The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-31


Less 10 this that General Lee refers IN
his detailed report when he says:
s.T-non the suggestion OF the former ON
cor ietuarn. that he could damage the
enemy and delay his passage OF the river
by getting in his rear, he was autnor..eo
10 do so. and II vas left 10 bis discreSoh
whether to enter Maryland east or west
Of the Blue Ridge; but he was ins'ruS'eu
IN lose no time I'm placing his command OH
fha right Of our col1xop< IS soon as he
should perceive the enemy moving horth-
ward. ,r
DID NOT ORIGINATE 1T.
This sunports my superstition thai cen
eraI stuart did not originate the ined OIL
moving his cavalry around the rear VI
the enemy. but heartily adopted IL WY"
nronosed TO him. and strengtneheu &c "f
the suggestion OF the damage ana delay
he could cause by that course OF aoe",,
submitting at the same time the oe'ans
Of the plan by which he eNpsc,e" ~ ~"
complish this damage and decay. -,
In his letter TO Stuart of June "a
,hr,ueb General I.Ongstrcet. General Lee
considered the category Of the movement
~ ths enemy northward toward ths TO-
tomac. and ordered Stuart, through Long
etraaf ~ thai event 10 pass around me
rear of the enemy into Maryland nc
noy considers the category OF an mac
tive enemy, and tells stuart that ne
thinks he had better withdraw Win lhIee
brieades west of the mountain Oh .le
NIGHT of the 24th. cross at Shepherdstowh
-. ,bo o,tb and move over to Frederick
tnxcn However. he says Stuart VIII be
.hle to iudce whether he can pass around
,he enemy without hindrance, damage
him "a much as possible, and cross the
Potomac east Of the mountains. IN .llDeI
case after crossing the river, o'ud'.
must move on and feel the rlsht Oh
Tvelrs CORPS. Stuart was, of course, 10
J.. tho nudge OF the amount Of ifi''"ef-
anco which would prevent him from NOV
inr around the rear OF the enemy.
In his comments upon this ietter Noi-
oncl Marshall says: 1t covers the CaSo
~ the Federal commander remaining IN
active. and also Of his not moving Ho''"-
ward.
submit that we have here only one
case moi two. and that according TO Col
onel Marshalrs Interpretation General
tees Instructions are DDjDielllgible. sup
nose the Federal commander HAD moved
eouthward toward Richmond would Lee
have expected Stuart to obey his order 10
cross the PotomacY
colonel Marshall states that General
Lees letter OF Z. NJ, June Zrd, was
the last order General stuart received
before leaving Virginia" 2hfs a+seF{loO
docs not seem 70 be well considered. VIII
Coloi,el Marshall affirm that he has IN his
lette,-book all Of the letters written %
General Lce2
certainly not: for we find In the series
NJ letters we are considering that Colonel
Marshall has 10 copy Of General Lee
letter to General Longstreet inclosins the
Instructions which were 10 be forwarded
10 General Stuart in case they met Win
Ioresfreef's approval. This was doubt
less an autograph confidential letter ~
General Lee. which was never copied ana
the contents Of which were disclosed 10
no member Of his SIAN VIII Colonei
Marshall affirm that General Lee wrote
no similar confidential letter TO General
stuart on June 2ith2 | think not.
SAW GEN. HEE
have always believed that Stuart did
receive another letter from General Lee
and that he had a personal interview with
General Lee. probably on June 9th. Ny
recollection is distinct that on one oil
these days. when Stuart was awaiting
the final determination Of his command,
he left his headquarters AT Rector cross
Roads with the avOwod intention OF visit
ing General Lee. Colonel w W. Black
ford. Of Sfuart's STAFF. writes to me that
he has the same recollection; and there
are messages in Stuarts report which can
he EXPLAINED on no other hypothesis than
mat To.. ala communicate with Stuart,
either personally or by letter, subsequent
Is to His letter Of 8 T. NJ. June -5rd, Let
us examine these passages, remembering
that they WeTo sllf.e0 for the eye OF his
commanding-geneTaL who would instantly
detect any misstateTnents.
But first let as notice what Colonel
Marshall calls a afiscoasty0ctton OF orders
on the part Of Stuart He quotes from
the earlier part OF Stuart's report OF his
Gettysburg movements as follows.
THE commanding general wrote ne.
authorizing this move. II | deemed IT
practicable. and also what instructions
should be given the officer I'm command OF
the two brigades left IN front OF the
army. lie also notified me that one
column would move via Gettysburg. the
other hv Carlisle towards the susque-
hanna. and directed me. after crossing.
to proceed with ali dispatch 10 join the
right Qsarly) In Pennsylvania"
Colonel Marshall declares that no such
letter il found i'm the book which con-
tains the other letters cited that such
letter would be inconsistent with the let
tiers preserved, that General Stuart evi-
IDENTIFY refers To General Lees better ~
Il. NJ. June 23rd. and that Stuart CON
etrueS that letter 10 mean what he says
IN his fep0ft. De then sfiIrms that
Stuart's construction Is not justified by
the letter itself. Colonel Marshall does
not clearly state I'm whe~ Stuarts mis-
construction consists. y cannot BE- ID
the substitution Of the names Carlisle for
Chambersburg. and Gettysburg Tor En-
mlttsburg. for the same general lines, OF
march are indicated m both cases. The
misconstruction must lie in the statement
by Stuart that the commanding general
wrote me. authorizing this move, n
deemed II practicable.
The sufficient answer To this charge OF
mlsconstruction is found in General Lees
detailed report. where he says: Upon
the suggestion OF the former officer,
,StuarO that ne could damage the enemy
and delay his passage OF the river by
getting in his rear. be was authorized 10
do so. and IL was left 10 his discretion
whether 10 enter Maryland east OF west
OF the Blue Ridge; o."
ONLY ONE MOVEMENT.
But let us examine the letter itself.
General Lee writes: III General Hooker's
army remains inactive. you can leave two
brigades TO watch nm. and withdT2w
with the three others, but should he not
appear TO be moving norihward | think
you had better withdraw this side OF the
mountain tomorrow night. cross al Shep-
herdstown next day and move over TO
FrederCkt0Wn.
you will. however. De able 10 judge
whether you can pass around their army
without hindrance. doing them all the
damage you can, and cross the river east
Of the D1Ounfains."
The grammatical construction Of the
FIRST sentence seems to indicate two cate
gOries: common sense will resolve them
into ore and The same. General Lee
could contemplate only one movement Of
Hooker's army, and that was northwar1.