Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 37.djvu/36

28 so, and it was left to his discretion whether to enter Maryland east or west of the Blue Ridge; but he was instructed to lose no time in placing his command on the right of our column as soon as he perceived the enemy moving northward. * * It was expected that as soon as the Federal army should cross the Potomac General Stuart would give notice of its movements., and nothing having been heard from him since our entrance into Maryland, it was inferred that the enemy had not yet left Virginia. " Mosby says (pages 179 and 180), "he could not have expected Stuart to communicate with him while he was executing the movement, simply because Stuart was too far away and the Blue Ridge and Hooker's army was between them." This is a denial of what General Lee says he expected of Stuart, and is justified only by Mosby's assumption that Stuart was acting under General Lee's orders in moving directly to Carlisle.

Whether or not General Lee had a right to expect that General Stuart would promptly take position on Ewell's right, and keep him informed as to the movements of the enemy, either directly or through General Ewell, must be determined by the instructions General Stuart had received from General Lee. Col. Mosby himself says (page 214), "The gravamen of the complaint the report makes against Stuart is that the cavalry was absent and that it was needed, not in the battle, but to make preliminary reconnaissances before the battle."

Col. Mosby says (page 72), that General Stuart rode to see General Lee on the night of June 21st; but there is no record of what passed between them at that meeting. The next day (June 22), General Lee wrote to General Stuart as follows (page 89):

"I have just received your note of 7:45 this morning, to General Longstreet. I judge the efforts of the enemy yesterday were to arrest our progress and ascertain our whereabouts. Perhaps he is satisfied. Do you know where he is and what he is doing? I fear he will steal a march on us and get across the Potomac before we are aware. If you find that he is moving northward and that two brigades can guard the Blue Ridge and take care