to wave in answer to my call; every face then brightened up, and men exclaimed with smiles, "That's ours!"

November 15, I, in company with Lieutenant Owen, relieved the offi cers on Watery Mountain. Watery Mountain is a fine point of observation, and it is enough to ascend the top of it to find the desired place; there is a tree known to every one, called the "View tree," and the place where it stands affords view almost in all directions.

We reported from that station all we saw worthy of report, viz, smoke of the enemy's camp-fires at Manassas Gap.

From 19th to 24th instant we were posted on a station near Falmouth, close to Captain Pettit's battery in position, and opposite the enemy's guns. Our reports, then, if of any value, are of too recent a date to need repeating.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. GLOSKOSKI, Lieut. Twenty-ninth Regiment N. Y. Vols., Acting Signal Officer. Lieut. WILLIAM S. STRYKER,

Adjutant, Signal Corps.

No. 10.

Reports of General Robert E. Lee, C. 8. Army, commanding Army of Northern Virginia, of operations September 2-November 15.

HEADQUARTERS, TWO MILES FROM FREDERICKTOWN, MD.,

September 7, 1862. (Received September 10, 1862.)

SIR: I have the honor to inform you that Lieutenant-Colonel Funk reports that he took possession of Winchester at 11 o'clock on the morning of the 3d instant, the enemy having abandoned the town on the night of the 2d. They blew up their large magazine, burnt an enormous amount of quartermaster's and commissary stores, and about two squares of the city. Still, a quantity of stores, a large amount of ammunition, some fine guns, medical stores, tents, cooking utensils, &c., were left behind, which have been taken possession of by Colonel Funk. I have directed that he make reports of the captured articles to the proper departments, and I desire that they be secured. As I have directed that Winchester be made a depot for this army, and have sent there our disabled men, horses, batteries, and surplus wagon trains, in order that they may be recruited and refreshed, I particularly want a good commander for that post, one of energy and experience, who will bring everything into order, give confidence to the community, and take advantage of the resources of the country. It has occurred to me that one of our gallant wounded generals, too enfeebled to take the field, might do valuable service in that position, and I would recommend that General Edward Johnson, if capable of performing the duty, be assigned to the post. His services have earned him promotion, which I earnestly recommend, and hope that circumstances may authorize it.

I inclose you a report of General Julius White's command, lately in Winchester, whose troops retired in the direction of Harper's Ferry and Martinsburg, and, as I learn from rumor, have retreated to Pennsylvania. I wish shops opened at Winchester for the repair of our batteries,

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trains, &c., and request that the Ordnance and Quartermaster's Departments may give the necessary directions for the purpose.

I beg that you will endeavor now to gather in our conscripts to fill the reduced ranks of the Virginia regiments. Those in the Valley should be particularly attended to.

I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,

Hon. GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.

B. E. LEE,

General.

HEADQUARTERS,

Sharpsburg, Md., September 16, 1862.

Mr. PRESIDENT: My letter to you of the 13th instant informed you of the positions of the different divisions of this army. Learning that night that Harper's Ferry had not surrendered, and that the enemy was advancing more rapidly than was convenient from Fredericktown, I determined to return with Longstreet's command to the Blue Ridge, to strengthen D. H. Hill's and Stuart's divisions, engaged in holding the passes of the mountains, lest the enemy should fall upon McLaws' rear, drive him from the Maryland Heights, and thus relieve the garrison at Harper's Ferry. On approaching Boonsborough, I received information from General D. H. Hill that the enemy in strong force was at the main pass on the Frederick and Hagerstown road, pressing him so heavily as to require immediate re-enforcements. Longstreet advanced rapidly to his support, and immediately placed his troops in position. By this time Hill's right bad been forced back, the gallant Garland having fallen in rallying his brigade. Under General Longstreet's directions, our right was soon restored, and firmly resisted the attacks of the enemy to the last. His superior numbers enabled him to extend beyond both of our flanks, and his right was able to reach the summit of the mountain to our left, and press us heavily in that direction. The battle raged until after night; the enemy's efforts to force a passage were resisted, but we had been unable to repulse him.

