LEE, ROBERT E., General, C.S.A. . Autograph letter signed ("R E Lee Lt. Col. of Cav[alr]y."), TO MAJOR IRVIN MCDOWELL, "Asst. Adjt. Genl. Headqrs: of the Army" in New York; "Arlington near Alexandria, Va.," 24 November 1857. 1 page, 4to, on lined paper. LEE, ON LEAVE FROM THE 2ND CAVALRY IN TEXAS, WRITES TO ERWIN MCDOWELL, FUTURE UNION COMMANDER AT THE MASASSAS DEBACLE A letter which links two quite disparate figures, Lee and McDowell, who were to find themselves combatants on opposite sides four years later. In October 1857, Lee's father-in-law, George Washington Parke Custis died. Lee received a leave of absence from his command, the 2nd Cavalry, posted in Texas, to return to Virginia, where he took over the management of the Custis estate: "not an easy task, as it consisted of several plantations and many negroes" (Robert E. Lee, Jr. Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee, n.d., p.20). "Major I have the honour to request that the leave of absence granted me by S. Orders no.136 from the Hd.Qrs: of the Dept: of Texas, dated 21 Oct 1857, may be extended for two months with permission to apply for such further extension as I may find necessary. I have not been able to Commence the Arrangement of the business that has called me from my Regt: & cannot now find a friend for its Completion. The Commandg Genl of the Dept of Texas in his orders of 21 Oct '57 gave me permission to apply for such extension as I might require...." Four years later, Irvin McDowell (1818-1885) had been promoted to Brigadier General. In May 1861, with the strong support of Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase, he was appointed by Lincoln to command all Union armies south of the Potomac. "It was thought that he had the right military background to enable him to organize and lead an army of recruits. Much of his experience had been in staff work....The new general was to have a tragic career in the war. He had ability, he was modest and honest, but everything he tried went amiss. He was one of those general of whom Grant said later that they got started wrong and never recovered" (T. Harry Williams Lincoln and His Generals , (New York, 1952), p.19). The Union rout at Manasses or First Bull Run in July 1861 was the result of many factors, but McDowell's poor generalship was a prime contributing cause. Apparently unpublished.
LEE, ROBERT E., General, C.S.A. . Autograph letter signed ("R E Lee Lt. Col. of Cav[alr]y."), TO MAJOR IRVIN MCDOWELL, "Asst. Adjt. Genl. Headqrs: of the Army" in New York; "Arlington near Alexandria, Va.," 24 November 1857. 1 page, 4to, on lined paper. LEE, ON LEAVE FROM THE 2ND CAVALRY IN TEXAS, WRITES TO ERWIN MCDOWELL, FUTURE UNION COMMANDER AT THE MASASSAS DEBACLE A letter which links two quite disparate figures, Lee and McDowell, who were to find themselves combatants on opposite sides four years later. In October 1857, Lee's father-in-law, George Washington Parke Custis died. Lee received a leave of absence from his command, the 2nd Cavalry, posted in Texas, to return to Virginia, where he took over the management of the Custis estate: "not an easy task, as it consisted of several plantations and many negroes" (Robert E. Lee, Jr. Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee, n.d., p.20). "Major I have the honour to request that the leave of absence granted me by S. Orders no.136 from the Hd.Qrs: of the Dept: of Texas, dated 21 Oct 1857, may be extended for two months with permission to apply for such further extension as I may find necessary. I have not been able to Commence the Arrangement of the business that has called me from my Regt: & cannot now find a friend for its Completion. The Commandg Genl of the Dept of Texas in his orders of 21 Oct '57 gave me permission to apply for such extension as I might require...." Four years later, Irvin McDowell (1818-1885) had been promoted to Brigadier General. In May 1861, with the strong support of Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase, he was appointed by Lincoln to command all Union armies south of the Potomac. "It was thought that he had the right military background to enable him to organize and lead an army of recruits. Much of his experience had been in staff work....The new general was to have a tragic career in the war. He had ability, he was modest and honest, but everything he tried went amiss. He was one of those general of whom Grant said later that they got started wrong and never recovered" (T. Harry Williams Lincoln and His Generals , (New York, 1952), p.19). The Union rout at Manasses or First Bull Run in July 1861 was the result of many factors, but McDowell's poor generalship was a prime contributing cause. Apparently unpublished.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
