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Robert E. Lee Letter Signed UACC PADA

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Commander of the Confederate Armies during the Civil War who surrendered to Grant at Appomatox Court House on April 9, 1865. Manuscript Letter Signed, dated December 27, 1861, at the Headquarters / Coosawhatchie, S. C., four pages on pale blue lined laid paper with watermark. Lee writes in his hand: "Headquarters / Coosawhatchie, S.C. / 27th Decem. 1861 / His Excell'cy F. W. Pickens / Govr. of So. Carolina / Columbia / Govr. / I have had the honor to receive your letter of the 20th inst: In a previous letter I endeavored to express to your Excell'cy, my entire willingness to arm certain companies of regiments already in the service named by you, provided any arms remained after arming the regiments being so organized for the war. But I cannot issue to them arms, before the arming of the regiments is completed. / If the companies of Capn Blains, McCord & Rims, which I understand are for the war and attached by you to [P. F.] Steven's Legion, were assigned to the Battn commanded by Lieut Col [J. V.] Moore which embraces the six companies attached to [James L.] Orr's reg't, this Battn. wd. only require one company for the formation of a reg't & might then be armed with the Enfield Rifle. My object is to make the arms available for the defence of the State, as soon as possible and I hope your Excell'cy will aid me in this. / Major James battn. has been ordered to report to Genl. [Nathan] Evans, who is in great need of troops. Genl. [Roswell S.] Ripley informs me that Cols Elford & Means reg'ts will not be able to take the field for some days. In the mean time he has sent forward Col. Steven's legion to reinforce Gen. Evans. / The enemy is making demonstrations ag'st Wadmalaw Is'd, and our force there is not strong enough to resist him / Since your letter authorising me to take command of the State Troops in the field, I have felt no hesitation in doing so. Previously although aware that certain forces were called into service and placed under the command of Gen Ripley, I did not know where or how it was designed to use them. According to the last returns received, the number of troops mustered in Confed. Service from So. Carolina, within the Dept:, present for duty, is 10.036, including offrs. non comd. Offs. &P'vts / The strength of the 4h. Brigade S.C. Militia (D Saussures), present for duty, inclu'dg Offs., non: comd. Offs. & pv'ts is reported to be 1.531. Its total strength present and absent is 2.021, and differs from the number stated in your Excellency's letter, which is 3.420. / The strength of Col. Martin's regiment in the field, by the last returns, is 628. The number reported for duty including Offs. non: comd. Offs. & pvts is 567. / The number of troops in Confed. States service, as stated above (10.036), does not include the reg'ts of Col's Elford & Means, the Laurens Battn. & the other companies mentioned in your letter, which have arrived since the Return's were made. In addition to this force, there are two reg'ts from No. Ca. , two from Tenne., one from Virg'a and four field Batteries. My object is to inform your Ex'cy of the amount of the force for actual service in the State. You must however bear in mind that the garrisons for the forts at Georgetown, of Ft. Moultrie, Fts. Sumter, Johnson, Castle Pinckney & the field works for the defence of the approaches through Stono, Wappo &c which embrace the best and steadiest of our troops, cannot be removed from their posts and must not therefore be included in the force for operations in the field. The strength of the enemy, as far as I am able to judge, exceeds the whole force that we have in the State; it can be thrown with great celerity against any point, and far outnumbers any force we can bring against it in the field. / I am with the highest esteem / Your obt. servant / R E Lee / Genl. Comdg / [Docket:] Genl Lee to Gov'r / about So Ca Troops / Dec'r 27th 1861. / Genl. Gist will - see that Genl. Lee puts the force from this Ste into Confederate service at 10,036 -- does this include the garrisons at the forts or not - does it include Manigault's rgts at Georgetown of 12 companies 1148 -men. Please make the true state of things appear. / The return of DeSaussure's Brigade was last number 3,400 & this included all - I only meant as its number, but I knew only about 1600 were ever out. / F W Pickens / 29. Decr. 1861 / Let me know & Moses will copy for to be sent into the Convention. / F W P"At the time of this letter, Lee was headquartered in Coosawhatchie, S. C., organizing the South Atlantic coastal defenses. The Federal Navy had begun a blockade of the South in July 1861, and by November 7, they had taken Fort Beauregard and Fort Walker. These victories led to the fall of Port Royal Island and then the occupation of the Sea Islands along South Carolina's coast. The blockade shut down King Cotton, ruining the Southern economy. British investors built small, fast "blockade runners" that traded arms and luxuries from Bermuda, Cuba and the Bahamas in return for high-priced cotton and tobacco.[62] When captured, the blockade runners and cargo were sold and the proceeds given to the Union sailors, but the British crews were released. Shortages of food and other goods triggered by the blockade, foraging by Northern armies, and the impressment of crops by Confederate armies combined to cause hyperinflation and bread riots in the South. Signed "R E Lee / Genl Comdg" and embossed with "Congress" seal, docketed with "F. W. Pickens" endorsement. Toning along right and bottom margins on page one, and a small hole with inconsequential loss of two letters on page three ("re" of "there) and one letter on page four (S" of "Servant"). Otherwise, in very good condition.

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Catalog #: 50
Inventory #: 13050