Today in History:

593 Series I Volume LI-II Serial 108 - Supplements Part II

Page 593 Chapter LXIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.- CONFEDERATE.

JULY 16, 1862.

General H. A. WISE:

GENERAL: I presume that my functions will cease with the establishment of the general principles of exchange. General Lee has not committed to me the details of the transfer and exchange, but if those matters are instructed to me, I will, of course, look out well to the interests of my own division. I hope that men have been paid. My quartermaster received his orders as soon as I returned. If McClellan gets up his pluck for a serious attack, yor position will be honored. I hope that everything will be prepared.

Yours, truly,

D. H. HILL,

Major-General.

[11.]

MONTGOMERY WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, VA.,

July 18, 1862.

General J. E. JOHNSTON:

MY DEAR JO.: Yours of the 28th of June, inclsing sheets of my report, was received yesterday, postmarked Richmond, June 30. Rather a long time coming itn seems to me. I at once omitted the portions alluding to the two subjects referred to by yorself, and by the train to-day send the corrected sheets with this by Captain Beckham, aide-de-camp, to insure against further unnecessary delat. The news you have me from the battle-field was a "little old," but I felt none the less gratified that you wrote me in spite of wounds and pains, and was as mad as ---, and "cussed" some about "Confederate mails." I wrote Lee asking him to reform my division adnmake certain disposition of my staff the day before I left Richmond. He has taken no notice of the letter, but Melton saw Chilton on the subject and received for answer "that matter has all been settled already," or something to that effect. Lee gave me to understand that he had no expectation even of Jackson's army crossing the Blue Ridge toward Richmond, and when I put the questions at him direct he said that under certain contingencies, of which he had not yet heard, Whitting's troops and Lawton's would come back to the army around Richmond, but there was no present intention of bringing any further troops from Jackson's command. This was on Saturday afetrnoon, the 21st of June, the day I visited you last. He had ust had a long private interview with the President. What think you of that? He mentioned nothing of re-enforcements coming from the South, and left me in that respect under the old decision when you commanded, viz: "We have no re-enforcements for the Army of the Potomac; not a man can be spared from any place whatever." General Cooper telegraphed me on the 5th of July, saying that the President desired to know if my health was sufficintly restored to enable me to take command of the Department of South Carolina and Georgia. There was several days' delay in its reaching me. I answered immediately on its receipt, "My health is not yet sufficiently restored to enable me to return to duty." I have heard nothing more from it. I came off on a three weeks' leave. Just before it expired I resuected Beckham to write to Chilton, for Lee's information, saying that I would not return because not well enough, but was improving. I received yesterday a note from Lee, in asnwer to Beckham's note to Chilton, first a layer of sugar,


Page 593 Chapter LXIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.- CONFEDERATE.