Camp near Orange Court
House, August 17, 1862.
Here I am in a tent instead of my comfortable quarters at Dabbs's1.
The tent, however, is very comfortable, and of that I have nothing to complain.
General Pope says he is very strong, and seems to feel so, for he is moving
apparently up to the Rapidan. I hope he will not prove stronger than we are. I
learn since I have left that General McClellan has moved down the James River
with his whole army. I suppose he is coming here too, so we shall have a busy
time. Burnside and King from Fredericksburg have joined Pope, which, from their
own report, has swelled Pope to 92,000. I do not believe it, though I believe
he is very big. Johnny Lee2 saw Louis Marshall2 after
Jackson's last battle, who asked him kindly after his old uncle, and said his
mother was well. Johnny said Louis looked wretchedly himself. I am sorry he is
in such bad company, but I suppose he could not help it.
__________
1 His headquarters in front of Richmond.
2 Louis Marshall was General Lee's nephew, the
son of the sister who lived in Philadelphia, and Johnny Lee was his nephew who
met his cousin under the flag of truce which the Federals had to bury their
dead just after the battle of Cedar Run.
SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of
Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 190
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