The Washington herald., 1915-02-14
LEE CONSIDERED PLAN OF
LEAVING RICHMOND.
February Is, 1865.

Fifty years ago today Gen. Robert E.
Lee was considering a plan for abandon
ing Petersburg and Richmond and re-
moving his army to a position behind
the Staunton River in Southern Virginia.
The Staunton, which with the Dan
forms the Roanoke. is one OF the chief
streams in that section of Virginia. The
sole railroad out of Petersburg lerE open
to the Confederates ran to this section of
the country. Danville, a few miles south
of the Staunton. was an important point
on this road Gt was the first place TO
which the Confederate government fed
on the evacuation Of Richmond) and was
well situated for the gathering of sup
plies for Lees army
As project which never saw the light
for 1t was overruled by the govern
ment at Richmond, which insisted that
Petersburg. the main defense of Rich
mond be held-Lee's plan has much in
terest to the student Of the war;. 1t
might not have succeeded. but had it
been carried out successfully it might
have resulted in a considerable spinning
out of the months of conflict.
Most writer's on the Southern side have
little to say OF this plan. Gen. A. L.
Long, of Lees stan. speaks of it, how
ever, in detail, and makes clear that it
occupied Lees most serious thoughts in
the dark days of February. 1855.
There were most pressing reasons why
Lee should attempt some means of es-
Gaping from Petersburg before forced
to leave hastily.
Hunger. debility and encouragement
had led to the gradual reduction of his
forces by desertion. Many of his men
had deserted to the enemy, but far
more had taken French leave of Peters
burg for home
Lees lines OF defense were stretched
almost to the breaking point. He was
protecting thirty-seven miles of works.
from the Chickahominy Swamps on the
north to Hatchers Run on the south of
Petersburg, with but 5000 effective men
out of a total, sick and well, OF about
10000. Gen. Gordon. commanding a CORPS,
in his Memoirs. states that his command
was so strung out that the men stood
fifteen feet apart along the works 1t
was not line. but a skeleton OF one.
The Federals were before this line in
much greater numbers. Grant had, aC-
cOrdlng to the field returns of January
30, 121.T1 men present for duty equip
ped on the date given. His forces were
well fed and well equipped, while Lees
were hungry and in rags.
As Lee looked into the faces of his SOL
diers and read in their emaciated fea-
lures the story of their sufferings, he
knew that in their condition, and with
their numbers, victory was impossible,
but he hoped by Fabian tactics to keep
the struggle alive. somewhat as Wash
ington had done. in the dark winter of
Valley Forge, until some favorable COM
binatton Of circumstances should bring
new life to his cause.
1t was Lees purpose. according to
Gen. Long, TO move out with the object
Of drawing Grant after him among the
hills of Southern Virginia, whose friendly
aid he knew so well how to employ in
action.
Gen. Lee expressed his opinion freely
to Gen. Long that there could be but one
end to the struggle If he remained where
he was, and that the chance of improv-
ing his condition was worth taking.
Behind the Staunton River Lee, ac-
cording to Gen. Long. believed he could
have greatly harassed and hampered
Grant, who would have found it difficult
to perform effective offensive operations
with a line of communications $50 miles
long to defend.
prolonged the war almost indefinitely
The mountains in his rear would have
given him an opportunity to retreat into
Tennessee II necessary, or to move south
by way of Danville. with little or no
danger OF interception. At the same
time he could readily have drawn to his
aid all the detachments (of troops) from
West Virginia, North and South Caro-
lima and the other States, which COM
bined would have given him a respect
able army"
To Join JOh nston.
The possibility of a junction with the
army under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston by
such movement was an important fac
tor in the plan formed by Gen. Lee. No
body saw more clearly than Lee that
Sherman's march northward through the
Carolinas, which Johnston was not
strong enough to check, spelled the fate
Of Richmond.
gerous locality before Sherman could
come up in his rear. Had he undertaken
II in early February. when the stirring
effects of a campaign OF oratory which
had been set on foot in Richmond by
Mr.. Davis were still felt by the people.
he might have accomplished something
toward carrying out the plan without
leaving the impression with the public
that his case was desperate.
Feeling that the plan was not favored
in Richmond, Lee dropped II for the mo-
ment; but 1t is interesting to note that
when he was finally compelled to leave
Petersburg in hasty and disordered
flight, II was in the direction Of the
staunton River that he headed his re-
treating army.