The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1863-10-09

: OFFICIAL REPORT OF GENERAL LEE-INTEl
!. 9s EsTING DETAILS.
: The following is an authentic copy ofGe1
Robert E. Lee'e official report Of the "Peni
sylvania Campaign"
J, Il HEADo's ARMY OF NORTHERN Va.
t m2.t - ,+- July 3lst, 1863.
Gen s. COOPER, A. & 1. Gen., Richmond VI
:. -General-I have the honor to submit tn
following outline of the recent operations
this army for the information of the Depar
ment: 1f
The position occupied by the enemy op
pos;te Fredericksburg being one in which b
could not be attacked to advantage, it wa
determined to draw him from It, The exc
cution of this purpose embraced the relic
of the Shenandoah Valley from the troops
that had occupied the lower part of it during
the winter and spring, and, if practicable
the transfer of the scene of hostilities Nortl
of the Potomac.
1t was thought that the corresponding
movements on the part of the enemy, to
which those contemplated by US would
probably give rise, might offer fair oppor
tunity to strike blow at the army therein
commanded by General Hooker, and, that
in every event, that army would be com
PEELED to leave Virginia, and possibly to
draw to its support troops designed to ope.
rate against other parts of the country. In
this way it was supposed that the enemy's
plan of campaign for the summer would be
broken up, and part OF the season of active
operations be consumed in the formation Of
new combinations, and the preparations
they would require.
In addition to these advantages, it was
hoped that other valuable results might be
attained by military success.
Actuated by these and other important
considerations that may hereafter be pre-
sented, the movement began on the Sd June.
McLaw's division of Longstrset's corps left
fredericksburg for Culpepper O. d., and
Hoods division, which was encamped on
the Rapidan, marched to the same place.
They were followed on the 4th and 9TH
by Ewell's corps, leaving that Of A. 2. Hill
to occupy our line. at Fredericksburg.
The march of these troops having been
discovered by the enemy on the afternoon
of the 5tb, and the following day he cross
ed a force, amounting to about one army
corps, to the south side of Rappahannock
on pontoon bridge laid down near the
mouth of Deep Run. Gen. Hill disposed of
his command to resist their advance; but
as they seemed intended for the purpose of
observation rather than attack, the move
ments in progress were not arrested.
The forces Of Longstreet and Ewell
reached Culpeppsr Court House by the 9Th
at which point the cavalry under General
Stuart, was also concentrated.
On the 9th, large force of Federal cav
airy, strongly supported by infantry. cross
ed the Rappahannock at Beverly's and Kel
ly's Fords, and attacked Gen. Stuart. A
severe engagement ensued, continuing from
early in the morning until late in the after
noon, when the enemy was forced to recross
the river with heavy loss, leaving 400 pri-
soners, three pieces of artillery and several
colors in our hands.
Gen. Jenkins, with MS cavalry brigade,
had been ordered to advance tsward Win
chester, to cooperate with the infantry in
the proposed expedition into the lower val
ley, and at the same time General Imboden
was directed, with his command, to make
demonstration in the direction of Romney,
in order to cover the movement against
Winchester, and prevent the enemy at that
place from being reinforced by the troops
on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road Both of these officers were in posi-
ton when Gen. Ewell left Culpepper Court
House on the 9th. Crossing the Shenan-
doah near Front Royal he detached Rhodes
Division to Berryville, with instructions af-
ter dislodgin, the force stationed there, to
cut off the communication between Win
chester and the Potomac. With the divis-
ions of Early and johnson, General Ewell
advanced directly unon Winchester, driv
ing the enemy into his works around the
town on the 18th On the same day the
troops at Berryville fell back before Gen.
Rhodes, retrsating to Winchester On the
l4th Gen. Early stormed the works at the
latter place, and the whole army Of Milroy
was captured or dispersed. Most Of those
who attempted to escape were intercepted
and made prisoners by General Johnson
Their leader fed to Harpers Ferry, with a
small portion of fugitives.
Gen. Rodes marched form Berryviie to
Martinsburg, entering the latter place on
| the l4th, where ne took seven hundred
prisoners, fve pieces of artillery and con
siderable quantity of stores. These opera.
tions cleared the valley of the enemy, those
at Harper's Ferry Withdrawing to Maryland
flights. More than four thousand prison
ers, twenty-nine pieces of artillery, two
hundred and seventy wagons and ambulan-
ces, with four hundred horses, were captur-
ed, besides large amount of military
| stores. Our loss was small. On the night
that Ewell appeared at Winchester, the
Federal troops in front of A. P. Hill, at
Fredericksburg, recrossed the Rappahannock
and the next day disappeared behind the
| hills of Stafford.
The whole army of Gen. Hooker with
drew from the line of the Rappabannock,
pursuing the roads near the sPotomac and
no favorable opportunity was offered for at
tack 1t seemed to be the purpose Of Gen.
Hooker to take a position which would en-
able him to cover the approaches to Wash
ington City-with view to draw him fur
ther from his base, and at the same time to