The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-17
LEE AND GETTYSBURG.
HIS FIRST KNOWLEDGE or THE
WHEREABOUTs OF HOOKER.
Statement Made by Col. Mosby to tho
Effect that lie Knew Ii Before tho
Night of the 2sth Combatted.

Sir-In a letter. from Col. JohH .. 1lOS-
by. that appeared in your issue Oh M"s
9TH in reply 10 my letter IN previous
issue, / see he still CONTENDS that p'u
Lee knew before the night OF inc -o," "
Iune that Rockers army had crossed inc
river. and was at Frederick City, even' III
spite If the fact, that Gen. Lee, III MS
official report. writes, in words thae Az.
mit Of no doubt as TO their meaning liiu'
he did not knew.
Now hcw does he MAINTAIN MS CONF
ton? There are two points ptesc".
First. The physical imposslDlllty ol ''i0
ronort TO Gen. Lee at ChambersDurB on
the night Of the 18th. or scout, DeaIins
TO him the information OF the ehah5e "a
the commanders Of the Union army Tue
order for which was published IcE 'lc
first time at Frederick, on the evening
of that day. That is a contention to be
directed at those who made the astr-
ton. l see no such assertion made ony-
where I'm either OF Gen. Lees reports.
In his report %. 900, he wrote; "Ibe ad-
vance against Harrisburg was arrested Dy
Intelligence from a scout on the night
of the 18th to the effect that the army
OF Gen. Hooker had crossed the Potomac
and was approaching the South noun
tain. In the absence of the cavalry u
was impossible to ascertain his inten-
lions: but TO deter him from advancing
further west, and intercepting our COM
munications with Virginia, IL was deter
mined to concentrate east Of the noun
tains.'
IL Gen. I.ongstreet and Col. Marshall
have gone outside of the record, ana
made statements that can be demon
strated TO be impossibilities, they must
be held responsible for them. and not
Cen Lees report, which contains no
such assertion.
WAS THE DATE WRONG?
Tho other contention IS that Gen. Lees
order 10 Ewell. Of date 7:30 A. NJ, June
2Sth. in which he refers to what he wrote
"last night cannot be reconciled with
the statement made In his report. that
the advance against Harrisburg WIS ar
rested in consequence of information re-
ceiyed on tho night Of that day. j think
# more in accordance with the rules Tor
careful investigation TO inquire whether
there may not have been. by inadver-
tence, the wrong date fixed 20 the order.
II it had been issued at 1870 A. NJ. June
29th, there could have been no contention
whatever on that point.
With the view Of testing the probabli-
ties Of such an error IN date. | have eX-
amined the reports OF Ewell. R0des and
Early. to ascertain as nearly as possible
the date Of the receipt Of the order by
them.
Ewen, in hiss report @. Hg. wrote
"FrOm Carlisle. / sent forward Capt.
Richardson, with Jenkins cavalry 10 re-
connoitre the defences OF HARRISBURG
and was starting on the Goth for that
place. when ordered by the general COM
manding to join tho main body Of the
army mt Cashtown, near Gettysburg
Gen. Rodcs, IN his report, is more cX-
pliclt @. 552l: "On our arrival at Carlisle
eth. jenkins cavalry advanced towards
Harrisburg, and had. on the 18th, made "a
thorough reconnaissance Of the defences
Of the place. with a view to our advance
upon IL which was 70 have been
executed on the Both, but on the 50th, hav-
ing received orders to move toward the
balance Of the army, then supposed TO bee
at or near Cashtown, we set out for that
place"
Gen. Early wrote o. 46D: "On the even
ing Of the 18th. ! received, through Cap
tain Elliott Johnston. aide TO Gen. Ewel
a copy of note from Gen. Lee and
also verbal Instructions, which required
me 10 move back. SO as 20 rejOin the rest
OF the corps" All concur IN fixing the
date OF the receipt OF the order on the
18th. / have searched I'm vain through
these reports FOR evidence of any earlier
knowledge of change Of plans. The dis
lance between Chambersburg and Carlisle
IS fixed. by Col Alosby~ at twenty-five
Hnlles. A icouIler, starting from Gen
Lees headquarters at 1880 A. NJ, should
reach Gen. Ewell by midday I'm the or
binary course Of travel. York is about
the same distance from Carlile. so that
Early's receipt Of the order "On the even
ing" conforms well with the distance 20
be- travelled. Ny conclusion. therefore.
s., that there must have been a mistake
I'm the date of the order. which would
fully set at rest the apparent variance
between the order and the report.
STUARTS ACTIONS.
Stuarts fame needs no fanciful defence
A careful examination of the reports and
correspondence shows that Gen. Stuart.
who represented the eyes Of the army
whose vigilance and tact were so highly
esteemed by Gen. Lee. elected 10 move
through or around Hooker's army, and
that Gen. Lee authorized the move Had
Hookers army remained stationary n dav
or two longer Stuart would have passed
through f., gotten ahead of St. and report
cd to Gen. Ewell sooner. and doubtless
carried 70 Gen. Lee more important in
formation than he could have done by TAX
ing any other route. but, unfortunately.
Il happened otherwise. quote from
Fitzhugh Lees General Lee" I'm jus
tice 10 Stuart IL may De said that De
ala not foresee that a marching. interven-
ing hostile army w0rd keep him away
from Leo so long. or that he would be
required before he could get TO the Sus-
ouehanna," and hence it was that Gen.
Lee was much troubled In mind, when the
crisis OF battle was impending, 10 find
himself without his eyes
ROBERT NJ. STRIBLING.
Markham. Va, May IL. 1896.