PRIMARY DOCUMENT

Letter from Robert E. Lee to Richard S. Ewell (July 13, 1864)

CONTEXT

In this letter, dated July 13, 1864, Robert E. Lee refuses Richard S. Ewell‘s suggestion that Lee send a force of about 450 men to the Northern Neck to quell the unrest following the Draper Raid.

FULL TEXT

Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, July 13, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded to the honorable Secretary of War.

It is impossible to detach troops from this army to defend the locality mentioned. A small force sent there would only attract the efforts of the enemy to capture it, and would be very much exposed. If the people will do nothing to defend themselves against such outrages I can see no remedy for them. I think arms should furnished them, and, if practicable, some officer sent there to aid in organizing them. They could easily repel such marauding parties if they would exert themselves.

R.E. Lee, General.

CITE THIS ENTRY
APA Citation:
Lee, Robert. Letter from Robert E. Lee to Richard S. Ewell (July 13, 1864). (2021, May 25). In Encyclopedia Virginia. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/letter-from-robert-e-lee-to-richard-s-ewell-july-13-1864.
MLA Citation:
Lee, Robert. "Letter from Robert E. Lee to Richard S. Ewell (July 13, 1864)" Encyclopedia Virginia. Virginia Humanities, (25 May. 2021). Web. 30 Sep. 2023
Last updated: 2021, May 25
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