New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-30

erai Robert + Lee C. $ A. 10 Jefferson DAVIS
ana The War DePsrgmGsHi q &,a me 1ib an n
PRODUCTION. by Douglas Southall Freeman. e'o'
pp. xiii. 400 G. P. Putnsm's sons.
The collection Of Confederate war
papers from which these hitherto un-
published letters and dispatches OF
General Lee have been taken belongs
10 Mr.. Wymberly Jones De Renne. Of
Wormsloe, Ga. These documents were
evidently part Of a file kept by Presl-
dent Davis for his own reference, Tor
most of them are addressed to him and
show no evidence Of having passed
through the hands of other persons
The file was undoubtedly lost when Mr..
Davis tried to make his way south after
the fall of Richmond, probably Just be-
fore his capture by Federal troops IN
Eastern Georgia.
The two hundred and four documents
which Mr. Freeman has collected and
edited have a very genuine historical
value. They supplement the reports
and letters written by Lee which are
contained in the Federal government
vast treasure house Of "Oficial Rec
ords" of the Union and Confederate
armies. They help to bring into clear
er light Lees intentions, plans and
opinions during the three years in
which he led the Army of Northern
Virginia.
They only heighten the impression of
Lee which the official records and the
whole literature of the war have firmly
established. Lee was thoroughly com
petent soldier, one of the greatest OF
American commanders, bold, confident,
alert and resourceful. Considering
the straitened means at his disposal,
he achieved a series of remarkable
military successes. But besides being
an exceptional soldier he was an ex-
ceptional -self-contained. modest,
generous, patient, noble minded, OF a
heroic temper and character which
never weakened however great the
strain.
One document in this collection most
happily illustrates Lees innate consid-
Grafton of the rights and feelings of
others. On August 26, 1862, he for
waIded TO President Davis a letter
written by a Federal colonel, Alba A.
TomlinsOn, making some wrathful com
ments on the battle of Cedar Noun
tain. The letter was picked up after
the Federal retreat, and evidently con-
/ tanned criticisms which might have
gotten Colonel Tomlinson into trouble
with his superior officers and with the
War Department at Washington. Cen
eral Lee, in view of this fact. made the
following recommendation to President
Davis: 81 would suggest. as the let
ter is of wholly a private character,
that no publicity be given to the name
of the writer, though the facts could
be made known, if you deem fit, for
its publication would in all prohabil-
ity injure him without materially bene-
fitting us"
Lee was then busy with the Manas-
sas campaign against Pope. The
battle of Groveton was fought two
days later-on August %. 1t was char
acteristic of him that even with all
his military prescriptions he should
think Of the possible injury which
might be done TO an enemy officer
through the publication Of an indis-
Greet letter.
These new records make il clear that
Lee was not taken by surprise by
Grants transfer of the Army of the
Potomac in June, 1864. from the north
side of the James to the Petersburg
front. He SAYS distinctly in his dis
patch to President Davis. dated 12:lO
p. m, June /: 81 think the enemy
must be preparing TO move south OF
the James River. | appre-
bend that he Grant may be sending
troops up the James River with view
of getting possession of Petersburg
before We can reinforce it."
Lee was not so certain on this point
the next day, but he kept the probsbll-
ity Of transfer in mind and got his
own army across in time TO relieve the
hard-pressed forces of Beauregard. lie
had considered the possibility Of an at
tack on Richmond from the southeast
at the time when Mcclellan retreated
in 1862 from the Chickahominy River
10 Harrison's Landing, but he felt that
Mcclellan would not We the lnitia-