General Robert E. Lee. To Charlotte Wickham Lee, August 26, 1862

JEFFERSONTON, 26th August, 1862.

I arrived at my tent last night, my dear Chass, and to my delight found your Fitzhugh. It was the first time I had seen him since the battles around Richmond. He is very well, and the picture of health. He could not stay very long, as he had to return to his camp about four miles distant. In the recent expedition to the rear of the enemy, (with a view of cutting off their R. R. communication) he led his regiment, during a terrible storm at night, through the camp of the enemy to Catlett's Station, capturing several hundred prisoners and some valuable papers of General Pope. His cousin, Louis Marshall, is said to have escaped at the first onset, leaving his toddy untouched. I am so grateful to Almighty God for preserving, guiding, and directing him in this war! Help me pray to Him for the continuance of His signal favor. Fitzhugh left me a letter of M. L.'s to read. It is so full of sympathy, piety, and affection that I enclose it to you. I sent you several messages in a letter to your mother yesterday. Kiss her for me. I have heard from neither of you since I left Richmond. Give much love to everybody and believe me, my dear child,

Aff'ly, your father,

R. E. Lee.

SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 198

General Robert E. Lee. To Charlotte Wickham Lee, June 22, 1862

DABBS, June 22, 1862.

I must take a part of this holy day, my dearest Chass, to thank you for your letter of the 14th. I am very glad that my communication after the battle reached you so opportunely and relieved your anxiety about your Fitzhugh. He has, since that, made a hazardous scout, and been protected by that Divine Providence which, I trust and pray, may always smile on, as I know it will ever watch over you and yours. I sent you some account of this expedition in a former letter, as well as the order of General Stuart, on the subject. It was badly printed, but may serve to show you that he conducted himself well. The General deals in the flowering style, as you will perceive if you ever see his report in detail; but he is a good soldier, and speaks highly of the conduct of the two Lees, who, as far as I can learn, deserve his encomiums. Your mama is very zealous in her attentions to your sick brother. He is reported better. I think he was a few evenings since, when I saw him, and a note this morning from her states that he slowly improves. I hope he will soon be well again. He is much reduced, and looks very feeble. I suppose he will be obliged to go to the "N. C. White Sulphur" to keep you young women company. How will you like that? And now I must answer your inquiries about myself. My habiliments are not as comfortable as yours, nor so suited to this hot weather, but they are the best I have. My coat is of gray, of the regulation style and pattern, and my pants of dark blue, as is also prescribed, partly hid by my long boots. I have the same handsome hat which surmounts my gray head (the latter is not prescribed in the regulations) and shields my ugly face, which is masked by a white beard as stiff and wiry as the teeth of a card. In fact, an uglier person you have never seen, and so unattractive is it to our enemies that they shoot at it whenever visible to them, but though age with its snow has whitened my head, and its frosts have stiffened my limbs, my heart, you well know, is not frozen to you, and summer returns when I see you. Having now answered your questions, I have little more to say. Our enemy is quietly working within his lines, and collecting additional forces to drive us from our Capital. I hope we shall be able yet to disappoint him, and drive him back to his own country. I saw F. the other day. He was looking very well in a new suit of gray. . . .

And now I must bid you farewell. Kiss your sweet boy for me, and love always, Your devoted papa,

R. E. LEE.

MRS. WM. H. FITZHUGH LEE.

SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 184-5

General Robert E. Lee. To Charlotte Wickham Lee, June 2, 1862

NEAR RICHMOND, 2d June, 1862.

