Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-05
LEES UNPUBLISHED DISPATCHES
tEDITED ny DOUGLAS soUTHALL EREEMAs PHI ~

Pope On the 2sth and 29,h each wing
under Generals Longstrcct and Jack
son repulscd with vaIour attacks made
on them separately. We mourn the loss
OF our gallant dead in every conflict
yet our gratitude TO Almighty God for
MS ncrcics rises higher and higher
each day. TO Him and to the valour OF
our troops a nations gratitude Is due
Time and again IL appears that he
is torn between pity for men and de-
termination to maintain discipline.
on account Of hts extreme youth"
owing TO mitigating circumstances"
and like phrases constantly occur as
explaining his Communication OF sen.
fences passed upon descrters. In the
midst of mighty tasks. harassed by
petty details OF administration from
which he should have been free, he
yet round time 10 exercise lofty con-
sideration for others-cven for the
enemy. as witness the remarkable let
ter OF August &c. 1852. TO the Presi-
dent. with which he forwards letter
written by Federal officer. which
was picked UP in the road over which
the Union army had marched. After
commenting on the Federal officers
letter. ne says: II would suggest that
as the letter is OF wholly a private
character that no publicity he ciy.
20 the name OF the writer, though
the facts could be made known IL YOU
deem TT. for It's publication would in
all proba bility injure him Without ma
terially benehttinS us"
AS only brief reference to the quail
ties of the man, further revealed
in this correspondence, can be made
within tho limited space OF news.
paper review, so must the equipment
OF the soldier. his ability. his fore.
sight and his resultant plans. as IL.
lumincd by his modest letters. 10
merely alluded to at this time. Tho
correspondence Itself. together with
the editors invaluable notes. clears Lp
many a doubtful point and let's in Il
hood OF liz 1T upon questions that nav.
remained unsettled for generation.
For, bc IL remembered. these reports
or dispatches were, many of than. let
ters OF at least semicon iident!ai
nature written by the foremost leader
OF the Confederate forces to ,ha head
OF his government; and they deal with
a number OF the most vital questions
OF most critical period
To mention only 4 few: They show
that il was proposed. in 1852. -
strengthen General Jackson's army rug
nciently TO enable him to conduct 4
vigorous offensive campaign against
the North, and, II necessary, even TO
abandon Richmond they make clear
General Lees view OF the unfortunate
march into Pennsylvania: they explain
his strategy in the campaign from tho
Rapidan TO the James. and. az DIT.
Freeman states, tho movement or
Grants army across the James River
in June. 1864, Is here presented in n
manner much more creditablc TO both
the Confederate and tho Northern COM
manders than In current versions ana
known documents. And, OF the u,mos,
significance. an analysis OF the CORE
spondcncc shows. in the words OF the
editor, that At no time during the war
did General Lee predict the speedy
triumph OF Confederate arms. or even
the ultimate success OF the south.
Many other matters OF high importance
are either explained In detail Win
the assistance of the editors notch'
or are forcihly suggested. lnde"a. inc
book lis so rich in information and In
allusion that excerpts or even mus
trations from 1t are extremely OIL
ncult to take 49,.
,oiuo ~ the book rs it stands-cer-
,oJnly its readiness. so to speak-is
due TO the wholly admirable work or
&c editor To the average reader OF
to-day these letters ana reports wouIo
bc only isolated, though striking. ex-
nmples OF n great mans correspon.
dcnce but for tho knowledge, patience
and an ingenuity akin to genius that
went to the making of the hook. That
II was a labor Of love, or OF patriotism.
or OF both, may easily be seen in DR..
Frecmans introduction to the collec-
| ton. which in itself is rare mono.
graph. Without the letters and notes
that follow, this introduction would be
a thing Of value. both from the his
torical and literary points of view.
| Not content with having epitomized
the most notable portions of the col
| lection In his introduction. the editor
has employed footnotes with such
learning. care and aptness as TO shape
the whole almost into the form of
connected narrative. Cross notes and
references, with frequent quotations
| from the Official Records, other reports.
private letters, memoirs. biographies
| and histories--are copious. and they are
so arranged that the most unstudious
must be swept along by the current Of
| the study.
| For study this work Individually Is.
| The dispatches constitute a discovery
OF inestimable value to tho historian:
| their arrangement. their annexation and
their analysis form n study In the
/ highest sense Of the word. Less i'm
portant, except to tho professional
maker of books. who will admire 1t.
and TO the reference seeker. who will
gratefully use It. is the editors system
| Of indeNing. The content OF each OF
| tho 204 letters is briefly Indicated.
taking them In numerical order. and
at the back of the hook there Is an
elaborate index by subjects. in alpha
! betical order.
| But for the great reading public
! apart from students and historians
tho chief merit Of the volume lies in
the fact that it's construction and the
peculiarly happy style adopted by DR..
! Freeman in annotating and simplifying
! the letters make II that uncommon
thing--a book that deals with gravest
matters, yet holds even the casual
readers unfagging interest