Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/242



FTER the danger of invasion from the northeast had been relieved by the victory at Manassas, Gen. Robert E. Lee gave his attention personally to the direction of affairs in the Trans-Alleghany department. He arrived at Huntersville in the latter part of July, and assumed chief command. The circumstances were somewhat embarrassing to Lee. Throughout his entire career as a soldier he manifested confidence in his subordinates, wisely no doubt, taking upon himself blame when misfortune came, and treating with indulgence those manifestations of human nature that do not become subordinate generals, but often impair their usefulness.

He now had an army of two wings; the right under Loring, who had outranked Lee in the old army, and the left nominally under Floyd, but actually divided without prospect of effective co-operation. Establishing himself near the headquarters of General Loring, he maintained constant communication with Floyd and Wise. To add to the difficulties of the situation, the weather heightened the disadvantages of the rugged country.

For weeks it rained daily in torrents, and the roads became hardly passable. The army was provisioned with the greatest difficulty, and the troops, deprived of proper food and shelter, suffered a terrible scourge of measles and fever.

In preparation for active operations, Gen. Alfred Beck-