Summary:
General Robert E. Lee writes from Chambersburg to General Richard Ewell in June,
1863, with instructions for moving his troops during the Army of Northern
Virginia's invasion of Pennsylvania.
Lieut. Gen. R. S. Ewell,
Comdg. Corps:
Chambersburg,
June 28, 1863
Gen.:
I wrote you last night, stating that Gen. Hooker was reported to have crossed the Potomac, and is advancing by way of Middletown, the head of his column being at that point in Frederick County. I directed you in that letter to move your forces to this point. If you have not already progressed on the road, and if you have no good reason against it, I desire you to move in the direction of Gettysburg, via Heidlersburg, where you will have turnpike most of the way, and you can thus join your other divisions to Early's, which is east of the mountains. I think it preferable to keep on the east side of the mountains. When you come to Heidlersburg, you can either move directly on Gettysburg or turn down to Cashtown. Your trains and heavy artillery you can send, if you think proper, on the road to Chambersburg. But if the roads which your troops take are good, they had better follow you.
R. E. LEE,
Gen.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 27, Serial No. 45, Pages 943-944, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
