly evacuated. Do not understand me as balancing accounts in the matter of bri- gades; I only repeat that I have not many to send you, and enough to form an army to threaten, if not capture, Washington as soon as it is uncovered by Hookers army. My purpose was to show you that the force here and in North Carolina is very small, and I may add that the brigades are claimed as properly of their command. Our information as to the enemy maybe more full and reliable hereafter. It now is materially great~~r than when you were here. Very respectfully and truly, yours, JEFFERSON DAVIS
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The original communication from Lee not captured at Gettysburg.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, June 23, 1863. His Excellency President DAVIS, Richmond: Mr. PRESIDENT: The season is now so far advanced as to render it improbable that the enemy will undertake active operations on the Carolina and Georgia coast before the return of frost. This impres- sion is confirmed by the statements contained in Northern papers, that part of General Hunters force had gone to re-enforce General Banks, and that Admiral Foote, the successor of Admiral DuPont in the command of the South Atlantic fleet, lies dangerously ill, a circumstance that will tend further to embarrass any designs the en- emy may entertain of operating against the cities of the seaboard. Federal papers of the 19th allude to the frequent arrival or depar- ture of troops and munitions at Old Point, and those of the 20th announce the arrival of General Peck and staff in Washington, without indicating the object of his visit, further than it may be connected with the movements just referred to. At this distance, I can see no benefit to be derived from maintain- ing a large force on the southern coast during the unhealthy months of the summer and autumn, and I think that a part, at least, of the troops in North Carolina, and of those nnder General Beanregard, can be employed at this time to great advantage in Virginia. If an army conld be organized nnder the command of General Beanregard, * and pnshed forward to Culpeper Conrt-Honse, threat- ening Washington from that direction, it wonld not only effect a diversion most favorable for this army, bnt would, I think, relieve us of any apprehension of an attack upon Richmond dnring onr ab- sence. The well known anxiety of the Northern Government for the safety of its capital would indnce it to retain a large force for its defense, and thus sensibly relieve the opposition to onr advance. Last snmmer, yon will remember, that troops were recalled from Hilton Head, North Carolina, and Western Virginia for the protec- tion of Washington, and there can be little donbt that if onr present movements northward are accompanied by a demonstration on the sonth side of the Potomac, the coast wonld be again relieved, and the troops now on the Peninsula and sonth of the Potomac be with- drawn. If snccess should attend the operations of this army, and what I now snggest wonld greatly increase the probability of that resnlt, we might even hope to compel the recall of some of the enemys troops from the west. I think it most important that, whatever troops be used for the purpose I have named, General Beanregard be placed in command, and that his department be extended over North Carolina and Vir- ginia. His presence wonld give magnitude to even a small demon- stration, and tend greatly to perplex and confonnd the enemy. Of conrse, the larger the force that we can employ the better, but should yon think it imprudent to withdraw a part of General Beauregards army for the purpose indicated, I think good results would follow from sending forward, underGeneral Beauregard, snch of the troops about Richmond and in North Carolina as could be spared for a short time. The good effects of beginning to assemble an army at Culpeper Court-House would, I think, soon become apparent, and the movement might be increased in importance as the result might appear to justify. Should you agree with me, I need not say that it is desirable that the execution of the plan proposed should immediately begin. The enemy will hear of it soon enough, and a proper reticence on the part of our papers will cause them to attribute greater importance to it. I need not mention the benefit that the troops themselves would derive from being transferred to a more healthy climate. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, R. E. LEE, General.
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David Upton