The Washington herald., 1914-04-11

Ftfty years ago To-Day Gen-- hooerI e
Lee ordered Gen. George E. Pickett. com
manding at Petersburg, Va. south OF
Richmond. to strengthen the defenses
Of that place immediately, to their full
est extent"
This order and Lees official corre-
spondencs with the authorities at Rich
mond Ito be found only in the official
records Of the civil war;, reveal the re-
markable penetration Of this great gen
eral in diyining the plans Of his eQemy.
Grant. now in command OF all the Fed
eral armies. was secrecy personifed
Even the President of the United States
did not know his plans, yet Gen Lee in
his headquarters behind the Rapidan
River. by piecing together the most frag-
mentary reports from his scouts and
bits of information of the movement o.
Federal troops. obtained from Northern
newspapers. was able to form an opinion
of what Grant most probably would do
almost as soon as Grant had formulated
his plans.
Lee recognized the situation before him
as a crisis. He had inadequate means
with which to meet IT, His army numbered
not more than 5000 men. while Grant
would probably be able to move with
more than 10000. Rations were so short
in Lees army that at this time two days
food was the total surplus of the supply
on hand. Lee feared that any interruD-
ton OF traffic on the railroads by which
supplies were brought up might result
in the necessity of retreat or possible
disbsndment OF his troops for want of
food. and at least the abandonment of
Virginia.
This Is shown in q letter written on
April ! to Gen. Braxton Bragg. military
adviser to jefferson Davis.
made to meet the approaching storm,
which will apparently burst on Virginia"
Lee wrote Gen. Gragg. He then urged
the concentration Of all possible troops
under his command and concluded: sup
plies of all kinds should be collected in
Richmond or at points accessible TO this
army as rapidly possible. With our
present supplies on hand the interrupt
ton of trains on the Southern roads
would cause the abandonment Of Vir-
ginia.'
Lee Faces . Crisis.
Writing to President Davis on April
l2. Lee said: My anxiety on the sub
ject of provisions for this army is so
great that ! cannot refrain from express
ing 1t to Your Excellency. l cannot see
how We can operate with our present
supplies.
ANY derangement in their arrival or
disaster to the railroad would render
il impossible for me to keep the army
together. and might force a retreat into
North Carolina There is nothing to be
had in this section for men or animals.
We have rations for the troops today
and tomorrow. l hope new supply ar
rived last night, but l have not yet had
a report. Every exertion should be
made TO supply the depots at Richmond
and at other points All pleasure travel
should cease and everything be devoted
To necessary wants"
In a letter written the same day to
the Secretary of War. Gen. Lee recon-
mended the removal from Richmond Of
all persons who might increase the
consumption Of public stores without aid
ing or Strengthening the army He
mentioned under this head Confederate
soldiers who were there on parole. and
who. not having been exchanged, could
not take up arms: prisoners Of the enemy.
''and persons with no visible and reput-
able means of support" while he recon-
mcnded that every encouragement be
given to the rest of the noncombatant
population to retire. except those whose
services may be useful or will not in
crease the scarcity of supplies.
He expressed the hope that all public
employees would he prepared for a de-
gree of effort. self-sacrificr. and labor
until the crisis has been safely passed.
such as may not be necessary in the per-
formancc OF duty on ordinary occasions"
Lee stadies Grant.
For three weeks prior to the writing OF
this letter. Lee had watched the situa-
tion in Virginia with growing conviction
that the beginning of the death struggle
of the Confcderacy was at hand. How
clearly he foresaw the end is indicated
in the letters here quoted.
As to the form the final campaign
would take. he had made shrewd COnjec-
lures. which events were 10 justify.
Grant had taken command of the Army
OF the Potomac in the field on March -,
establishing his headquarters at Cul-
pepper Court House. Four days later Gen.
Lee wrote to jefferson Davis that Grant
was with the Army of the Potomac,
which was being reorganized and recruit
ed
Lee stated that the reports Of his
scouts indicated that Grant would Oper-
ate with that army in the coming cam
Paisn. The plans Of the enemy. h
stated, were not sufficiently developed
TO be discovered. adding. "Eut ! think
we can assume that IL Gen. Grant is Ia
direct operations on this frontier he
will concentrate a large force on one or
more lines. and prudence dictates that
We should make such preparations as
are in our power. The time is AT nand
when | shall require all the troops be-
longing to this army"
In this letter Gen. Lee described re-
cent Federal military movements. in
cIuding the movement of the Ninth Army
Corps under Gen. Burnside from Knox
willie to Annapolis. Md. where II was
being held for orders to join Grant.
Writing the same day to the chief Of
the engineer bureau at Richmond. Lee