Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/226

 220 Southern Historical Society Papers.

It will also be observed that General Stuart was not permitted to make this movement around the enemy's rear unless he could pass around the Federal army without hindrance, and there was the same conditions annexed to the order of General Stuart, as I have shown. In any case, General Stuart, after crossing the Potomac, was to put himself on the right flank of General Ewell, and that any movement on the part of the former which tended to prevent this was entirely inconsistent with General Lee's reiterated instructions.

So, that, under this instruction, General Stuart was practically in- structed not to cross the Potomac east of the Federal army, and thus interpose that army between himself and the right of General Ewell.

There were places where the Potomac could be crossed between the enemy's army, at or near Edward's Ferry, and the Blue Ridge, east of the latter, and General Stuart had discretion to use the fords east of the Blue Ridge, but he had no discretion to use any ford that would place the enemy's army between him and the troops of General Ewell.

A MISCONSTRUCTION.

The report of General Stuart of his operations in this campaign states that he had submitted to General Lee a plan of leaving a brigade or two, to use his own language, ' ' in my present front, and passing through Hopewell, or some other gap in Bull Run Moun- tains, attain the enemy's rear, pass between his main body and Washington, and cross into Maryland, joining our army north of the Potomac.

' ' The commanding general wrote me, authorizing this move, if I deemed it practicable, and also what instructions should be given the officer in command of the two brigades left in front of the army. He also notified me that one column would move via Gettysburg, the other by Carlisle, towards the Susquehanna, and directed me, after crossing, to proceed with all dispatch to join the right (Early) in Pennsylvania."

There is no such letter as is mentioned by General Stuart con- tained in the book, in which are found copies of all the other letters of General Lee to him, which I have cited, and it is inconsistent with the other letters I have quoted on the same subject, written by General Lee to him about the same time. But the report of Gene- ral Stuart evidently refers to the letter of General Lee of June 23d, which I have read. That letter contains the instructions to be given "to the officer in command of the two brigades to be left in front of