Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 37.djvu/103

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Review of the Gettysburg Campaign.
95

to be so modified as to substantially agree. I never could get a report from Stuart after the Gettysburg campaign. I sent for it repeatedly. Finally General Lee said he must have it, and I went to see Stuart. He gave me a first-rate dinner, the best he had, but no report. He promised it however by a certain day, and it came. I then concluded my report for General Lee. In doing so I dealt with Stuart in the plainest language, in fact, I had told him before, I thought he ought to be shot.

"General Lee was unwilling, however, to adopt my draft. I had explicitly charged him with disobedience of orders, and laid the full responsibility at his door." Here the narrator detailed the orders which Stuart had received, to move forward along our flank, and that he had not occupied the position he was expected to, but by his own confession had pursued a different course. Marshall proceeded to say, "that in declining to adopt his report, General Lee did not question the accuracy of the report, but said he could not adopt my conclusions or charge him with the facts as I had stated them, unless they should be established by a court martial."

Marshall added, "that General Lee was excessively fond of Stuart as he was himself, that he possessed a most noble and lovable nature," and described how deeply General Lee was affected at hearing of Stuart's death, "leaning forward and placing both hands over his face to conceal his emotion."

After crossing the river and damaging the canal, Stuart resumed his march on the 28th. He met, as anticipated, large wagon trains, much of which was captured, with a number of prisoners, which added greatly to the length of his column and impeded his march. The destruction of stores, and the tracks of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad further delayed him, so that Westminster was not reached until the evening of the 29th, where a slight skirmish occurred. The next morning, June 30th, the march was resumed in a direct line for Hanover, Pa. Here a considerable body of cavalry was encountered, which had to be disposed of, and sending the wagon trains and prisoners by way of Jefferson, Dover was reached on the morning of July 1st. Here Stuart learned that Early had marched his division in the direction of Shippensburg, and after a short rest, he