Thursday, August 13, 2020

Edwin M. Stanton to Major-General Benjamin F. Butler, May 9, 1864 — 3:20 p.m.

WAR DEPARTMENT,                     
May 9, 1864—3.20 p.m.
Major-General BUTLER:

A bearer of dispatches from General Meade has just reached here by way of Fredericksburg; states that on Friday night Lee's army fell back, and yesterday were in full retreat for Richmond, Grant pursuing with his army. Hancock passed Spotsylvania Court-House before daylight yesterday morning. Meade's headquarters were yesterday at Todd's Tavern. We occupy Fredericksburg. The Twenty-second New York [Cavalry] occupied it about 8 o'clock last night.

EDWIN M. STANTON,                   
Secretary of War.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 36, Part 2 (Serial No. 68), p. 587

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