Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 02.djvu/44

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We received a few days ago a very valuable confirmation of the substantial accuracy of this document, in the shape of a MS. copy of General Lee's report, found among the papers of Mr. Michael Kelly, who was a confidential clerk to General S. Cooper.

Mr. Kelly died about two years ago, and the lady who sends us the MS. (Mrs. Henry Pye, of Richmond,) says of him: "He was a young man of high character, unblemished reputation, and one in whom was placed the most implicit confidence."

As this report is of very great value and importance, and is not accessible to many who desire to see it, we will print it in full from our MS. copy, which was doubtless either the original copy sent from General Lee's headquarters, or a correct copy of that made in the office of General Cooper and preserved by Mr. Kelly.

It will be seen by comparison with the printed copy, which we have carefully made, that the MS. corrects several verbal errors in the printed copy (notably the one to which General Early calls attention, the printing of Newton instead of Pughtown and supplies several paragraphs which the printed copy omits. These omissions refer to the conduct of our officers and men, and to our captures at Gettysburg.

With this explanation we give the report entire as follows: