now, general, my vies frankly given; I would not have given them but from a stern sense of duty, a duty which as the Chief Magistrate of Virginia I could not refrain from performing. I implore prompt and immediate action.

With high consideration, I am, general, very truly, yours,

WM. SMITH.

[Inclosure No. 2.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
October 10, 1864.

His Excellency WILLIAM SMITH,

Governor of Virginia, Richmond, Va.:

GOVERNOR: I have just read your letter of the 6th instant. I regret to see such grave charges made against General Early. As far as I have been able to judge at this distance, he has conducted the military operations in the Valley well. Of the care that he take of his men and the estimation in which he is held by them, I have no means of judging, except from what I witnessed when he was serving with me. Of the particular acts charged against him in your letter I can obtain no information uncles you will give me the name of the officer who wrote the letter of the 2nd instant from which you quote. Justice to General Early requires that I should inform him of the accusations made against him and of the name of his accuser. The matter can then be officially investigated.

I have the honor be, with great respect, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

[Inclosure No. 3.]

STATE OF VIRGINIA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Richmond, October 12, 1864.

General R. E. LEE:

GENERAL: I have just received your letter of the 10th of October, in reply to mine of the 7th [6th]. I had always regarded the summer campaign confided to General Early as presenting that finest opportunity for a great and brilliant success which had fallen to the lot of any of our generals. Up to this time I have regarded it from its commencement to this hour as a most disastrous failure. you are pleased, however, to say: "As far as I have been able to judge at this distance, he has conducted the military operations in the Valley well." Although this is a somewhat restricted commendation, yet I take it as your purpose to comprehend in it the whole campaign; of course you are much more competent to judge than myself, yet, highly as I appreciate the ripeness of your judgment, I am still unconvinced. Believing that Early's campaign was a great disaster, I sought an interview with you that I might freely converse with you upon the peril which his reverses had brought upon a large portion, if not the whole of the State. I informed you that I did so as Governor of the State. You were pleased to express a willingness to change the commander of the Valley army if a successor could be agreed upon in Richmond, and in speaking of the propriety of a successor to General Early, you said that public sentiment had to be consulted, and that, if that sentiment called for a change it ought to be made whether Early was to blame or not. For reasons which I have stated and for the further rear on that I was not well advised, I did not press this view in our conversation. Hearing