It has been my purpose for some years to give to the public a detailed history of the campaign of
from its inception to its disastrous close.
The execution of this task has been delayed by reason of a press of personal business, and by reason of a genuine reluctance that I have felt against anything that might, even by implication, impugn the wisdom of my late
in arms.
My sincere feeling upon this subject is best expressed in the following letter, which was written shortly after the
, when there was a sly undercurrent of misrepresentation of my course, and in response to an appeal from a respected relative, that I would make some reply to my accusers:
camp, Culpepper Court-House, July 24th, 1863.
My Dear Uncle:--Your letters of the 13th and 14th were received on yesterday.
As to our late battle I cannot say much.
I have no right to say anything, in fact, but will venture a little for you, alone.
If it goes to aunt and cousins it must be under promise that it will go no further.
The battle was not made as I would have made it. My idea was to throw ourselves between the enemy and
Washington, select a strong position, and force the enemy to attack us. So far as is given to man the ability to judge, we may say, with confidence, that we should have destroyed the
Federal army, marched into
Washington and dictated our terms, or, at least, held
Washington, and marched over as much of
Pennsylvania as we cared to, had we drawn the enemy into attack upon our carefully-chosen position in its rear.
General Lee chose the plans adopted; and he is the person appointed to choose and to order.
I consider it a part of my duty to express my views to the
commanding general.
If he approves and adopts them, it is well; if he does not, it is my duty to adopt his views, and to execute his orders as faithfully as if they were my own. I cannot help but think that great results would have been obtained had my views
