TRANSCRIPTION OF A LETTER (DATED JUNE 10, 1861)
FROM GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE TO JOSIAH WARE
by: Judy C. Ware February 2009
For more information on the Ware line, you can go to www.waregenealogy.com
Headquarters, Virginia Forces
Richmond, June 10, 1861
Colonel J. W. Ware
Berryville, Clark County, Virginia
Colonel,
Your letter of the 4th inst. (of the present or current month) has been received. You have been assigned to the command of the 34th Regiment Virginia Volunteers, and will report for duty to General Joseph E. Johnston, Commanding at Harpers Ferry. Should General Johnston see fit to detach your regiment on special service in the manner you propose it will be competent for him to do so. It is not deemed advisable by the President to organize an independent or guerilla force, armed, equipped, and paid by the Confederate States.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
Robert E. Lee
General Commanding
*** The Civil War began on April 12, 1861 with the firing on Fort Sumpter in South Carolina. This letter from Lee to Josiah Ware was written just 2 short months after the beginning of hostilities. At this point, Robert E. Lee was not yet in charge of the entire Confederate army. As a brigadier general, and later full general, he was in charge of supervising all Southern forces in Virginia. It was only after the wounding of General Johnston on May 31, 1862 that Lee was put in command of the famous Army of Northern Virginia. Courtesy of Judy C. Ware
***I would like to thank Scott Dudgeon and his wife for allowing me to copy & transcribe this letter for my historical research. I am deeply grateful.
Letter from General Robert E. Lee to Josiah Ware
This is a priceless document from a high ranking military officer, hand written and preserved. These documents are so important to our countries history as time marches on. Thank you,
C. Wayne Ware
Cedar Falls, IA