You may have heard that a battle has been fought near Richmond, my darling Chass, and be uneasy about your husband. I write, therefore, to inform you that he is well. The cavalry was not engaged, and of course he was not exposed. . . . I am sorry to say that General Johnston was wounded Saturday evening, not seriously, I am told; but when I left Richmond yesterday the extent of his wound was not known. . . . I am now in the field again. The wound of General Johnston obliging him to leave, it rendered it necessary, in the opinion of the President, that I should take his place. I wish his mantle had fallen upon an abler man, or that I were able to drive our enemies back to their homes. I have no ambition and no desire but for the attainment of this object, and, therefore, only wish for its accomplishment by him that can do it most speedily and thoroughly. I saw F. Friday. Was at his camp. . . . He is well and so is Shiloh, Moses, etc. I told him about you, and gave him your address. He said he would write. I hear nothing of your poor mama, or the White House. Kiss Agnes for me, also your fine boy. I wrote to both of you some days since,—but I can do nothing but think of you. God bless you both and all, and keep you for himself now and forever, Your affectionate father,

R. E. LEE.

MRS. CHARLOTTE LEE.

SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 184

General Robert E. Lee. To Charlotte Wickham Lee, April 26, 1862

RICHMOND, 26th April, 1862.

I have just received your note of Thursday night, dearest Chass, and write to say that I have taken time to read it and enjoy it too, and shall always do so as long as I live, so do not hesitate to write. I want to see you very much, and am always thinking of you. It is very hard, I think, for you to say that you did not want to come to me. I hope, at least, F. will be able to go to you, and if he does you must tell him to kiss you for me double and treble. Do not accuse your mama, you told me yourself. You are such a little sieve, you cannot retain anything. But there is no harm, you sweet child, and I love you all the more for it, and so does F.

I am glad you get such delightful tidings of him. C. left him yesterday, very indignant at some of his pickets having been captured. I hope he will get them back, and indemnify himself with many of the enemy. He is very well, but sent no particular messages. I am glad you rejoice in the good service he is doing his country. Encourage him to continue to the end. We have received some heavy blows lately, from the effects of which I trust a merciful God will deliver us. I fear New Orleans has fallen, though nothing certain has yet been received. The last accounts received prepared me for its fall. Remember me to your grandpapa and all at Hickory Hill. Kiss my grandson for me, and tell him you are mistaken. I want to do so for myself very much, but do not know when I can have that pleasure. I must confess that I desire more to kiss his mother, but I catch that from Fitzhugh. Good-by, my sweet daughter. May Heaven guard and protect you and yours, prays Your affectionate father,

R. E. LEE.

SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 183.

General Robert E. Lee to Col. G. W. Custis Lee, February 23, 1862

SAVANNAH, 23d February, 1862.

My Dear Son:

I have received your letter of the 12th and am glad you have returned safely from the Rappahannock. I hope your visit was satisfactory. I am sorry your arrangement for sending on Richmond failed, and especially for the trouble he occasioned everybody. He is a troublesome fellow and dislikes to associate with strange horses. He expresses it more in words than acts, and if firmly treated becomes quiet at last. I know his propensity to squeal on such occasions and can imagine how unacceptable he made himself to strangers. I carried him in the car with all our horses to and from western Virginia without accident or harm. He might as well wait now, and I hope you can make him useful to you. The expense of hiring a man and car to get him to me would not be indemnified by the use to me. I have two horses. Col. W. has been here, as you may have learned, and I should judge from his manner everything was agreeable to him. He took his departure two days since, and I sent by him an afghan or robe, knit for me by Miss "Tattie" Clinch, which is too pretty to have in camp. I desired him to give it to you and I wish you would send it to your mother or put it away somewhere, and ask her to keep it for me. I have heard of Mary's return from Norfolk, and I hope she is now with her mother. In these times of trouble I am always anxious about those away from me. The victories of the enemy increase and consequently the necessity of increased energy and activity on our part. Our men do not seem to realize this, and the same supineness and carelessness of their duty continue. If it will have the effect of arousing them and imparting an earnestness and boldness to their work, it will be beneficial to us. If not we shall be overrun for a time, and must make up our minds to great suffering. Here the enemy seems to be slowly making his way to the Savannah River through the creeks and marshes, and his shells now interrupt its navigation. We have nothing that floats that can contend with him, and it is grating to see his progress unopposed by any resistance we can make. The communication with Fort Pulaski is cut. That may in time be reduced, but I am constructing batteries at Fort Jackson which, if our men will fight, will give him trouble to get to the city. His batteries are so numerous and strong that I know they are hard to resist, but if we have the time and guns they ought if vulnerable to be beaten off. Their barges and reconnoitering boats are even clad with iron, so that our musket and rifle balls are harmless. The work progresses slowly and it is with the utmost difficulty that it is pushed ahead. I had until lately supposed Charleston would have been first attacked, but now it seems they are concentrating here. We are stronger in C. than here. The creeks that intersect the marshes through with the waters of Port Royal Harbor to the north and Warsaw Sound on the south are a great element of weakness, and indeed the facilities the arms or branches of these waters afford for approach and investment in all directions make it one of the hardest places to defend I ever saw, against light draft boats. The tide rises seven and eight feet, so it is easy to propel their boats over the mud. This will be plain to you who know the topography of the place. Your friends here are all well and frequently inquire after you. Mrs. Wm. H. Stiles has come down, since Mrs. Lord's return to her children. I now hear that Mr. Lord is released on parole in Baltimore. I do not know if it is true. Remember me to all friends, my dear son, and give much love to your mother, Fitzhugh, and all the girls. I hope you will be able to attend to the business matters without distress to yourself or neglect of your duty. All must be sacrificed to the country. May God protect you and shield you from all harm.

