Four Years With General Lee [Illustrated Edition]

By Colonel Walter Taylor

Includes Civil War Map and Illustrations Pack - 224 battle plans, campaign maps and detailed analyses of actions spanning the entire period of hostilities.
"…it offers a sure, quick, eyewitness assessment of all Lee’s campaigns." --Southern Partisan
Colonel Taylor was the Adjutant-General of the Army of Northern Virginia, and Lee’s right-hand man at Headquarters. Most of the orders and dispatches went out in Taylor’s handwriting, and he was uniquely positioned to observe Lee’s thinking and generalship close-up.
In addition, Taylor was responsible for the "returns" (manpower statistics), and so is able to correlate the accounts of campaigns and battles with the actual strength of Confederate forces. The conclusion is inescapable: few military commanders have done more, with less, than Lee, and fewer still can have emerged with his reputation as a human being.
The book concludes with the Address on the Character of General R.E. Lee, by Captain John Hampden Chamberlayne, delivered in 1876, which is a fine analysis on the career and character of the great General.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Golden Springs Publishing
• Release date: Aug 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781782895336

Colonel Walter Taylor

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Text originally published in 1878 under the same title.

© Pickle Partners Publishing 2013, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Publisher’s Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

FOUR YEARS WITH GENERAL LEE:

BEING A SUMMARY OF THE MORE IMPORTANT EVENTS TOUCHING THE CAREER OF GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE, IN THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES;

TOGETHER WITH AN AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENT OF THE STRENGTH OF THE ARMY WHICH HE COMMANDED IN THE FIELD.

BY

WALTER H. TAYLOR,

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

DEDICATION 14

PREFACE. 16

CHAPTER I. 17

Organization of the Army of Virginia.—General R. E. Lee assigned to the Command of the State Troops.—Transfer to the Southern Confederacy. 17

CHAPTER II. 19

General Lee retained in Richmond as Adviser to President Davis.—Disaster to the Confederate Forces under General Garnett.—General Lee sent to Northwest Virginia.—Lamentable Condition of Affairs in that Department. 19

CHAPTER III. 22

Strength and Positions of the Opposing Armies in Northwest Virginia.—General Lee determines to take the Offensive.—Ineffectual Attempt to carry the Positions held by the Federal Troops.—Responsibility for the Failure. 22

CHAPTER IV. 30

Affairs in Southwestern Virginia.—Want of Harmony between Generals Floyd and Wise.—General Lee proceeds to that Section.—Preparations to resist General Rosecrans.—Retreat of the Federals. 30

CHAPTER V. 33

General Lee repairs to Richmond.—He is ordered to the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.—His Return thence to Richmond.—He is charged with the Control of the Military Operations of all of the Confederate Armies.—His Duties in that Position.—General Johnston wounded in the Battle of Seven Pines.—General Lee in Command of the Army of Northern Virginia.—The Seven Days Battles around Richmond.—Strength of the Two Opposing Armies. 33

CHAPTER VI. 46

General Lee manœuvres to effect the Withdrawal of General McClellan's Army.—Jackson engages Pope at Cedar Run, or Slaughter's Mountain.—Removal of the Federal Army from James River.—The Second Battle of Manassas.—The First Invasion.—Operations in Maryland.—McClellan in Possession of Lee's Order of Battle.—Boonesboro, or South Mountain.—Capture of Harper's Ferry by Jackson's Forces.—Battle of Sharpsburg.—General Lee retires to Virginia.—Incidents illustrating the Devotion to Duty and Great Self-Control of the Confederate Leader. 46

CHAPTER VII. 60

Battle of Fredericksburg.—Federal Army One Hundred Thousand strong: Confederate Army Seventy-eight Thousand strong.—Battle of Chancellorsville.—Federal Army One Hundred and Thirty-two Thousand strong: Confederate Army Fifty-seven Thousand strong. 60

CHAPTER VIII. 67

The Pennsylvania Campaign.—The Battle of Gettysburg.—Strength of the Opposing Armies. 67

CHAPTER IX. 82

General Lee retires to Virginia.—Affair at Bristoe Station.—The Tete-de-Pont.—Mine Run.—General Meade's Advance and Retreat.—O’Dahlgren's Raid. 82

CHAPTER X. 88

General Grant in Command of the Federal Army of the Potomac.—His Advance.—From the Wilderness to Petersburg.—Strength of the Two Armies. 88

CHAPTER XI. 97

Siege of Petersburg.—General Lee's Views as to the Removal of General Johnston from the Command of the Army of Tennessee.—Movements of Sherman's Army.—Inevitable Result of the Persistent Effort to hold Petersburg and Richmond. 97

CHAPTER XII. 103

Evacuation of Petersburg.—General Lee's Retreat up James River.—Appomattox.—Surrender.—General Lee goes to Richmond. 103

CHAPTER XIII. 107

General Lee indicted by the Grand-Jury at Norfolk.—His Advice to the Young Men of Virginia.—His Purpose to write a History of the Army of Northern Virginia.—His Desire to obtain Correct Information of the Strength of that Army. 107

CHAPTER XIV. 112

The Strength of the Army of Northern Virginia, taken from the Original Returns now on File in the Archive—Office of the War Department, Washington, D.C. 112

ADDRESS ON THE CHARACTER OF GENERAL R. E. LEE, 139

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 146

MAPS 147

I – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1861 147

Charleston Harbor, Bombardment of Fort Sumter – 12th & 13th April 1861 147

1st Bull Run Campaign – Theatre Overview July 1861 148

Bull Run – 21st July 1861 149

1st Bull Run Campaign – Situation 18th July 1861 150

1st Bull Run Campaign – Situation 21st July 1861 (Morning) 151

1st Bull Run Campaign - 21st July 1861 Actions 1-3 p.m. 152

1st Bull Run Campaign - 21st July 1861 Union Retreat 4 P.M. to Dusk 153

II – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1862 154

Battle of Mill Springs – 19th January 1862 (6-8.30 A.M.) Confederate Attacks 154

Battle of Mill Springs – 19th January 1862 (9 A.M.) Union Attacks 155

Forts Henry and Donelson – 6th to 16th February 1862 156

Battle of Fort Donelson – 14th February 1862 157

Battle of Fort Donelson – 15th February 1862 Morning 158

Battle of Fort Donelson – 15th February 1862 Morning 159

New Madrid and Island No. 10 – March 1862 160

Pea Ridge – 5th to 8th March 1862 161

First Battle of Kernstown – 23rd March 1862, 11 – 16:45 162

Shiloh (or Pittsburg Landing) - 6th & 7th April 1862 163

Battle of Shiloh – 6th April 1862 - Morning 164

Battle of Shiloh – 6th April 1862 – P.M. 165

Battle of Yorktown – 5th to 16th April 1862 166

Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 24th to 25th May 1862 - Actions 167

Williamsburg – 5th May 1862 168

Fair Oaks – 31st May to 1st June 1862 169

Battle of Seven Pines – 31st May 1862 170

Seven Days – 26th June to 2nd July 1862 171

Seven Days Battles – 25th June to 1st July 1862 - Overview 172

Seven Days Battles – 26th & 27th June 1862 173

Seven Days Battles – 30th June 1862 174

Seven Days Battles – 1st July 1862 175

Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 2.30 P.M. Hill’s Attacks 176

Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 3.30 P.M. Ewell’s Attacks 177

Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 7 P.M. General Confederate Attacks 178

Pope’s Campaign - 24th August 1862 179

Pope’s Campaign - 28th August 1862 A.M. 180

Pope’s Campaign - 28th August 1862 6 P.M. 181

Second Battle of Bull Run – 28th August 1862 182

Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 10 A.M. 183

Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 12 P.M. 184

Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 5 P.M. 185

Pope’s Campaign – 29th August 1862 Noon. 186

Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 3 P.M. 187

Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 4.30 P.M. 188

Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 5 P.M. 189

Battle of Harpers Ferry – 15th September 1862 190

Antietam – 16th & 17th September 1862 191

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 Overview 192

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 6 A.M. 193

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 7.30 A.M. 194

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 9 A.M. 195

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 10 A.M. 196

Iuka – 19th September 1862 197

Battle of Iuka – 19th September 1862 198

Corinth – 3rd & 4th October 1862 199

Second Battle of Corinth – 3rd October 1862 200

Second Battle of Corinth – 4th October 1862 201

Perryville – 8th October 1862 202

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 2 P.M. 203

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 3 P.M. 204

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 3.45 P.M. 205

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 4 P.M. 206

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 4.15 P.M. 207

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 5.45 P.M. 208

Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 209

Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Overview 210

Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Sumner’s Assault 211

Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Hooker’s Assault 212

Battle of Chickasaw Bayou – 26th to 29th December 1862 213

Stone’s River – 31st December 1862 214

Battle of Stones River – 30th December 1862 215

Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 8.00 A.M. 216

Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 9.45 A.M. 217

Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 11.00 A.M. 218

III – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1863 219

Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4 P.M. 219

Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4 P.M. 220

Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4.45 P.M. 221

Chancellorsville Campaign (Hooker’s Plan) – April 1863 222

Battle of Chancellorsville – 1st May 1863 Actions 223

Battle of Chancellorsville – 2nd May 1863 Actions 224

Chancellorsville – 2nd May 1863 225

Chancellorsville – 3rd to 5th May 1863 226

Battle of Chancellorsville – 3rd May 1863 Actions 6 A.M. 227

Battle of Chancellorsville – 3rd May 1863 Actions 10 A.M. – 5 P.M. 228

Battle of Chancellorsville – 4th to 6th May 1863. 229

Battle of Brandy Station – 8th June 1863 230

Siege of Vicksburg – 25th May to 4th July 1863 231

Siege of Vicksburg – 19th May 1863 - Assaults 232

Siege of Vicksburg – 22nd May 1863 - Assaults 233

Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 234

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 Overview 235

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 7 A.M. 236

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 10 A.M. 237

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 10.45 A.M. 238

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 11 A.M. 239

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 12.30 P.M. 240

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 2 P.M. 241

Gettysburg – 2nd to 4th July 1863 242

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Lee’s Plan 243

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Overview 244

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Cemetary Ridge A.M. 245

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Initial Defence 246

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Evening attacks 247

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Hood’s Assaults 248

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Peach Orchard Initial Assaults 249

