>To JEFFERSON DAVIS
Richmond, Virginia
Headquarters, Near Fredericktown, Maryland September 9, 1861
Mr. President:
Nothing of interest in a military point of view has transpired since my last communication. We are able to obtain forage for our animals, and some provisions, but there is more difficulty about the latter. Many of the farmers have not yet gotten out their wheat, and there is a reluctance on the part of millers and others to commit themselves in our favor. I shall now open our communication with the Valley, so that we can obtain more supplies. Some cattle, but not in any great numbers, are obtained in this country, the inhabitants are said to have driven many off to Pennsylvania.
From reports that have reached me, I believe that the enemy are pushing a strong column up the River (Potomac) by Rockville and Darnestown, and by Poolesville towards Seneca Mills. I hear that the commands of Sumner, Sigel, Burnside and Hooker are advancing in the direction above mentioned.
I have the honor to be with high respect, your obt servt
R. E. LEE
Gen
To JEFFERSON DAVIS
Richmond, Virginia
Headquarters, Army of Northern Virginia Hagerstown, Maryland
September 11, 1862
Mr. President:
Before crossing the Potomac I considered the advantages of entering Maryland east or west of the Blue Ridge. In either case it was my intention to march upon this town. By crossing east of the Blue Ridge, both Washington and Baltimore would be threatened, which I believed would insure the withdrawal of the mass of the enemy's troops north of the Potomac. I think this has been accomplished.
I had also supposed that as soon as it was known that the army had reached Fredrecktown, the enemy's forces in the Valley of Virginia, which had retired to Harper's Ferry and Martinsburg, would retreat altogether from the State. In this I was disappointed, and you will perceive from the accompanying order [Special Orders, No. 191 j of the 9th instant that Genls Jackson and McLaws have been detached with a view of capturing their forces at each place, should they not have retired. The army has been received in this region with sympathy and kindness. We have found in this city about fifteen hundred barrels of flour, and I am led to hope that a supply can be gathered from the mills in the country, though I fear we shall have to haul from the Valley of Virginia. The supply of beef has been very small, and we have been able to procure no bacon. A thousand pairs of shoes and some clothing were obtained in Fredericktown, two hundred & fifty pairs in Williamsport, and about four hundred pairs in this city. They will not be sufficient to cover the bare feet of the army. Our advance pickets are at Middleburg on the Pennsylvania line. I await here the result of the movements upon Harper's Ferry and Martinsburg.
I have the honor to enclose to you a copy of a proclamation which I issued to the people of Maryland. I waited on entering the State for the arrival of ex-Governor Lowe, but finding that he did not come up, and that the citizens were embarrassed as to the intentions of the army, I determined to delay no longer in making known our purpose.
I have the honor to be with high respect, your obt servt
RE LEE
GenI Comdg
300 COLONEL A. L. LONG TO GENERAL LAFAYETTE
McLAWS
Commanding Division, Maryland Heights, Maryland
Headquarters, Army of Northern Virginia Hagerstown, Maryland
September 13, 1862
General:
General Lee desires me to say that he has not heard from you since you left the main body of the army. He hopes that you have been able to reach your destined position [Maryland Heights. He is anxious that the object of your expedition be speedily accomplished. The enemy have doubtless occupied Frederick since our troops have abandoned it, and are following our rear. The enemy have abandoned Martinsburg and retreated to Harper's Ferry about 2,500 or 3,000 strong General Jackson
will be at Harper's Ferry by noon today to cooperate with you. General Stuart, with his cavalry, occupies the Middletown Valley. General D. H. Hill is a mile or two west of Boonsboro at the junction of the Sharpsburg and Hagerstown roads, and General Longstreet is at Hagerstown. You are particularly desired to watch well the main road from Frederick to Harper's Ferry, so as to prevent the enemy from turning your position. The commanding general hopes that the enemy about Harper's Ferry will be speedily disposed of, and the various detachments returned to the main body of the army. You are also desired to communicate as frequently as you can with headquarters.