Your devoted father,

R. E. LEE.

COL. G. W. CUSTIS LEE.

SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 161-2

General Robert E. Lee to Charlotte Wickham Lee, December 29, 1861

COOSAWHATCHIE, S. C., December 29, 1861.

You have no occasion to inform me, you precious Chass, that you have not written to me for a long time. That I already knew, and you know that the letters I am obliged to write do not prevent my reading letters from you.

If it requires fits of indignation to cause you to ventilate your paper, I will give occasion for a series of spasms, but in the present case I am innocent, as my proposition was for you to accompany your mama to Fayetteville, and not to run off with her son to Fredericksburg. I am afraid the enemy will catch you, and besides there are too many young men there. I only want you to visit the old men — your grandpapa and papa. But what has got into your heads to cause you to cut off of them your hair? If you will weave some delicate fabrics for the soldiers of the family out of it, I will be content with the sacrifice. Or if it is an expression of a penitential mood that has come over you young women I shall not complain. Poor little A., somebody told me that a widower had been making sweet eyes at her through his spectacles. Perhaps she is preparing for caps. But you can tell her not to distress herself. Her papa is not going to give her up in that way. I am, however, so glad that you are all together that I am willing you should indulge in some extravagances if they do not result in serious hurt, as they will afford a variety to the grave occupation of knitting, sewing, spinning, and weaving. You will have to get out the old wheels and looms again, else I do not know where we poor Confederates will get clothes. I have plenty of old ones for the present, but how are they to be renewed? And that is the condition of many others. I do not think there are manufactories sufficient in the Confederacy to supply the demand, and as the men are all engrossed by the war, the women will have to engage in the business. Fayetteville or Stratford would be a fine manufactory. When you go to see your grandpa, consult him about it. I am glad to hear that he is well, and hope he will not let these disjointed times put him out of his usual way or give him inconvenience. I would not advise him to commence building at Broadneck until he sees whether the enemy can be driven from the land, as they have a great fondness for destroying residences when they can do it without danger to themselves . . . Do not let them get that precious baby, as he is so sweet that they would be sure to eat him. . . . Kiss Fitzhugh for me and the baby. That is the sweetest Christmas gift I can send them. I send you some sweet violets. I hope they may retain their fragrance till you receive them. I have just gathered them for you. The sun has set, and my eyes plead for relief, for they have had no rest this holy day. But my heart with all its strength stretches toward you and those with you, and hushes in silence its yearnings. God bless you, my daughter, your dear husband and son. Give much love to your mama, and may every blessing attend you all, prays,

Your devoted father,

R. E. LEE.

SOURCES: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 155-6

General Robert E. Lee to Major W. H. Fitzhugh Lee

SEWELL MT., 12th October, 1861.

