HEADQUARTERS FIRST ARMY
CORPS,
March 28, 1865.
General R. E. LEE, Commanding, &c.:
Your telegram asking if we can spare General Pickett's
division as a supporting force to our cavalry is received. I suggested that it
should be sent on that service because I was apprehensive that our railroad
would be in danger of being broken up behind us, leaving us without supplies
sufficient to hold Richmond until our communication south could be
re-established; or in case Sheridan went to North Carolina, his mounted force
would be too formidable for that of General Johnston's, and that General
Johnston's army would be in great danger if we should not re-enforce him. I do
not think that we can well spare the division, but I think that we would choose
a lesser risk by sparing it in case Sheridan's cavalry makes either of these
moves contemplated than we would by holding him here to await the result of
these operations. The enemy seems now to count upon taking Richmond by raiding
upon our lines of communication and not by attacking our lines of work. I
think, therefore, that we should endeavor to put a force in the field that can
contend against that of the enemy. If Grant sends off his cavalry he can hardly
intend to make any general move of his main army until its return. In every
aspect of affairs, so far as I am advised, I think that the greater danger is
from keeping too close within our trenches. If we can remain where we are,
independently of the railroad, and if General Johnston would be safe with such
a force operating against him in addition to Sherman's, we had better keep the division
here. You know much more about all those points than I do and are much better
able to decide upon them. My supply train is in from Northern Neck and starts
back to-morrow for other provisions. If there is any impropriety in sending it
back please telegraph me as soon as you receive it that I may recall it. We
have about 100,000 pounds of meat near Dublin and 18,000 at New Boston. The
commissary of subsistence complains that the railroad agents will not ship the
meat unless it is boxed. This cannot always be done. If you can in any way aid
us in this matter we shall do very well for some time to come.
I remain, very
respectfully, your most obedient servant,
J. LONGSTREET,
Lieutenant-General.
SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
46, Part 3 (Serial No. 97), p. 1360; James Longstreet, From
Manassas to Appomattox, p. 652-3
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