The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-13

E'pSseu tDe GOlOIidc, tHIs iaGl WOuiu
not advance ono step til. contention or
Colonel Moaby that Lee had no need
or StuarL's cavalry with his army dur
Ing those critical days from June "a to
July 1.
In order to confirm his denial that
General Ice intended to concentrate
nlf army at Harrisburg. Colonel Moshy
points TO the fact that a. p HIS corps
was turned eastward on It's arrival at
,naiiioersburg and camped near Fay
e.tevillc. This he thinks conclusive
aBainst any such intention. But Con.
graz Hiil In his report says (''Rebcllion
hecorus, Vol. XxVTI. Part 2, page
ouo)' ON the morning OF June 90 the
flnird corps was encamped on the road
from Cnambershurg to Gettysburg, near
I tne S!ilase OF Fayetteville. was d.
rected 10 move In this road in the d.
fecuon OF York and to cross the Sus-
auehanna, menacing the communlca-
lions OF Harrisburg with phil.delnh,a
and TO cooperate with General Ewell."
These doubtless were the orders writ
ten by Colonel Marshall the night of
June 2s.
General Early also In his report says
1t had been his Intention to cross the
susquehanna by the bridge at Wrights-
vile and move up the left bank OF
that river against Harrisburg.
Thus General Early, General Hill and
General Ewell all testify that they had
been ordered to move against Harris.
burg, We. Colonel Mosoy asserts that
Lee had no such plan, though 1t ls
stated In both his. reports, as well as
by his staff officers.
1t may he granted that there are GER
tain inaccuracies In the reports OF the
battle signed by General Lee. but 1t is
asking too much of our credulity to
have us suppose that General Lee did
not know when and why he changed
his plan OF campaign at Chambersb burg.
There are also inaccuracies in General
Stuart's report, as when he says that
General Lee informed him 1t was likely
one cUAlnn OF the army would move
through Gettysburg. the other through
Carlisle. What General Lee wrote was
that one column would move through
tmmittsburg, the other through Cham
bersburg.
And now as to the second and main
point OF Colonel Mosby's contention
that General j. e. B. Smart. acted in
strict accordance with General Lees
instructions between June 20 and July
2. What were General Lees instruc-
tons TO General Stuart? He wrote TO
Ewell that he had instructed General
stuart ITO march with three brigades
across s.e Potomac and place himself
on your right and in communication
with you, keep you advised of the
movements Of the enemy and assist in
collecting supplies for the army" To
General stuart himself Lee wrote on
June 22; .You can move with the other
three (brigades) INTO Maryland and
take position ON General Ewells right,
place yourself In communication with
nim. guard his ha..k, keep him IN
formeu of the enemys movements and
collect all the supplies you can for the
use of the army. One column Of
Ewell.s army wall probably move to-
waros the susguehanna by the En-
m!ttsburg route, another by Chambers
burg"
Observe that when General Lee gave
Stuart this order to take position on
General ENell's right that officer was
Just Leaving Hagelsto"n In MS re.
port c'Rebellion Records" Vol. xvii,
Part 2. page 445) he says that on June
% he received orders from the COM
handing general to take harrisburg.
ana neat morning Roues ana johnson
commenced their march into Pennsyi-
vania"
This order was repeated In letter
10 General Stuart. dated June 90. part
OF which I will quote:
"deauquG. r4s, Army vi
Northern Virginia,
June %. 1863, $3.50 P. n.
"Major-General ]. e. B. Stuart. Com
handing Cavalry:
"General.-If General Hooker's army
remains inactive you can leave two
brigades to watch him. and withdraw
with the three others. but should he
no. appear to be moving northward, l
think You had better withdraw this
side of the mountain tomorrow night,
cross at Shepherdstown next day. and
move over to Fredericktown
You will, however. be able to Judge
whether you can pass around their
army without hindrance. doing them
all the damage you can. and cross the
river east of the mountains. In either
case. after crossing the river you must
move on and feel the right OF Ewell's
troops, collecting information, provi-
sions. etc.
Give instructions to the commander
OF the l'rieades left behind 10 watch
.he flank and rear of the army, and I'm
event of the enemy leaving their 'front.'
retire from the mountains west of the
Shenandoah, leaving sufficient pick
cts to guard the passes. and bringing,
everything clean along the valley !,
closing upon the rear of Tho army.
II am very respectfully and truly yours,
"(Signed) r. E. LEE,
General"
Thus in the very last communication
received by General Stuart from Gem
eral Lee the order was cmphatically
given that as soon as he crossed the
river, he should place his command on
Ewell's right and march with him to-
wards The Susquehanna. The command
ing general indicated Frederick as
Stuart's first objective and he thought
he had better cross the river at Shep-
herdstown. but gave him the option of
crossing east a: the Blue Ridge II he
could do SO without hindrance.
General Stuart found Hooker's army
In the way-a big "hlndrance" surely
but yet chose to cross east OF the ridge.
thus cutting himself off from both
Ewel and Lee.
Now, the first question is. did Cen
eral Stuart carry out the above in
struction and do these things? The
history Of the campaign shows that
he did none of these things. He was
not on Ewell's right in the march to-
wards the Susquehanna: he did not
guard his flank: he did not keen him
advised of the movements OF tie
enemy. The second question is did