I am very respectfully, your obedient servant
A. L. LoNG
Colonel and Military Secretary
301 To JEFFERSON DAVIS
Richmond, Virginia
Headquarters, Army of Northern Virginia Hagerstown Maryland
September 13, 1862
Mr. President:
I regret that you should have exposed yourself while indisposed, to the fatigue of travel, though I should have been highly gratified at an opportunity of conferring with you on many points. You will perceive by the printed address to the people of Maryland which has been sent you, that I have not gone contrary to the views expressed by you on the subject. Should there be anything in it to correct, please let me know. I have received as yet no official list of the casualties in the late battles, and from the number of absentees from the army, and the vice of straggling, a correct list cannot now be obtained. The army has been so constantly in motion, its attention has been so unremittingly devoted to what was necessary, that little opportunity has been afforded for attention to this subject. I wish your views of its operations could be realized, but so much depends upon circumstances beyond its control, and the aid that we may receive, that it is difficult for me to conjecture the result.
To look to the safety of our own frontier, and to operate untrammeled in an enemy's territory, you need not be told, is very difficult. Every effort however will be made to acquire every advantage which our position and means may warrant.
One great embarrassment is the reduction of our ranks by straggling, which it seems impossible to prevent with our present regimental officers. Our ranks are very much diminished, I fear from a third to a half of the original numbers, though I have reason to hope that our casualties in battle will not exceed five thousand men.
I am glad to hear that the railroad bridge over the Rapidan is in a fair way to completion. I fear all the locomotives and cars captured at Bristoe & Manassas have been destroyed either by the enemy or ourselves. As I before stated, having only Jackson's & Longstreet's corps in the battle of Manassas, I was unable to spare men to save property, though I knew and felt its value.
I fear there was much suffering among the wounded, but it was impossible to prevent it. Dr. [Lafayette] Guild, the Medical Director, with detachments from each brigade, was left upon the field, and all the wounded committed to their care. All the means of transportation at our command were given to him, including the wagons, with directions that they must receive the first attention and be sent to Warrenton. They were ordered to be forwarded thence to Gordonsville, as fast as possible, and as they were able to bear the transportation. Only one regiment of cavalry is in front of Warrenton, and that I fear my necessities will oblige me to withdraw. Unless GenI [G. W.] Smith can organize a force and advance it, of sufficient strength to cover that section of country, it will be liable to raids from Washington and Alexandria by the enemy's cavalry. It is a risk we must necessarily run to use the troops elsewhere.
With sincere wishes for your health and prosperity,
I am most respectfully & truly yours
R. E.LEE
GenI Comdg
302 COLONEL R. H. CHILTON TO GENERAL
LAFAYETTE McLAWS
Commanding Division, Weverton, Maryland
Headquarters, Army of Northern Virginia September 14, 1862
8p. m.
General:
The day has gone against us [reverses at Crampton's Gap and South Mountain] and this army will go by Sharpsburg and cross the river. It is necessary for you to abandon your position tonight. Send your trains not required on the road to cross the river. Your troops you must have well in hand to unite with this command, which will retire by Sharpsburg. Send forward officers to explore the way, ascertain the best crossing of the Potomac, and if you can find any between you and Shepherdstown leave Shepherdstown Ford for this command. Send an officer to report to me on the Sharpsburg road, where you are and what crossing you will take. You will of course bring Anderson's division with you.
I am sir respectfully, your obedient servant
R. H. CHILTON
Assistant Adjutant General
303 To GENERAL LAFAYETTE McLAWS Commanding Division, Weverton, Maryland
Headquarters, Army of Northern Virginia
Hagerstown
September 14, 1862
General:
GenI Longstreet moves down this morning to occupy the Boonsboro Valley so as to protect your flank from forces coming from Frederick, until the operations at Harper's Ferry are finished. I desire your operations there to be pushed on as rapidly as possible, and, if the point is not ultimately taken to arrange it that your forces may be brought up the Boonsboro Valley. Genl Stuart with a portion of Genl D. H. Hill's forces holds the gap between Boonsboro and Middletown, & Hampton's & Munford's brigades of cavalry occupy Burkittsville & the pass through the mountains there. Should Harper's Ferry be taken, the road will be open to you at Sharpsburg, around the mountains. From Sharpsburg the road communicates with Boonsboro and Hagerstown.
Very respectfully, your obt servt
RE.
