Confidential.
Head-quarters,
Department of Virginia, Seventh Army Corps,
White House, Va., July
7,1863.
A. R. Admiral
S. P. Lee,
Commanding North Atlantic Blockading Squadron:
Admiral, — I
have just received your confidential letter of the 6th instant. I have been
under orders for several days to send to Washington all my force, except such
as is absolutely necessary to defend Yorktown, Fort Monroe, and the new line of
intrenchments near Norfolk. I have sent off three regiments to-day, and am only
waiting for transports to send more. General Getty returned this morning. He
could not destroy the Fredericksburg Railroad bridge over the South Anna, but
he destroyed some six miles of the track between the bridge and Richmond, and
the depot at Ashland. General Lee's communications with Richmond are cut off by
the two railroads running north from that city, so that the valley of the
Shenandoah can only be reached by way of Dansville, Lynchburg, and
Charlottesville.
Unless I have other orders I shall move from this place
to-morrow morning with my whole force. It pains me to do so, but I cannot
remain long, if authorized, without re-enforcements, as the term of seventeen
of my regiments is about expiring — several of them as early as next week. I
mentioned in an unofficial letter last week that I wished to see you. I
intended to propose to you a joint attack on Fort Powhattan, but it is now too
late, as I am to be reduced so low in my numbers as to be able merely to hold a
few prominent points.
If I evacuate this position to-morrow your gun-boats will be
disposable for any purpose you may have in view, as I shall withdraw the troops
from West Point also.
I am, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
John A. Dix,
Major-general
SOURCE: Morgan Dix, Memoirs of John Adams Dix,
Volume 2, p. 67-8
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