Year: 1865

Letter from Gen. Lee on the Negro Enlistment.
Ihe following Letter from Gen. Lee, on the sub
lect OF putting negroes into the army, clearly de.
INES his views on that important subject:


HEADQRs, sGoNFEDBRATE STATES ARMIES


February 18th, 1885 E
Hon. E. Barksqalc, House Of Reprsssatatiuts, Rich.
SIR:-I have the honor to acknowledge the re-.
esIpt oil your letter of the 18th ins with reference
TO the employment of negroes as soldiers think
IN 1ne measure not only expedient but necessary
Inc enemy will certainly use them against US If he
can get possession of them; and as his present uu
mercal superiority will enable him to penetrate
many parts Of the country, cannot see the wisdom
OF tue policy of holding them to await his arrival
"hen we may by timely, action and judcious man
sgemenh use them to arrest his progress. / dc not
IhlnE tnaf our white population can supply the
necessities OF afong war without overtasking its Ca
Pacity and imposing great suffering upon our peo-
pfe; and believe we should provide resources for
Protracted struggle-not merely for battle or 4
campaign.


In answer to your second question, can ouly
say tnat IN my opinion, the negroes, under proper
elrcum stances, will make efficient soldiers think
we could at least do as well with them as the enemy
and he attaches great Importance their assistance
Under good officers and good instructions do not
sec why they should not become soldiers. The7
possess all the physical qualifications, and their
naols OF obedience constitute good foundation for
utsSPhne. Lney promise more promising mate
rial than many armies of which we read in history
which owed their efficiency to discipline alone. /
think those who are employed should be Free It
would be neither just nor wise, in my opinion, to
require them to serve a. slaves The best course
TO pursue, 1t seems to me- would be to call for such
as are willing to come with the consent of their
owners. An impTessment or draft would no! be
likely to bring out the best class and the use of CO.
ercion would make the measure dstastefuI to them
and to their owners


l have no doubt that if Congress would author.
ize their reception into the service, apd empower
the President to call Upon individuals or States for
such as they are willing to contribute with the
condition OF emancipation to all enrolled sufi-
Gent number would be forthcoming to enable US to
try the experiment If it proved successful, most
OF the objections to the measure would disappear
and if individuals still remained unwilling to send
their negroes to the army, the force of public
opinion in the States would soon bring about such
legislation as would remove all obstacles. think
the matter should be left as far as possible, to the
people and to the States which alone can legislate
as the necessities of this particular service may re-
quire. As to the mode of organizing them it
should be left as Tree from restraint as possible
Experience will suggest the best course, and it
would be inexpedIent to trammel the subject with
provisions that might in the end, prevent the
adoption of reforms suggested by actual trial.


With great respect


Your obedient servant


R. E. LEE, General