General
To JEFFERSON DAVIS
Richmond, Virginia
Headquarters, Sharpsburg, Maryland September i6, 1862
Mr. President:
My letter to you of the 13th instant informed you of the positions of the different divisions of this army. Learning that night that Harper's Ferry had not surrendered, and that the enemy was advancing more rapidly than convenient from Fredericktown, I determined to return with Longstreet's command to the Blue Ridge to strengthen D. H. Hill's and Stuart's divisions engaged in holding the passes of the mountains lest the enemy should fall upon McLaws' rear, drive him from the Maryland Heights, and thus relieve the garrison at Harper's Ferry. On approaching Boonshoro I received information from GenI D. H. Hill [at Turner's Gap] that the enemy in strong force was at the main pass on the Frederick and Hagerstown road, pressing him so heavily as to require immediate reinforcements. Longstreet advanced rapidly to his support, and immediately placed his troops in position. By this time Hill's right had been forced back, the gallant [General Samuel] Garland having fallen in rallying his brigade. Under Genl Longstreet's directions, our right was soon restored, and firmly resisted the attacks of the enemy to the last. His superior numbers enabled him to extend beyond both of our flanks, and his right was able to reach the summit of the mountain to our left, and press us heavily in that direction. The battle raged until after night, the enemy's effort's to force a passage were resisted, but we had been unable to repulse him. Learning later in the evening that Crampton's Gap on the direct road from Fredericktown to Sharpsburg had been forced, and McLaws' rear thus threatened, and believing from a report from Genl Jackson that Harper's Ferry would fall next morning, I determined to withdraw Longstreet and D. H. Hill from their positions and retire to the vicinity of Sharpsburg, where the army could be more readily united. Before abandoning the position, indications led me to believe that the enemy was withdrawing, but learning from a prisoner that Sumner's corps, which had not been engaged, was being put in position to relieve their wearied troops while the most of ours were exhausted by a fatiguing march and a hard conflict and I feared would be unable to renew the fight successfully in the morning, confirmed me in my determination. Accordingly the troops were with-drawn preceded by the trains without molestation by the enemy, and about daybreak took position in front of this place. The enemy did not pass through the gap until about 8 o'clock of the morning after the battle, and their advance reached a position in front of us about 1 p. m. Before their arrival, I received intelligence from GenI Jackson that Harper's Ferry had surrendered early in the morning. I enclose his report. From a more detailed statement furnished by GenI Jackson's adjutant general it appears that forty-nine pieces of' artillery, twenty-four mountain howitzers and seventeen revolving guns, eleven thousand men fit for duty, consisting of twelve regiments of infantry, three companies of cavalry, and six companies of artillery, together with eleven thousand small arms, were the fruits of this victory.
Part of Genl Jackson's corps has' reached us, and the rest are approaching, except Genl A. P. Hill's division left at Harper's Ferry to guard the place and take care of public property. The enemy have made no attack up to this afternoon, but are in force in our front.
This victory of the indomitable Jackson and his troops gives us renewed occasion for gratitude to Almighty God for His guidance and protection.
I am with high respect, your obt servt
R. F.
General
306 To JEFFERSON DAVIS
Richmond, Virginia
Headquarters, Sharpsburg, Maryland September 18, 1862
6 AM
Mr. President:
On the afternoon of the 16th instant the enemy, who, you were informed on that day, was in our front, opened a light fire of artillery upon our line.
Early next morning it was renewed in earnest, and large masses of the Federal troops that had crossed the Antietam above our position assembled on our left and threatened to overwhelm us. They advanced in three compact lines. The divisions of Genls McLaws, R. H. Anderson, A. P. Hill, and Walker had not arrived the previous night, as I had hoped, and were still beyond the Potomac.
Genl Jackson's and Genl Ewell's divisions were thrown to the left of Generals D. H. Hill and Longstreet. The enemy advanced between the Antietam and the Sharpsburg and Hagerstown turnpike and was met by Genl Hill's and the left of GenI Longstreet's divisions, where the contest raged fiercely, extending to our entire left, The enemy was driven back and held in check, but before the divisions of McLaws, Anderson, and Walker, who, upon their arrival on the morning of the 17th, were advanced to support the left wing and center, could be brought into action, that portion of our lines was forced back by superior numbers. The line after a severe conflict was restored and the enemy driven back, and our position maintained during the rest of the day. In the afternoon the enemy advanced on our right, where GenI Jones' division was posted, who handsomely maintained his position. Genl Robert A. 1 Toombs' brigade, guarding the bridge over Antietam Creek, gallantly resisted the approach of the enemy, but his superior numbers enabling him to extend his left, he crossed below the bridge, and assumed a threatening attitude on our right, which fell back in confusion. By this time, between three and four o'clock p. m., GenI A. P. Hill with five of his brigades had reached the scene of action, drove the enemy immediately from the position they had taken, and continued the contest until dark, restoring our right, and maintaining our ground.
R. F. LEE
Genl Comdg