MY DEAR FlTZHUGH:

I am grieving over your absence and fear you are not comfortable. Tell me how you are. I learn that the baby is doing very well and getting quite fat. Your poor mother, who was in Charlottesville Saturday, was going to Richmond to join Charlotte and accompany her to the White House. I hope they will enjoy the quiet of the place and each other's company. Annie and Agnes are in Richmond, on their way to Cedar Grove. They have been to Uncle Carter's, and are well satisfied with their visit. The enemy in strong force threatened us for a week. I was in hopes they would attack, but after some sharp skirmishing with their reconnoitering parties last Saturday night they retired and by daybreak next morning their rear-guard was fifteen miles off. We followed the first day without provisions, and had to return at night in a drenching rain. We have only lived from day to day and on three-fourths rations at that. It is the want of supplies that has prevented our advancing, and up to this time there is no improvement. The strength of the enemy is variously reported by prisoners and civilians at from 17,000 to 24,000. General Floyd puts him down at 18,000. I think their numbers are much overrated, but that they are much stronger than we are. I believe they have crossed the Ganley and will not return this winter. God bless you, my dear son.

Your devoted father,

R. E. LEE.

SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 149

General Robert E. Lee to Mary Custis Lee, September 17, 1861

VALLEY MOUNTAIN, September 17, 1861

I had hoped to have surprised the enemy’s works on the morning of the 12th, both at Cheat Mountain and on Valley River. All the attacking parties with great labor had reached their destination over mountains considered impassable to bodies of troops, notwithstanding the heavy storm that had set in the day before and raged all night, in which they had to stand till daylight; their arms were then unserviceable, and they in poor condition for a fierce assault. After waiting till ten o'clock for the assault on Cheat Mountain, which did not take place, and which was to be the signal for the rest, they were withdrawn, and after waiting three days in front of the enemy, hoping he would come out of his trenches, we returned to our position at this place. I cannot tell you my regret and mortification at the untoward events that caused the failure of the plan. I had taken every precaution to insure success, and counted on it; but the Ruler of the Universe willed otherwise, and sent a storm to disconcert the well-laid plan. We are no worse off now than before, except the disclosure of our plan, against which they will guard. We met with one heavy loss which grieves me deeply: Colonel Washington accompanied Fitzhugh [his son] on a reconnoitering expedition. I fear they were carried away by their zeal and approached within the enemy's pickets. The first they knew there was a volley from a concealed party within a few yards of them. Three balls passed through the Colonel's body, three struck his horse, and the horse of one of the men was killed. Fitzhugh mounted the Colonel's horse and brought him off. I am much grieved. He was always anxious to go on these expeditions. This was the first day I assented. Since I had been thrown in such immediate relations with him, I had learned to appreciate him very highly. Morning and evening have I seen him on his knees praying to his Maker. "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; the merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come." May God have mercy on us all!

SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 147-8

Major General Robert E. Lee to Mary Custis Lee, August 9, 1861

Valley Mountain, August 9, 1861.

I have been three days coming from Monterey to Huntersville. The mountains are beautiful, fertile to the tops, covered with the richest sward and blue grass and white clover. The enclosed fields wave with a natural growth of timothy. This is a magnificent grazing country, and all it wants is labor to clear the mountainsides of timber. It has rained, I believe, some portion of every day since I left Staunton. Now it is pouring. Colonel Washington, Captain Taliaferro and myself are in one tent, which as yet protects us. I have enjoyed the company of our son ["Rooney"] while I have been here. He is very well and very active, and as yet the war has not reduced him much. He dined with me yesterday and preserves his fine appetite. Today he is out reconnoitering, and has the full benefit of this fine rain. I fear he is without his overcoat, as I do not recollect seeing it on his saddle. I told you he had been promoted to a major in the cavalry, and he is the commanding cavalry officer on this line at present. He is sanguine, cheerful, and hearty as ever. I sent him some cornmeal this morning, and he sent me some butter — a mutual exchange of good things. The men are suffering from measles and so on, as elsewhere, but are cheerful and light-hearted. Send word to Miss Lou Washington that her father is sitting on his blanket sewing a strap on his haversack. I think she ought to be here to do it.

SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 145-6