INTRODUCTION. V
- * * it was only during the last year of the war, when his health
was somewhat impaired, that one of his staff had the temerity, on the occasion of one of the General's visits to Richmond, to turn in his tent to the quartermaster's department and move his effects into a house which he was thus almost compelled to occupy."
The letter* of General Lee, previously referred to, is as follows :
PETERSBURG, VA. , 3 P. M., April 2, 1865. His Excellency, JEFFERSON DAVIS, Richmond, Va. :
MR. PRESIDENT. Your letter of the ist is just received. I have been willing to detach officers to recruit negro troops, and sent in the names of many who are desirous of recruiting companies, battalions, or regiments, to the War Department. After receiving the general orders on that subject establishing recruiting depots in the several States, I sup- posed that this mode of raising the troops was preferred. I will continue to submit the names of those who offer for this service, and whom I deem competent, to the War Department ; but among the numerous applications which are presented, it is difficult for me to decide who are suitable for the duty. I am glad your Excellency has made an appeal to the Governors of the States, and hope it will have a good effect. I have had a great desire to confer with you upon our condition, and would have been to Richmond before this, but anticipating movements of the enemy which have occurred, .1 felt unwilling to be absent. I have considered our condition very critical, but have hoped that the enemy might expose himself in some way that we might take advantage of and cripple him. Knowing, when Sheridan moved on our right, that our cavalry would be unable to resist successfully his advance upon our communications, I detached Pickett's division to sup- port it. At first Pickett succeeded in driving the enemy, who fought stub- bornly, and, after being reinforced by the Fifth corps (U. S. A ), obliged Pickett to recede to the Five Forks, on the Dinwiddie Courthouse and Ford's road, where, unfortunately, he was yesterday defeated. To relieve him I had to again draw out three brigades under General Anderson, which so weakened our front line that the enemy last night and this morning suc- ceeded in penetrating it near the Cox road, separating our troops around the town from those on Hatcher's Run. This has enabled him to extend to the Appomattox, thus inclosing and obliging us to contract our lines to the city. I have directed the troops from the lines on Hatcher's Run, thus sev- ered from us, to fall back toward Amelia Courthouse, and I do not see how I can possibly help withdrawing from the city to the north side of the Appo- mattox to-night. There is no bridge over the Appomattox above this point nearer than Goode's and Bevil's, over which the troops above mentioned could cross to the north side and be made available to us ; otherwise I might hold this position for a day or two longer, but would have to evacuate it eventually, and I think it better for us to abandon the whole line on James
- Personal Reminiscences of General Lee. J. Wm. Jones, D. D. Pages 309-11.
