Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-05-13
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GEN. LEE AT GETTYSBURG.

The forthcoming number of the Historical Ma
gazine will contain document Of marked interest
to all who concern themselves with the history Of
the late war. This document is Gen. Lees full
official report of the Invasion of Pennsylvania and
the Battle of Gettysburg" It has never been
published, and is communicated from the original
manuscript in the possession of Mr.. VIM. Swinton
It was the habit of Lee to publish brief prelimi-
nary accounts of his military operations as speedily
as possible after the occurrence; and subsequently,
at his leisure, to prepare full official reports. Such
brief preliminary account of the great Pennsyl-
vania campaign of 1868 was made public on the
return of the Confederate army to Virginia, after
that campaign. Lee, however, never found op-
portunity to write his complete and final report
till the Winter of ls64-5, when he lay within the
lines of Petersburg, besieged by Grant. During
the retreat from Petersburg and Richmond, in
April, 1865, all the papers belonging to the Con-
fedcrate commander were burnt in one of the head
quarters wagons, which was fired by the person in
charge, under the anticipation that it would fall
into the hands of the Union force 1t happened,
however, that the manuscript report Of the inva-
sion of Pennsylvania and the battle Of Gettysburg
was on the person of one of Lees staff officers.
Thus preserved, it now sees the light for the first
time.
The report is very elaborate and much too
lengthy for any other than brief digest here. 1t
begins with an account of the maneuvres put in
practice by Lee with the view of drawing the Uni
on army under Hooker from his defensive position
a. oP tbo .Q,pnohoppooy opd then
proceeds to sketch the subsequent operations of
the Confederate army up to the time of crossing
the Potomac. The general object the campaign
is thus stated
"Upon the retreat of the Federal army, CON-
manded by Major General Hooker, from Chancel-
lorsvic, it occupied the ground north of the Rap
pahannock, opposite Fredericksburg, where it
could not be attacked except at a disadvantage.
81 was determined to draw it from this position,
and if practicable, transfer the scene of hostties
beyond the Potomac The execution Of this pur-
pose also embraced the expulsion of the force un-
der General Milroy, which had infested the lower
Shenandoah Valley during the preceding Winter
and Spring If unable to attain the valuable result
which might be expected to follow a decided ad-
vantage gained over the enemy in Maryland or
Pennsylvania, it was hoped that we should at least
so far disturb his plans for the Summer campaign
as to prevent its execution during the season Of
active operations.
1t appears that the initial movements of the
campaign were begun as early as the first week in
June, 1868, at which time the commands of Long
street and Ewcll we're secretly transferred to Cul-
pepper Court House. After while Hooker be-
came suspicious that something had taken place,
and accordingly he threw accommodating force
across the Rappahannock below Fredericksburg
'but, says Lee, "Hill's corps was left to watch
these troops, with instructions to follow the move
ments of the (Confederate) army as soon as they
should retire. Under this mask, Ewell shotrapid,
ly across the Shenandoah Valley, and marching
quickly northward, overwhelmed Milroy at Win
CHESTER and opened the gateway to the passage Of
the Potomac. The result of these preliminary
operations in the Valley is thus summed up by
Lee:
'These operations resulted in the expulsion Of
the enemy from the Valley, the capture of -four
thousand prisoners, with corresponding numbe,
of small arms, twenty eight pieces of superior art
lery, including those taken by General Rodes and
General Hays, about three hundred wagons and as
many horses, together with considerable quantity
of ordnance, commissary and quartermaster'
stores Our entire loss was fortyseven killed, two
hundred and nineteen wounded and six missing. u
At the time that Ewell was operating in the
Valley, another role was assigned Longstreet. "Ir
order to misead Hooker as to our intentions" says
Lee, "Longstreet left Culpepper Court House or
the 18th of June, and advancing along the eastern
side of the Blue Ridge occupied Ashley's anc
Smokers Gaps" The effect of this maneuvrt