HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF
NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
September 9, 1863.
HON. JAMES A. SEDDON,
Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.
SIR: The letter of Governor Vance of North Carolina of
August 20, with regard to the causes of dissatisfaction among the North
Carolina troops in this army, with your indorsement, has been received. I
regret exceedingly the jealousies, heart-burnings, and other evil consequences
resulting from the crude misstatements of newspaper correspondents, who have
necessarily a very limited acquaintance with the facts about which they write,
and who magnify the deeds of troops from their own States at the expense of
others. But I can see no remedy for this. Men seem to prefer sowing discord to
inculcating harmony. In the reports of the officers justice is done to the
brave soldiers of North Carolina, whose heroism and devotion have rendered
illustrious the name of the State on every battlefield on which the Army of
Northern Virginia has been engaged. . . .
I believe it would be better to have no correspondents of
the press with the army. . . .
I need not say that I will with pleasure aid Governor Vance
in removing every reasonable cause of complaint on the part of men who have
fought so gallantly and done so much for the cause of our country; and I hope
that he will also do all in his power to cultivate a spirit of harmony, and to
bring to punishment the disaffected who use these causes of discontent to
further their treasonable designs.
I am, with great
respect, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,
General.
SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of
Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 293-4
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