HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
NEAR CHANCELLORSVILLE, VA., May 5, 1863.
To the Commanding Officer, Confederate Forces, Chancellorsville, Va.
I would most respectfully request the privilege of sending a
burial-party on the field of Chancellorsville, to bury the dead, and
care for the wounded officers and soldiers of my command.
Very respectfully, etc.,
JOSEPH HOOKER,
Major-General Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
May 6, 1863.
MAJOR-GEN. J. HOOKER, Commanding Army of the Potomac.
General,--I have had the honor to receive your letter of yesterday,
requesting permission to send a burial-party to attend to your dead and
wounded on the battle-field of Chancellorsville. I regret that
their position is such, being immediately within our lines, that the
necessities of war forbid my compliance with your request, which, under
other circumstances, it would give me pleasure to grant. I will accord
to your dead and wounded the same attention which I bestow upon my own;
but, if there is any thing which your medical director here requires
which we cannot provide, he shall have my permission to receive from you
such medical supplies as you may think proper to furnish. Consideration
for your wounded prompts me to add, that, from what I learn, their
comfort would be greatly promoted by additional medical attendance and
medical supplies.
I have the honor to be,
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE, General.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
May 6, 1863, 4.30 P.M.
HIS EXCELLENCY A. LINCOLN, President of the United States.
Have this moment returned to camp. On my way received your telegrams of
eleven A.M. and 12.30. The army had previously re-crossed the river, and
was on its return to camp. As it had none of its trains of supplies with
it, I deemed this advisable. Above, I saw no way of giving the enemy
a general battle with the prospect of success which I desire. Not to
exceed three corps, all told, of my troops have been engaged. For the
whole to go in, there is a better place nearer at hand. Will write you
at length to-night. Am glad to hear that a portion of the cavalry have
at length turned up. One portion did nothing.
JOSEPH HOOKER, Major-General.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D. C.,
May 7, 1863.
MAJOR-GEN. HOOKER.
My dear Sir,--The recent movement of your army is ended without
effecting its object, except, perhaps, some important breakings of the
enemy's communications. What next? If possible I would be very glad of
another movement early enough to give us some benefit from the fact of
the enemy's communication being broken; but neither for this reason or
any other do I wish any thing done in desperation or rashness. An early
movement would also help to supersede the bad moral effect of the recent
one, which is said to be considerably injurious. Have you already in
your mind a plan wholly or partially formed? If you have, prosecute it
without interference from me. If you have not, please inform me, so that
I, incompetent as I may be, can try and assist in the formation of some
plan for the army.
Yours, as ever,
A. LINCOLN.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
CAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, VA., May 7, 1863.
His Excellency, President of the United States.
I have the honor to acknowledge your communication of this date, and
in answer have to state that I do not deem it expedient to suspend
operations on this line, from the reverse we have experienced in
endeavoring to extricate the army from its present position. If in the
first effort we failed, it was not for want of strength or conduct of
the small number of troops actually engaged, but from a cause which
could not be foreseen, and could not be provided against. After its
occurrence the chances of success were so much lessened, that I felt
another plan might be adopted in place of that we were engaged in, which
would be more certain in its results. At all events, a failure would not
involve a disaster, while in the other case it was certain to follow
the absence of success. I may add that this consideration almost wholly
determined me in ordering the army to return to its old camp. As to the
best time for renewing our advance upon the enemy, I can only decide
after an opportunity has been afforded to learn the feeling of the
troops. They should not be discouraged or depressed, for it is no fault
of theirs (if I may except one corps) that our last efforts were not
crowned with glorious victory. I suppose details are not wanted of me at
this time. I have decided in my own mind the plan to be adopted in our
next effort, if it should be your wish to have one made. It has this to
recommend it: it will be one in which the operations of all the
corps, unless it be a part of the cavalry, will be within my personal
supervision.
Very respectfully, etc.,
JOSEPH HOOKER,
Major-General Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
May 7, 1863.
MAJOR-GEN. HOOKER, Commanding Army of the Potomac.
General,--The reasons that prevented me from complying with your request
with reference to your wounded no longer existing, I have the honor
to inform you that you can extend to them such attentions as they may
require. All persons whom it may be necessary to send within my lines
for this purpose will remain until the wounded are finally disposed of.
The burial of your dead has already been provided for.
I have directed that those of your wounded who desire it, shall be
paroled and transferred within your lines, should you be willing
to receive them; those in the vicinity of Chancellorsville at the
United-States Mine Ford, and those on the battlefield of Salem Church at
Banks's Ford or Fredericksburg. As your wounded generally occupy the few
houses in the vicinity of the late battle-field, the transportation of
this army cannot be employed in conveying them to the river until my own
wounded have been removed to a place of shelter. As soon as this can
be accomplished, I will cause such of your wounded as may desire to
be paroled, to be delivered at the points above indicated, upon being
advised of your willingness to receive them. In the mean time they shall
have such care as is given to my own.
I have the honor to enclose a copy of my letter of yesterday in case the
original may not have reached you.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE, General.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
CAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, VA., May 7, 1863, 8 P.M.
GEN. R. E. LEE, Commanding Confederate Forces at Fredericksburg, Va.
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your two communications
of May 6 and 7 this moment. If agreeable to you, I would like to send
medical supplies and attendance to my wounded, and, at such times as the
state of the stream will permit, send ambulances for them via the fords
designated in your communications, viz., United-States and Banks's
Fords. I will, with your consent, send parties to those fords
with supplies at an early hour to-morrow. The swollen state of the
Rappahannock probably preventing the crossing of any vehicles with
supplies, I shall have to depend upon you for transportation for them. I
will receive the wounded at the points named as soon as it can be
done. I will send an officer to Chancellorsville, with your consent, to
arrange the details, which, judging from your letter, with the state
of the river, cannot now be determined by correspondence. Upon an
intimation from you as to any deficiency in your immediate necessities
of medical supplies of your own, by reason of their use for my wounded
or other causes, I shall with pleasure replace them. I would be obliged
for approximate information concerning the number of wounded, that
a sufficient amount of supplies may be forwarded. I would be under
obligations for an early reply.
Very respectfully, etc.,
JOSEPH HOOKER,
Major-General Commanding.
(Copy furnished medical director.)
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
CAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, VA., May 9, 1863.
GEN. R. E. LEE, Commanding Army of Northern Virginia.
The relatives and friends of several of the officers of this army who
fell in the recent battles, have visited my headquarters with the view,
if possible, of proceeding to the battle-fields to recover the bodies of
those near to them. I therefore have the honor to ask whether any person
will be permitted to visit the battle-fields for the purpose indicated,
or whether any arrangement can be made for sending to the lines of this
army the bodies of such of our fallen officers as may have friends here
seeking for them.
Very respectfully, etc.,
JOSEPH HOOKER,
Major-General Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
May 10, 1863.