Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-05-22
ROSSER'S ESTIMATE OF LEE

engaged IN writing and publishing
u series OF papers on the war between
he States, and his concluding article
IS .is follows:
"The wisdom of General Lees in
vas'on of Pennsylvania in 1868 has
often been questioned by military
men as well Ms statesmen, but when
you remember that at that time Grant
held General Pemberton by the throat
at Nicksbnrg, and the hope of the
ultimate success of the Southern Con
federscy was faint and Pickering,
you will agree that the situation call
ed for desperate action.
General Lee had gained AL easy
victory over General Hooker at Chan
cellOrsville in early Nav, and having
q low estimate of his military ability,
he felt that n victory over him North
of the Potomac was not beyond the
bound IF reasonable hope, or even
probability, and the prospect was too
tempting to be dIsregarded.
Lee had lost his lieutenant, Stone
wall Jackson, and while Longstreet
was with him, neither Ewell nor Hill.
who had recently been promoted from
major to lieutenant general. had ever
commanded corps in a battle. and
while Lee must have felt some ankle
~, If not misgivingS concerning them.
he had confidence in his superb army
and resolved To take the move. not a.
Napoleon marched on Moscow in
1912, but as ScipiO (Africauus) went
tn Carthage in lOl H. c.. IN order To-
loose the hold on Virginia of the in
vsding army, and AT the same time
strike n blow which would awaken
an echo Ia be heard in Europe aud
through diplomacy, and the war in
favor of the Southern Confederacy.
General Lee planned to give bat
tie as near the range of South Noun
tain as he could, so that in the event
of disaster, as WAS the case. he could
drop back through the narrow noun
tain passes in which be could resist
the enemy and avert pursuit
Had General Lee declined battle
on the 2d of July at Gettysburg, as
General LOngstreet claims he ad vised
him, and Meade had been forced bv
flank move of Lee back on Wash
ington, and battle fought aud Lee
defeated near Washington, his army
would doubtless have been DESTROYED
before he could have reached safe
refuge in the mountains or recrossed
the Potomac at the nearest ford
which WAS west of the mountain.
Therefore, Lee acted wisely in fight
ing where he did, and the only mis-
takes he made were tactical, not STRAIT
eglc, AS shown in my previous letter.
Had General Lee died at Gettgs
bnrg, he would not have ranked in
history ~ great general. His vic
tories over Mcclellan, Pope, Burn
side and Hooker would have been
ascribed to the genius of Stonewail
Jackson, whoparticipated so glorious
ly iu Rll of them, for We all remem
her that in the winter of 1861 , Gen
eral Lee did not acquit himself with
credit in his campaign against Rose
Grams in West Virginia aud the fail
ure ut Gettysburg, with the danger
Gus halt at Falling Water and Will
Transport. waiting for a freshet tC
run out of the Potomac so that he
might pass his army oyer it, occa
stoned very unfavorable comment
from many of our highest officers.
General Lee was doubtless a great
general. but his great military talent
did not shine out fully in all its RI
diant splendor until be met Genera
L. 5. Grant in the Wilderness in tn,
spring of 1854.
General Lee had merely played
with Mcclellan, Pope, Burnside snd
Hooker-taking great liberty with
them and violating every maxim o.
war in his campaigns against them
such, for instance, as going off afte