Summary:
Robert E. Lee writes General Isaac Trimble in May, 1863, to offer him command of
Confederate forces in the Valley. Colonel Davidson's men at Staunton would form
the backbone of his force.
Gen. ISAAC R. TRIMBLE,
Shocco Springs, N. C.:
FREDERICKSBURG, VA.,
May 20, 1863.
MY DEAR GEN.:
I am delighted to hear by your letter of the 13th that you are doing so well. I was very much grieved at your attack, and started one day to see you, but was told it was thought better you should be quiet. I hope you will soon recover your strength, but you must not return to the field until able to endure fatigue. I have a proposition to make: it is that you take command, if able, of the Shenandoah Valley. Col. Davidson is in local command at Staunton. Gen. Jenkins with his cavalry will be below. You will have all the Maryland troops, which I hope you will be able to organize and build up into something respectable. Their organization has been a failure so far. You will be in a beautiful, healthy county; can give general supervision of operations there; will form the left wing of this army, and shall have permission to capture Milroy and take Maryland as soon as you can.
Let me know when you will be able to enter on your new command and I will issue the order. I want some one there at once, as I intend to bring W. E. Jones' brigade east of the mountains as soon as he returns from the west. He ought to reach Staunton to morrow.
With many thanks for your kind letter, and feeling with you sympathy at our heavy loss of the great and good Jackson, I remain, very truly yours,
R. E. LEE.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 25, Serial No. 40, Pages 812, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
