| Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia |
| July 19, 1863 |
| |
| Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet |
| Commanding Corps |
| |
| General, |
| On reaching Millwood, should
nothing occur to arrest your progress or render it advisable for you
to cross Berry's Ferry and occupy Ashby's Gap, I request you to proceed next day
to Front Royal, cross the mountain at Chester Gap, and take some
position at the headwaters of the Rappahannock, in Fauquier or
Rappahannock
Counties, as you may select. Should you be able to subsist your army in that
position by drawing flour in that region of country, and not hear
that the enemy is pushing on on the route to Richmond, I desire you will halt there. Should you hear that the enemy is
advancing on to Richmond, you will proceed by the most direct route, and place yourself
behind the Rapidan. You had better send forward and see what flour
you can obtain on your route, until you can come within the reach of
the railroad {the Virginia Central RR}.
I have heard that the railroad bridge over the Rapidan {on
the Orange & Alexandria RR} has been carried away by the
freshet. It was immediately ordered to be rebuilt, but it is
probable that you can get nothing by railroad north of the Rapidan
Station. Colonel Cole has sent an officer up to New Market and
Harrisonburg
to load some empty wagons in that region with flour and take them
across to the Sperryville
Valley. These may reach there in time to supply you, provided you cannot
obtain enough elsewhere. I need not suggest to you the importance of
causing every attention to be paid to your artillery and wagon
horses, for, as little or no grain can be procured, it will be
impossible for them to stand hard work without the utmost care and
relief from all superfluous weight. ***** |
| I am, very respectfully, your obedient
servant |
| R. E. Lee |
| General |
|