218 bouthwn Historical Society Papers.
mountains. The cavalry under Stuart was on the east side of the Blue Ridge, and the enemy was already known to be assembling on the Potomac, in Loudoun, so that General Stuart's march ordered by General Longstreet would take the cavalry east of the Bull Run mountains and bring it to the Potomac river, below where the enemy's army was being concentrated. Of course this might readily prove to be inconsistent with the chief aim of the movement ordered by General Lee, which was that General Stuart should place himself on the right of General Ewell after crossing the river, and there was evident danger that if General Stuart acted under the order of Gen- eral Longstreet, and the enemy should cross the Potomac before General Stuart, the latter would be separated from General Ewell, who was moving west of the Blue Ridge.
LEE TO STUART AGAIN.
But there is another letter from General Lee to General Stuart, dated on the 2$d of June, at 5 P. M., which is as follows:
"HEADQUARTERS ARMY NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
' 'June 23, 1863 5 P. M.
" Major- General J. E. fi. Stuart, Commanding Cavalry:
"GENERAL, Your notes of 9 and 10:30 A. M. to-day have . just been received. As regards the purchase of tobacco for your men, supposing that Confederate money will not be taken, I am willing for your commissaries or quartermasters to purchase this to- bacco and let the men get it from them, but I can have nothing seized by the men. If General Hooker's army remains inactive, you can leave two brigades to watch him, and withdraw the three others; but should he not appear to be moving northward I think you had better withdraw this side of the mountains to-morrow night, cross at Shepherdstown next day, and move over to Fredericktown. You will, however, be able to judge whether you can pass around their army without hindrance, doing them all the damage you can, and cross the river east of the mountains. In either case, after crossing the river, you must move on and feel the right of Ewell' s troops, collecting information, provisions, etc. Give instructions to the commanders of the brigades left behind to watch the flank and rear of the army, and in the event of the enemy leaving their front, retire from the mountains west of the Shenandoah, leaving sufficient pickets to guard the passes and bring in everything clean along the
