Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-03
MESSAGE SENT BY LEE
IN CONFEDERATE MUSEUM
Document Announcing Victory at
Charlottesville Was Addressed
to President Davis.
AT FIRST THOUGHT PASSPORT
Handed to George Wise When lie
Visited Generals Headquarters and
Asked for Pass Through Southern
Lines-Just Discovered.

y bclated message from General
Robert Il. Lee to President Davis, an
nouncing the victory at the Battle OF
charlottesville, has recently come to
ton to the Confederate Museum. where
II was placed by the Confederate Me-
mortal Literary Society.
In a recent issue OF the Confcder-
ate Veteran there is a brief history Of
the message and also fac simile Of
the brief document. 1t is written by
George Wise, of Alexandria. Va. and
is as follows:
I'm May. 1863, the father of the
writer, then living in Fauquier Coun-
~. Va, visited his five sons. who were
in the Confederate service. In ages
they were from sixteen TO about thir-
ty-onc years The eldest was teller
in the Treasury Department at Rich .
mond. the third a sergeant in Pickett &
Division. the fourth on detached SER
vice with the Treasury Department at
Richmond. and the NTH Was a private
in the motel Black Horse Cavalry.
MY father visited his schoolmata
and comrade. General X. T.. Lee. whose
headquarters we're near Chanccllors-
Vile. This visit took place on the
third of May. 1868. during that ia
nous battle. While with General Lee
he asked for pass through our lines.
his home Deing OH the outside. The
EeHeEat HdTlct NlHi a paper ana Sali
to him: George. You had better de-
stroy this paper after you get through
our lines. for II those people arrest
you and md il on you. they may take
you for spy Father took tho paper,
but was not called upon TO show It
After my fathers death in 1887, ~.
following paper. wrapped In a piece OF
newspaper. was found in his pocket
book. The supposed pass was an i'm
portant dispatch to President Davis
The facsi;nilie is worded as follows:
May 5. 1863.
ITO President Davis:
yesterday General Jackson peue-
trated the rear OF the enemy and drove
him from all of his positions from the
wilderness TO within one milo of
Charlottesville. This morning the
battle was resumed. He has been dis
lodged from al his positions around
charlottesville and driven back to-
wards the Rappahannock River. over
which he is now rctreatinE. Many
prisoners are taken, many arc killed
and wounded. Here we have again to
thank Almi Zhty God for so great a
victory. General Jackson is severely
wounded. General Paxton is killed.
Heth and Hill slightly wounded
tSigned) "R. f. LEE"
The following is a copy from the
war records:
ITO President Davis:
Yesterday General Jackson. with
three OF his divisions. penetrated TO
! the rear of the enemy and drove him
from all of his positions, from tho vii
derness to within one mile Of Chan
cellorsville. He was engaged AT the
same time in front OF Lonsstrect 5
divisions. This morning the battle was
renewed. He was dislodged from all
his positions around Charlottesville
and driven back toward the Kappa
tanncck, over which he is now retreat
lag. Many prisoners were taken, and
the enemy's loss in killed and wound
Almighty God for "A great victory.
regret to state that General Paxton
was killed. General Jackson severely
wounded and Generals Heth and ~ Il.
Hill slightly Wounded"
below is AN editors note:
1T is evident that General Lee hand :
ed Mr.. Wise the paper that ne intend
ed for courier. In a personal letter
10 the Veteran, Mr.. George Wise, the
son. in sending photo of this remark
able relic. states: Whether the dis
patch TO President Davis has ever been
brought to light before, | cannot say:
but the original of this paper is
/ framed with a photograph of the gen
eral sent by him to my sister while
president Of the college at Lexington.
Va The paper shows excited condi-
beloved Lee. But this is easonable
enough. 1t faced one OF the TRACE
dies OF that great army. II may be
seen that he used an "a in Genera.
Heth's name, which he evidently knew
how to spell as we'll as his own The
war records do not give the above and
this is evidently its first time in print"