The following, purporting to be a letter from the Chief Clerk of the rebel War Department, is published. Its genuineness is not established, yet such is thought to be probable, inasmuch as it agrees with many known facts connected with the matter referred to:
Confederate States of America.
War Department.
Richmond, Va., April 18th
My Dear Friend:– The reason of my [missing, bottom of the page is torn away which contains most of the last line in this column] of the 2d instant before, is that I could not do so without violating the regulations of the department. Indeed, I cannot give the information you desire now, without transgressing the rules; but, knowing your patriotism and discretion, I shall venture to do so.
Gen. Lee’s plans are perfected, and the President, Secretary, and even grumbling B. are delighted with them; and it only remains for the departments and bureaus to carry out their parts of them. Your conjectures that the seat of war will be transferred to the North is correct, and you may depend that this time Gen. Lee will got prepared to remain there until the Yankees sue for peace. The intention is to give him 150,000 men. The troops will be withdrawn from point of minor importance, wand as Charleston and Mobile are no longer in danger, the troops near those points can be spared also, so that there will be no difficulty in giving him the required number of men; he has at hand more than two-thirds the number now, and we are hurrying up others from every direction.
Enough will be left in and around the city to defend it if assailed via the Peninsula, and enough to confront Meade, and keep him North of the North Anna, or at all events north of the South Anna, while Lee will make a flank movement and push two columns northward, both Longstreet and Stuart going with him. These, in brief are the plans of the Summer campaign, and they will surely be carried out unless unfortuantely, the enemy advances before Lee gets ready, and necessitates a change of programme. If, unfortunately, Lee should be obliged to fall back, Beauregard will have command of the defense of the city, while Lee will, with all the force what can be spared, operate in conjunction with Johnson and carry the war into Ohio. Thirty thousand can hold the capital against all the men the enemy can send here.
In a few days I will write you again more at length. Remember me to Mrs. Lewis and the girls. Truly your friend,
Confederate States of America.
War Department.
Richmond, Va., April 18th
My Dear Friend:– The reason of my [missing, bottom of the page is torn away which contains most of the last line in this column] of the 2d instant before, is that I could not do so without violating the regulations of the department. Indeed, I cannot give the information you desire now, without transgressing the rules; but, knowing your patriotism and discretion, I shall venture to do so.
Gen. Lee’s plans are perfected, and the President, Secretary, and even grumbling B. are delighted with them; and it only remains for the departments and bureaus to carry out their parts of them. Your conjectures that the seat of war will be transferred to the North is correct, and you may depend that this time Gen. Lee will got prepared to remain there until the Yankees sue for peace. The intention is to give him 150,000 men. The troops will be withdrawn from point of minor importance, wand as Charleston and Mobile are no longer in danger, the troops near those points can be spared also, so that there will be no difficulty in giving him the required number of men; he has at hand more than two-thirds the number now, and we are hurrying up others from every direction.
Enough will be left in and around the city to defend it if assailed via the Peninsula, and enough to confront Meade, and keep him North of the North Anna, or at all events north of the South Anna, while Lee will make a flank movement and push two columns northward, both Longstreet and Stuart going with him. These, in brief are the plans of the Summer campaign, and they will surely be carried out unless unfortuantely, the enemy advances before Lee gets ready, and necessitates a change of programme. If, unfortunately, Lee should be obliged to fall back, Beauregard will have command of the defense of the city, while Lee will, with all the force what can be spared, operate in conjunction with Johnson and carry the war into Ohio. Thirty thousand can hold the capital against all the men the enemy can send here.
In a few days I will write you again more at length. Remember me to Mrs. Lewis and the girls. Truly your friend,
B. R. Wellford, Jr.
Hon. D. W. Lewis.
– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, June 4, 1864
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