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the enemy," mentioned in General Stuart's report as being con- tained in (ictieral Lee's letter to him, which he refers to in his report. It also contains the information as to Ewell's movement referred to in the report, and there can be no doubt that General Lee's letter of June 23d, which I have read, is the letter to which General Stuart refers in his report, and that he construed that letter to mean what he there states. If General Lee wrote another letter, in which he givi-s the same directions as to the instructions to be given the officer in command of the two brigades left in front of the enemy, and in which he informs General Stuart of the movements of Ewell, and which was also inconsistent with his other letters to Stuart, written about the same time, it would be very strange, and the inference is irresistible that General Lee's letter of June 23d is the one to which ( ieneral Stuart refers in his report, and that he construed that letter to mean what he there states.
That construction, however, is not justified by the letter itself.
General Stuart's report then proceeds as follows: "Accordingly, three days' rations were prepared, and on the night of the 24th the following brigades Hampton's, Fitz Lee's, and W. H. F. Lee's, rendezvoused secretly near Salem depot. We had no wagons or vehicles, except six pieces of artillery, caissons, and ambulances. Robertson's and Jones's Brigades, under command of the former, were left in observation of the enemy on the usual front, with full in- structions as to following up the enemy in case of withdrawal, and rejoining our main army. Brigadier- General Fitz Lee's Brigade- had to march from north of Snicker's Gap to the place of ren- dezvous. At i o'clock at night the brigades, with noiseless march, moved out. This precaution was necessary on account of the enemy's having possession of the Bull Run mountains, which in the day-time commanded a view of every movement in consequence of that loca- tion. Hancock's Corps occupied Thoroughfare Gap. Moving to the right, we passed through Glasscock's Gap without serious diffi- culty, and marched for Haymarket. I had previously sent Major Mosby, with some picked men, through to gain the vicinity of Dranesville, and bring intelligence to me, near Gum Spring, to- day." (You will bear in mind that Haymarket is in Prince William county, east of the Bull Run mountains, and that was the first point to which General Stuart directed his march, using Glasscock's Gap in the mountains, Glasscock's Gap being further to the south than Hopewell.) "As we neared Haymarket we found that Hancock's Corps was en route through Haymarket for Gum Spring, his infan-
