| Headquarters, Near Richmond, Va. |
| June 11, 1862 |
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| Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Jackson
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| Commanding Valley District
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| General,
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| Your recent successes have been the
cause of the liveliest joy in this army as well as in the country.
The admiration excited by your skill and boldness has been
constantly mingled with solicitude for your situation. The
practicability of re-enforcing you has been the subject of earnest
consideration. It has been determined to do so at the expense of
weakening this army. Brigadier-General Lawton with six regiments
from Georgia is on the way to you, and Brigadier-General Whiting
with eight veteran regiments leaves here to-day. The object is to
enable you to crush the forces opposed to you. Leave your enfeebled
troops to watch the country and guard the passes covered by your
cavalry and artillery, and with your main body, including Ewell's
division and Lawton's and Whiting's commands, move rapidly to
Ashland by rail or otherwise, as you may find most advantageous, and
sweep down between the Chickahominy and Pamunkey, cutting up the
enemy's communications, &c., while this army attacks General
McClellan in front. He will thus, I think, be forced to come out of
his intrenchments, where he is strongly posted on the Chickahominy,
and apparently preparing to
move by gradual approaches on Richmond. Keep me advised of your
movements, and, if practicable, precede your troops, that we may
confer and arrange for simultaneous attack.
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| I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,
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| R. E. Lee
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| General
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| {Ashland is 5 miles north of
the junction of the Virginia Central RR and the Richmond,
Fredericksburg & Potomac RR and is a station on the latter line.
Since Ashland was a well-known location, Lee was probably using it
as a shorthand for where he wanted Jackson to attack from. Jackson
would have to go east on the Manassas Gap RR (if it was running),
then south on the Orange & Alexandria RR, then go east on the
Virginia Central RR.}
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