| Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia |
| October 26, 1863 |
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| Hon. James A. Seddon |
| Secretary of War, Richmond, Va. |
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| Sir,
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| I have to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 22d instant.
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| Our pickets are now below
the Orange & Alexandria Railroad, and the enemy is altogether
west of it, so far as I can learn.
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| I can arrange to give notice
to the working parties engaged in removing the iron from the Aquia
Creek road {the Richmond, Fredericksburg &
Potomac RR}, but have no doubt that as soon as the enemy
learn that it is being done they will send a larger force to prevent
it than I can spare to meet them. Under these circumstances, timely
notice of the approach of the enemy will serve as good a purpose as
the small force I could now spare to protect the work. I think it
should be undertaken at once, and with energy and secrecy. By taking
a few railroad trucks across the river and beginning the work at the
remote end of the line, the rails might be transported to the river
opposite Fredericksburg, without risking our wagons. If a pontoon
bridge could be thrown across the river to remove the iron as fast
as it is brought down, it would greatly facilitate the work.
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I desire to be notified as soon as the operations
begin, in order that I may put our pickets and scouts on the watch,
to notify those engaged of any danger that may threaten.
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Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
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R. E. Lee
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General
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Indorsement
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Engineer Bureau
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October 31, 1863
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Contents carefully noted and attended to.
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Respectfully returned to the honorable Secretary of
War.
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A. L. Rives
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Lieutenant-Colonel, Acting Chief of Bureau
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