Learning later in the evening that Crampton's Gap (on the direct road from Fredericktown to Sharpsburg) had been forced, and McLaws' rear thus threatened, and believing from a report from General Jackson that Harper's Ferry would fall next morning, I determined to withdraw Longstreet and D. H. Hill from their positions and retire to the vicinity of Sharpsburg, where the army could be more easily united. Before abandoning the position, indications led me to believe that the enemy was withdrawing, but learning from a prisoner that Sumner's corps (which had not been engaged) was being put in position to relieve their wearied troops, while the most of ours were exhausted by a fatiguing march and a hard conflict, and I feared would be unable to renew the fight successfully in the morning, confirmed me in my determination. Accordingly, the troops were withdrawn, preceded by the trains, without mo lestation by the enemy, and about daybreak took position in front of this place. The enemy did not pass through the gap until about 8 o'clock of the morning after the battle, and their advance reached a position in front of us about 2 p. m. Before their arrival, I received intelligence from General Jackson that Harper's Ferry had surrendered early in the morning. I inclose his report.

* Not found.

From a more detailed statement furnished by General Jackson's adjutant-general, it appears that 49 pieces of artillery, 24 mountain howitzers, and 17 revolving guns, 11,000 men fit for duty (consisting of twelve regiments of infantry, three companies of cavalry, and six companies of artillery), together with 11,000 small-arms, were the fruits of this victory.

Part of General Jackson's corps has reached us and the rest are approaching, except General A. P. Hill's division, left at Harper's Ferry to guard the place and take care of public property. The enemy have made no attack up to this afternoon, but are in force in our front.

This victory of the indomitable Jackson and his troops gives us renewed occasion for gratitude to Almighty God for His guidance and protection.

I am, with high respect, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

His Excellency President DAVIS.

General.

HEADQUARTERS,

Sharpsburg, Md., September 18, 1862-6.30 a. m. Mr. PRESIDENT: On the afternoon of the 16th instant the enemy, who, you were informed on that day, was in our front, opened a light fire of artillery upon our line. Early next morning it was renewed in earnest, and large masses of the Federal troops that had crossed the Antietam above our position assembled on our left and threatened to overwhelm us. They advanced in three compact lines. The divisions of Generals McLaws, R. H. Anderson, A. P. Hill, and Walker had not arrived the previous night, as I had hoped, and were still beyond the Potomac. Generals Jackson's and Ewell's divisions were thrown to the left of Generals D. H. Hill and Longstreet. The enemy advanced between the Antietam and the Sharpsburg and Hagerstown turnpike, and was met by General Hill's and the left of General Longstreet's division, where the contest raged fiercely, extending to our entire left. The enemy was driven back and held in check, but before the divisions of McLaws, Anderson, and Walker-who, upon their arrival on the morning of the 17th, were advanced to support the left wing and centercould be brought into action, that portion of our lines was forced back by superior numbers. The line, after a severe conflict, was restored and the enemy driven back, and our position maintained during the rest of the day.

In the afternoon the enemy advanced on our right, where General Jones' division was posted, who handsomely maintained his position. General Toombs' brigade, guarding the bridge over Antietam Creek, gallantly resisted the approach of the enemy; but his superior numbers enabling him to extend his left, he crossed below the bridge, and assumed a threatening attitude on our right, which fell back in confusion. By this time, between 3 and 4 p. m., General A. P. Hill, with five of his brigades, reached the scene of action, drove the enemy immedi ately from the position they had taken, and continued the contest until dark, restoring our right and maintaining our ground.

R. E. LEE, General, Commanding.

His Excellency President DAVIS,

Richmond, Va

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, September 20, 1862. SIR: Since my last letter to you of the 18th, finding the enemy indisposed to make an attack on that day, and our position being a bad one to hold with the river in rear, I determined to cross the army to the Virginia side. This was done at night successfully, nothing being left behind, unless it may have been some disabled guns or broken down wagons, and the morning of the 19th found us satisfactorily over on the south bank of the Potomac, near Shepherdstown, when the army was immediately put in motion toward Williamsport. Before crossing the river, in order to threaten the enemy on his right and rear and make him apprehensive for his communications, I sent the cavalry forward to Williamsport, which they successfully occupied. At night the infantry sharpshooters, left, in conjunction with General Pendleton's artillery, to hold the ford below Shepherdstown, gave back, and the enemy's cavalry took possession of that town, and, from General Pendleton's report after midnight, I fear much of his reserve artillery has been captured. I am now obliged to return to Shepherdstown, with the intention of driving the enemy back if not in position with his whole army; but, if in full force, I think an attack would be inadvisable, and I shall make other dispositions.

