General Lee"In this volume the attempt has been made to imperfectly supply the great desire to have something from Robert E. Lee's pen, by introducing, at the periods referred to, such extracts from his private letters as would be of great interest. He is thus made, for the first time, to give his impressions and opinions on most of the great events with which he was so closely connected"--Preface. |
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A. P. Hill advance afterward Arlington arms Army of Northern arrived artillery assault attack batteries Beauregard brigade Burnside camp campaign captured cavalry Chancellorsville Chickahominy Colonel column command Confederate Court House crossed Culp's Hill Custis D. H. Hill defense directed division duty enemy enemy's eral Ewell fight fire Fitz flank force Fredericksburg front Gettysburg Grant guns Halleck Harper's Ferry Hill's Hooker hope horse hundred infantry intrenchments J. E. B. Stuart Jackson James River Johnston Lee's army lieutenant line of battle Little Round Top Longstreet Manassas mand McClellan McLaws Meade miles military morning mountain move movement night Northern Virginia numbers officer Petersburg Pickett Pope position Potomac President R. E. LEE Railroad Rappahannock re-enforced reached rear regiments Richmond river road rode says Sedgwick sent Sharpsburg side soldier Southern Stuart thousand tion troops Union United United States Army Valley Warrenton Washington wounded wrote
Popular passages
Page 396 - I need not tell the survivors of so many hard-fought battles, who have remained steadfast to the last, that I have consented to this result from no distrust of them ; but feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss that would have attended the continuation of the contest, I have determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen.
Page 397 - You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed ; and I earnestly pray that a merciful God will extend to you His blessing and protection. With an unceasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your country, and a grateful 'remembrance of your kind and generous consideration of myself, I bid you an affectionate farewell. RE LEE, General.
Page 389 - I will meet you, or designate officers to meet any officers you may name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable to you, for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the surrender of the army of Northern Virginia will be received.
Page 88 - With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home.
Page 390 - GENERAL: — I received, at a late hour, your note of today. In mine of yesterday I did not intend to propose the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, but to ask the terms of your proposition.
Page 390 - General: I received at a late hour your note of to-day. In mine of yesterday I did not intend to propose the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, but to ask the terms of your proposition. To be frank, I do not think the emergency has arisen to call for the surrender of this army...
Page 394 - ... the officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged, and each company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them.
Page 170 - If you think you are not strong enough to take Richmond just now, I do not ask you to try just now. Save the army, material and personnel, and I will strengthen it for the offensive again as fast as I can. The governors of eighteen States offer me a new levy of three hundred thousand, which I accept.
Page 394 - The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the sidearms of the officers nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.
Page 389 - GENERAL: Your note of last evening, in reply to mine of same date, asking the condition on which I will accept the surrender of the army of Northern Virginia, is just received. In reply I would say that, peace being my great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon, namely: That the men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified for taking up arms again against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged.