| Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia |
| July 2, 1864 |
| |
| [General Beauregard] |
|
|
| General,
|
| Your note of 29th ultimo has
just been received. In reply to your letter of the 28th I expressed
the opinion that General Whiting was too weak. I think it would be
best, therefore, to let the two battalions of which you speak remain
at Wilmington. With regard to Goldsborough, it is just as important to preserve
the connection there as at Weldon. I do not know what force is
there, or what force the enemy has at New Berne, though I think the
latter is small. You must judge yourself of the necessity of
re-enforcing any particular point in the line of connection.
Commanding officers at posts should keep themselves thoroughly
advised of the strength and movements of any portion of the enemy's
forces which may be near enough to threaten them, and to avoid false
alarms and exaggerated estimates of such forces, keeping at the same
time constantly on the alert, and strength-cuing their positions at
the various bridges and other points of importance in every
practicable way. |
| Very respectfully, &c., |
| R. E. Lee |
| General |
|