HEADQUARTERS FIRST ARMY
CORPS,
March 7, 1865.
General R. E. LEE, Commanding:
GENERAL: I received a letter yesterday from a friend in the
interior of North Carolina assuring me that there are large quantities of
provisions in the State; that many have two and three years' supply on hand;
and that gold will bring anything that we need to our armies. The gold is in
the country, and most of it is lying idle. Let us take it at once, and [use] it
to save Richmond and end the war. If we hold Richmond and save our cotton, the war
cannot last more than a year longer. If we give up Richmond we shall never be
recognized by foreign powers until the Government of the United States sees fit
to recognize us. If we hold Richmond and let the enemy have our cotton, it
seems to me that we shall furnish him the means to carry on the war against us.
It looks to me as though the enemy had found that our policy of destroying the
cotton rather than let it fall into their hands would break them down, and that
it has forced them to the policy of sending on here to make a contract to feed
and clothe our armies, in order that they may get the means of carrying on the
war of subjugation. If we will keep our cotton and use our gold our work will
be comparatively easy.
I remain,
respectfully, your 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 2 (Serial No. 96), p. 1289; James Longstreet, From
Manassas to Appomattox, p. 649-50
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