Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-01-23
time, have myself learned several ''facts" OF
which, was previously ignorant

Captain Lee kindly showed us over the forti-
ficauons, which are very formidable, and
would efectually bar the passage mp the river
against any number Of iron-clads or guHooats.
Drury's Bluff is the same place as Fort
Darling, where the Yankee gunboats were re-
pulsed last summer. At that time only three
guns were there, and those not particularly
large ones; but now the place is really very
strong, and much more heavily armed.
After Captain Lee had shown NJ the fort
we sat down IN front Of his house, and had a
long conversation whilst waiting for the
steamer to return TO Richmond.
thought Captain Lee spoke rather despon-
a good deal upon the difiicu ulties 9eneral Lee
has to contend with, his want of mechanical
appliances, poDtoons, etc; no organized corps
OF engineers; the danger of exposing Richmond
teresting details Of their extraordinary dificul-
ties at the commencement OF the war, which
they began without any material for carrying
it on except men, and without the means Of
Supplying their m ost urgent necessities.
But things have greatly improved since then.
Now they manufacture their own guns, small
arms, gunpowder, clothing, and almost every
thing they want The blockade runners easily
upply the rest
Before we left Drury's Bluff we went on
used to be called. She is built on the same
principle as the Asrrimdc No I, and ia very
heavily armed. A banded Brooke gun was
especially pointed out TO us as q great beauty
and triumph OF art.
IN PENNSYLVANIA WITH LKR's Army.
md that when people mean to speak OF
native OF Holland, they call him an Amsterdam
race generally, they leave out the Amster.
GENERAL LEES HEADQUARTERS
l went ont to the camp again, and was pre-
sented TO General Lee, " no invited me 70 din
ner. 1t was frugal meal and simply served.
The General has little of the glorious pomp and
circumstances OF war about his person. A
Confederate flag marks the whereabouts OF his
headquarters, which are here in q little en-
closure of some couple OF acres OF timber.
There are about half a. dozen tents, and as
many baggage-wagons and ambuiances. The
horses and mules from these, besides those OF a
small escort. are tied up to the trees, grazing
abont the place. The General has private
carriage, or ambulance, as IL is called, OF his
own, but he never uses 1t. 1t formerly be-
longed to the Federal General Pope. 1 re-
manned some time at headquarters, and had
good deal OF conversation with the officers OF
General Lees staff. Major Marshall men
toned to me, as one of the greatest misfortunes
which has happened to them during the war
(gTeater, he thought, than the fall Of New Or
leans), the accidental loss last year, through
carelessness by general ofdivision, of very
important order Of General Lees Mcclellan
who had been slowly and carefully feeling his
way, totally ignorant of his plans and the
whereabouts Of his main force, is said 70 have
exclaimed, on finding this order, "WelI, ifI
don't destroy Lee this time, yon may call ME
what you like" Singularly enough the same
General lost an equally important order be-
fore the seven days fighting around Richmond
and 1t was found on a prisoner who was cap
DerNaDS,
it's importance, he had not sent il on to head
quarters, or it would have done tncalculable
GETTYSBURG INCIDENTS.
As we passed Barksdale Mississippi Brigade
the General came up eagerly to Longstreet: "I
wish you would let me go in, General: i
would take that battery in Ave minutes
"Wait a httle," said Longstreet, 4" we are all
going in presently"
The men were as eager as their leader and
those in the front line began to pull down
w
Don't do that, or you will draw the enc
my's fire." said Longstreet who sees and OBJ
serves everything.
We passed on, and very soon afterwards the
General called for his horse, mounted, dashed
to the front OF the line, gave the word, and led
them on himself.
We returned to the camp after the battle, and
spent the evening rather gloomy. In the night
1t began to rain heavily; and whilst we were
asleep, thief came into our encampment ana
stole two trunks out OF the tents in which we
were lylng-one from Major Moses, which had
five thousand dollars Of public money in it,
and one from Dr.: Barksdale, containing per-
voked; and DR. Barksdale's disgust seemed
only increased when his trunk was found In
the course OF the morning in a neighborIng
field, open, robbed OF It's most valuable contents,
and the rest saturated with rain. Major Moses
trunk was also found In the same state.
WHAT LEE SAID.
1t was dismal Dight The IRE was kent
up and protected from the rain by continually
piling on fresh wood and il was q roaring one
yet wondered thatit was not extinguished. l.
hghted up the scene with strange glare.
Lee ana Longstreet stood apart engaged in
earnest conversation, and around the nre, in
various groups, lay the officers OF their stats.
Tired to death, many were sleeping, in spite
OF the mnd and drenching rain: and we'll re-
member one long log OF wood-a fence rail
which was much convicted as a pillow. Onoe
81. .ssrs to mp and po
accepted and lay down, but the edges were
very sharp and each time time / fell of into
a doze began to dream so vividly that my
head was being cut of that at last 1 couId
stand it no longer, and returned the Major his
part OF the bolster with thanks. Again and
again during the night reports came In frou
emy had retreated, and that they had no,hine
but cavalry in front OF them.
General Lee said a few days afterwards,
that he had hesitated whether he should not
countermand MS own retreat, which he
certainly would not have commenced If he
mad anticipated such dreadsully bad weather
But the wagon trains We're now well on their
road to the rear, and their safety might have
been compromised if the army had not followed
tnem. BY 8 o'clock the next morning
the me whole wagon train had goqpast US, ana
ing, but the road was a sea of slush and mud,
and we got along very slowly.
l. and visited General Lee in the after-
noon, and ne spoke very openly on the subject
OF the late campaign.
Had he been aware tnat Me.de had been
able to concentrate his whole army-for which
ne deserved great creGit-he certainly should
not have attacked him; indeed, it had lot been
his interest or intention to bring on a great
battle at all; but, led away, partly by the sue
cess OF the first day, belle wing that Meade had
only portion Of his army in front of him. and
seeing the enthusiasm of his own troops, he
had thought that a successful battle would
cut the knot so easily and satisfactorily, that
ne mad determined to risk it. His want of
knowledge of the enemy's movements he at
trlbuted to Stuart having got too far away
from him with his cavalry.
Had the strong position of Gettysburg been
stormed, no doubt cannon and colors and pris-
oners would have been taken, but at a great
sacrifice of life. The Federals would have
fallen back, and probably taken up q still
stronger position few miles to the rear. Lee
would nave had to retreat all the same, espe
clly as, after the third days fight, ammunition
particularly small.arms ammunition was
getting short. Had there been only a portion