Lee, Robert E. Manuscript letter signed to Colonel Henry Brevard Davidson, 9 May 1863

LEE, ROBERT E.

MANUSCRIPT LETTER SIGNED ("R E LEE GENL"), TO COLONEL HENRY BREVARD DAVIDSON, 

1 1/8 pages (9 5/8 x 7 1/2 in.; 245 x 191 mm) on a leaf of blue-ruled paper, "Head Quarters A N Va." [near Chancellorsville], 1 May 1863,reception docket on verso; a bit faded, mounting stub from album on right margin verso.

At the beginning of the Gettysburg Campaign, directs Davidson to arrange various troop movements and urges him to try to recruit more "local" troops to support the regular CSA forces. "In reply to your letter of April 27th and endorsement of April 28th I have the honour to say that the culprits all … were sent on the representation of Gen. [John Marshall] Jones to work on the road. If you could possibly get up a local company to guard them while they made our roads better, it would be of great service to us. If however you cannot guard them, they will be of no use to you. [Colonel Robert A.] Caskie's Rangers will be ordered at once to their regiments. I am very anxious to have the two companies of the 61st Va. Regiment sent on at once. If you can not spare both of them, can you not send one of them now. The request to increase Ross's company to 100 men I have approved and forwarded to the Department for action. If you could get up some local troops about Staunton they could do good service and prevent the necessity of depleting our regiment by detaching companies for pass duty. …" An unusually detailed letter from General Lee.

LITERATURE:

Not in Wartime Papers of R. E. Lee and presumably unpublished.

PROVENANCE:

From an archive of correspondence related to CSA Brig. Gen. Henry B. Davidson.