| Headquarters |
| April 16, 1864 |
| |
| General Braxton Bragg |
| Commanding Armies of Confederate States |
| |
| General, |
| I learn from Genl Longstreet
that all of his troops will not reach Charlottesville before the 21st,
the railroad {mostly the Virginia &
Tennessee RR} not being able to transport over 1,500 a day. For want of
good camping ground in the neighborhood of that place, I have directed
him to take position in the vicinity of Gordonsville, where he will be
more convenient for service here or eastward, & for procurement of
supplies. The brigades will march from Charlottesville as they arrive,
so as not to embarrass the railroad. Genl Longstreet states that, with
the view of equalizing the commands with him in Tennessee, he had
attached [General Evander] Law's brigade of Hood's old division to
Buckner's division for service, Buckner having with him but two of his
brigades, the other being with Genl Johnston's army. He has not
ordered Law's brigade to move with his corps. I understood the order
of the Department to embrace all of his corps with him. If that was
the intention, I request you to order Law's brigade forward. The
brigades in motion with Genl Longstreet will amount to about 9,000
men. That of Law's number about 1,500. |
| Very resply, your obt servt |
| R. E. Lee |
| Genl |
| {also in OR Series
1, Vol. 33, Page 1286} |
|