The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-24


says:
The problem presented 10 General Lees
mind on Friday night. aIay 9st, was to de-
eide how best 10 attack ilooke,'s army on
the morning OF May md. Gi,,ie was an i'm
pertant clement, toi' near Frederlcksburg,s
in his rear, was scdgw-ici., largely outauIn-
berinS the Confederate force in his front
was Early. During The afternoon General
Lee wished 10 attack from AIS right and cut
Hooker off from the United states Ford.
seSetSng his communications With SGdgN.ick,
and rode down hlmsnIt and examined the
lines all the way TO pa4 ripes. but found 10
place where he could do so. Returning at I
night he found jackson ana asked If he
klefs Of ans place 10 attaG Jackson said,
No Lee said Then we nlps; 80 aron1d
on the Federal right Jackson sat! he had
been enqG!rinG about roads iiy tho Furnace
Stuart came Up 10 them and said he would
30 down TO the Furnace ana see wat Ne
could learn about Taa9s lie soon raSulnca
circuit could be mace Ground By 49,
Z ness Tavern and a young man living in
the county and then IN the cavalry. WIS
Bent for 10 act as guide.
an, what earnest talk Lee ana Jack
son had on the night Nay the lst AZ
y sunset they took their seats on logon the
4 right or north side Of III Plank Road. and
S . little distance in the WOODS. Colonel Mar
thall the well knownz aide-de-caInp of Cen
tral Lee. the only other person present.
having been ordered to come 10 the spot for
he purpose of writing a letter 10 Mr., Davis,
tiista,cd by General Lee Ma.~'iall sat on
The end of a faile:: tree within three feet of
he two generals and heard every word that
passed between them and TIM Is what he
Z lalls me Lee and jackson talked about on
THAT cventful night; jackson spoke TO Gen
srai Lee about what lac had seen and heard
dnring the advance, and commented upon
the promptpess with which the eneIny had
appeared 10 abandon his movements towards
4 fredericksburg when opposed and thc. ease
with which he had Deen driven back TO
Ehancellorsvle. and concluded by express
ing the opinion very decidedly, and repeat
ing 1t more than once, that the enemy
Il would recross the Rappahannoclt before
m o. IL In fsli unrp.. To-
morrow morning there Will not be any of
them on this Side of the river. General
lee expressed the hope that General Jack
sons expectations might re realized. but
said he did not hope for such result; that
& he did not believe the enemy would abandon
his attemfe so rasily, and expressed his
convicti-sn t:at the main body Of General
Iiookcrs army was IN the front and that
the real move was TO be made from this
direction ana not from fredericksburg. On
~ his point there q great difference Of opIn-
ion among our higher officers. and General
Lee was tho only one who seemed to have
the absolute conviction that the real move.
s ,nent of the Federal Army was the one he
was then meeting In this belief he neve,
~aNered from the FIRST After telling Gen.
eral jackson that be hoped his opinion
might be proved to he correct General Lee
added: but General. We must get ready
TO attack the enenlE IL should find hin
here tomorrow and Sau must make all ar
rangementsSt TO move around his right flank.
General Lee then took no tho map ans
pointed opt TO Jackson the general direction
OF his route by the Fprnace and Brocl
roads. Some conversation took place as t,
the Importance or endeayot4uE 10 coucSa
the movement from the enemy ana as to thu
existence Of roads further 10 the enemy
Fight, by which General Jackson might pas
SO as not 70 be EXPOSED TO conservation o
attack The general line OF Inckson's rout
WAS pointed out, ana the necessity OF ceier
Conversation was woodW.hv our ma :, n
the conclusion Of 20 scnSrul Lee said i
,,'r,,,, IL ina, o''91fisapprF moved n N
g Ia, 40 az Il,
could send eohple al guns to spot clos
By ANA open fro on tho pneniys position
which would speedily settle the question
From The SPOT referred 10 Two Of our gun
had 10 be withdrawn thar Afternoon, as Ia
infantry We're suffering from the fire the
were drawing from thc enemy Genera
Jackson then Withdrew and General / zee did
taxed to Colonel Marshall long lotter
president DAVIS s3HinE him fully the situa
ton III II he regretted he could not has
the assistance Of PickettR aud Hood aiyIs
Ions, but expressed his condolences in In
good judgment that had wthdra@n and ker
them from him and closed With the hon
that, Notwithstanding all our dangers an
diSadYaNiaEes Providence wQuld bleas N
would make to deserve SUCCESS
II give all this detail 10 show the error
writers upon GhareFlloFYiie have faIe
into IN reference e Tho origin OF Jackson
famous flank movement
and ns 70 settling sdc question as
ta1Ia.,,r,, ~ GiYe
General Lee 70 Ray Dr q y Islcdsor
reply 10 one from i1r l}ledsoc in Mhich
asked the direct Gutsdan rs to wheth
Jackson's move originated WITH himself
was suggested by Gmara Two,
General Lee to DR.. Bledsoe.
ltef.WstGn, VA. oct 49, 1852
"pr = Rlsdsne. ofce Southern Reyie'
my Dem 81. IN yepy 10 your iaqu,
" ] must acknowledge that haya mi lRt
if,e article on chaHetlioggyiiS n tho IA
read any books puhlsHhed ON nfthUr ri