I am, with high respect, your obedient servant,

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

Ŕ. E. LEE,

General.

Richmond, Va.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,

Camp on the Opequon, near Smoketown, September 21, 1862. Mr. PRESIDENT: As stated to you yesterday, the march of the army toward Williamsport was arrested. General Jackson's corps was turned back toward Shepherdstown, to rectify occurrences in that quarter. Only one or two brigades of the enemy's infantry with cavalry had crossed the river, none of whom had entered Shepherdstown. They displayed a large force of artillery on the opposite bank. General A. P. Hill's division pushed forward, and soon drove them across the river, when this army resumed its march. Only four pieces of artillery fell into the hands of the enemy, which they had carried across the river before they were attacked by A. P. Hill.

I regret also to report that on the night of the 14th instant, when I determined to withdraw from the gap in front of Boonsborough to Sharpsburg, a portion of General Longstreet's wagon-train was lost. When his division was ordered back from Hagerstown to the support of D. H. Hill, his train was directed to proceed toward Williamsport, with a view to its safety, and, if necessary, to its crossing the river. Unfortunately, that night the enemy's cavalry at Harper's Ferry evaded our forces, crossed the Potomac into Maryland, passed up through Sharpsburg, where they encountered our pickets, and intercepted on their line of retreat to Pennsylvania General Longstreet's train on the Hagerstown road. The guard was in the extreme rear of the train, that being the only direction from which an attack was apprehended. The enemy captured and destroyed 45 wagons, loaded chiefly with ammunition and subsistence.

The army is resting to-day on the Opequon, below Martinsburg. Its present efficiency is greatly paralyzed by the loss to its ranks of the numerous stragglers. I have taken every means in my power from the beginning to correct this evil, which has increased instead of diminished. A great many men belonging to the army never entered Maryland at all; many returned after getting there, while others who crossed the river kept aloof. The stream has not lessened since crossing the Potomac, though the cavalry has been constantly employed in endeavoring to arrest it. As illustrative of the fact, I inclose a report* just received from General J. R. Jones, who was sent to Winchester to arrest strag glers at that point while the army was at Sharpsburg. It occasions me the greatest concern in the future operations of the army, for it is still my desire to threaten a passage into Maryland, to occupy the enemy on this frontier, and, if my purpose cannot be accomplished, to draw them into the Valley, where I can attack them to advantage. Some immediate legislation, in my opinion, is required, and the most summary pun ishment should be authorized. It ought to be construed into desertion in face of the enemy, and thus brought under the Rules and Articles of War. To give you an idea of its extent in some brigades, I will mention that, on the morning after the battle of the 17th, General Evans reported to me on the field, where he was holding the front position, that he had but 120 of his brigade present, and that the next brigade to his, that of General Garnett, consisted of but 100 men. General Pendleton reported that the brigades of Generals Lawton and Armistead, left to guard the ford at Shepherdstown, together contained but 600 men. This is a woeful condition of affairs, and I am pained to state it, but you ought not to be ignorant of the fact, in order, if possible, that you may apply the proper remedy. It is true that the army has had hard work to perform, long and laborious marches, and large odds to encounter in every conflict, but not greater than were endured by our revolutionary fathers, or than what any army must encounter to be victorious. There are brilliant examples of endurance and valor on the part of those who have had to bear the brunt in the battle and the labor in the field in consequence of this desertion of their comrades. I hope by a few days' rest, if it is possible to give it, and the regular issue of rations, to restore the efficiency of the army for the work before it. The enemy know has suffered on his side, especially his infantry, as they have been driven in all encounters. His artillery is numerous and powerful, and his re-enforcements arrive daily. I shall endeavor at least to detain him on this frontier and to give him sufficient employment. If re-enforcements, clothing, and shoes could be forwarded to the army, it woul be of the greatest benefit.

T

I have not heard of General Loring for some time, nor do I know whether he is employed in the Valley of the Kanawha or where. From such information as I get, I believe the enemy has pretty much with. drawn from Western Virginia.

I am, with the highest respect, your obedient servant,

His Excellency President DAVIS,

R. E. LEE, General, Commanding.

Richmond, Va.

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