HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF
NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
AUGUST 26, 1864.
GENERAL EARLY.
GENERAL: Your letter of the 23d has been received, and I am
much pleased at your having forced the enemy back to Harper's Ferry. This will
give protection to the Valley and arrest the travel on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad. It will, however, have little or no effect upon Grant's operations or
prevent reinforcements being sent to him. If Sheridan's force is as large as
you suppose, I do not know that you could operate to advantage north of the
Potomac. Either Anderson's troops or a portion of yours might, however, be
detached to destroy the railroad west of Charlestown, and Fitz Lee might send a
portion of his cavalry to cross the Potomac east of the Blue Ridge, as you
propose, I cannot detach at present more cavalry from this army; the enemy is
too strong in that arm. I am aware that Anderson is the ranking officer, but I
apprehend no difficulty on that score. I first intended him to threaten the
enemy east of the Blue Ridge, so as to retain near Washington a portion of the
enemy's forces. He crossed the mountains at your suggestion, and I think
properly. If his troops are not wanted there, he could cross into Loudoun or
Fauquier and return to Culpeper. It would add force to the movement of cavalry
east of the Blue Ridge. I am in great need of his troops, and if they can be
spared from the Valley or cannot operate to advantage there, I will order them
back to Richmond. Let me know.
Very respectfully,
R. E. LEE,
General.
SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of
Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 337
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