Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 26.djvu/128

 118 Southern Historical Society Papers.

down to privates, carefully recorded and preserved, how precious and invaluable would they be to the future historian. What would the history of our Revolutionary war have been without the aid of Thatcher's Journal, a plain, unpretending private narrative of events, noted down at the time they occurred. This journal helped to clear up many doubtful points, and to fix indisputably many important facts, in the history of the Revolution.

NARRATIVE.

t

May 18, 1863. Left Richmond from Shocco Springs, N. C., to hasten recovery from a wounded leg and a desperate attack of camp erysipelas.

June i8th. Feeling sufficiently restored to return to duty, I wrote to General Lee with the freedom of an old acquaintance, requesting to be placed on service with him in the Army of Northern Virginia. In reply General Lee said in his letter: "I have other and more agreeable service for you. I wish you to take command in the Val- ley of Virginia and of all the troops now in it, your headquarters at Staunton, and that you should undertake what I have long desired, to brigade all the Marylanders and form them into one corps, and I will have issued what orders you desire to effect this object."

He jocosely concluded his letter by saying in his peculiar and pleasant way, which however regarded as mere badinage by many, always contaiped some point by hinting at an object to be attained, or suggesting some effort which might be made to promote the suc- of a campaign: " you shall have full permission to capture Milroy and all his stores which we very much need at this time."

June igth. Received orders to take command of the valley and repair to Staunton. On reaching that place the 22nd, on horse- back, I found that all the forces in the valley had moved, or were under orders for Maryland. I continued down the valley to over- take General Lee and report to him, which I did the afternoon of the 24th June, near Berryville. As soon as the courtesies of meet- ing had passed, he said : ' ' You are tired and hungry, if you will step down to the mess you may find some remains of a fine mutton which kind friends have sent us, and after eating come up and we will talk (General Lee had dined, but finished before his staff, as was his custom).

On returning I found him alone by his tent, and said: "Well, General, you have taken away all my troops what am I to do ? " He