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Peach Orchard and Cemetary Ridge 250

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Wheatfield – Initial Assaults 251

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Wheatfield – Second Phase 252

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Cemetery Hill Evening 253

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Little Round Top (1) 254

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Little Round Top (2) 255

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 Overview 256

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 – Pickett’s Charge 257

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 – Pickett’s Charge Detail 258

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Johnson’s Third Attack 259

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – Opening Positions 260

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – First Phase 261

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – Second Phase 262

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 South Cavalry Field 263

Battle of Gettysburg – Battlefield Overview 264

Fight at Monterey Pass – 4th to 5th July 1863 265

Chickamauga – 19th & 20th September 1863 266

Chickamauga Campaign – Davis’s Crossroads – 11th September 1863 267

Chickamauga Campaign – 18th September 1863 After Dark 268

Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Morning 269

Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Early Afternoon 270

Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Early Afternoon 271

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 9 A.M. to 11 A.M. 272

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 11 A.M. to Mid-Afternoon 273

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 Mid-Afternoon to Dark 274

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 Brigade Details 275

Chattanooga – 23rd to 25th November 1863 276

Chattanooga Campaign – 24th & 25th November 1863 277

Chattanooga Campaign – Federal Supply Lines and Wheeler’s Raid 278

Battle of Missionary Ridge – 25th November 1863 279

Mine Run – 26th to 30th November 1863 280

IV – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1864 281

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 29th to 31st March 1864 281

Wilderness – 5th & 6th May 1864 282

Battle of the Wilderness – 5th May 1864 – Positions 7 A.M. 283

Battle of the Wilderness – 5th May 1864 - Actions 284

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 5 A.M. 285

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 6 A.M. 286

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 11 A.M. 287

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 2 P.M. 288

Spotsylvania – 8th to 21st May 1864 289

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 7th & 8th May 1864 - Movements 290

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 8th May 1864 - Actions 291

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 9th May 1864 - Actions 292

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 10th May 1864 - Actions 293

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 12th May 1864 - Actions 294

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 13th May 1864 - Actions 295

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 17th May 1864 - Actions 296

North Anna – 23rd to 26th May 1864 297

Battle of North Anna – 23rd May 1864 298

Battle of North Anna – 24th May 1864 299

Battle of North Anna – 25th May 1864 300

Battle of Haw’s Shop – 28th May 1864 301

Battle of Bethseda Church (1) – 30th May 1864 302

Battle of Bethseda Church (2) – 30th May 1864 303

Cold Harbor – 31st May to 12th June 1864 304

Battle of Cold Harbor – 1st June 1864 305

Battle of Cold Harbor – 3rd June 1864 306

Pickett’s Mills and New Hope Church – 25th to 27th May 1864 307

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain – 27th June 1864 308

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 15th to 18th June 1864 309

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 21st to 22nd June 1864 310

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 30th July 1864 311

Wilson-Kautz Raid – 22nd June to 1st July 1864 312

First Battle of Deep Bottom – 27th to 29th July 1864 313

Second Battle of Deep Bottom – 14th to 20th August 1864 314

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 18th to 19th August 1864 315

Opequon, or Winchester, Va. – 19th September 1864 316

Fisher’s Hill – 22nd September 1864 317

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 27th October 1864 318

Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 319

Battle of Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 5-9 A.M. Confederate Attacks 320

Battle of Spring Hill – 29th November 1864 – Afternoon 321

Battle of Spring Hill – 29th November 1864 – Evening 322

Battle of Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 4-5 P.M. Union Counterattack 323

Franklin – 30th November 1864 324

Battle of Franklin – Hood’s Approach 30th November 1864 325

Battle of Franklin – 30th November 1864 Actions after 4.30 P.M. 326

Nashville – 15th & 16th December 1864 327

V – OVERVIEWS 328

1 – Map of the States that Succeeded – 1860-1861 328

Fort Henry Campaign – February 1862 329

Forts Henry and Donelson – February 1862 330

Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 23rd March to 8th May 1862 331

Peninsula Campaign – 17th March to 31st May 1862 332

Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 21st May to 9th June 1862 333

Northern Virginia Campaign – 7th to 28th August 1862 334

Maryland Campaign – September 1862 335

Iuka-Corinth Campaign – First Phase – 10th to 19th September 1862 336

Iuka-Corinth Campaign – Second Phase – 20th September – 3rd October 1862 337

Fredericksburg Campaign – Movements mid-November to 10th December 1862 338

Memphis to Vicksburg – 1862-1863 339

Operations Against Vicksburg and Grant’s Bayou Operations – November 1862 to April 1863 340

Campaign Against Vicksburg – 1863 341

Grant’s Operations Against Vicksburg – April to July 1863 342

Knoxville Campaign - 1863 343

Tullahoma Campaign – 24th June – 3rd July 1863 344

Gettysburg Campaign – Retreat 5th to 14th July 1863 345

Rosecrans’ Manoeuvre – 20th August to 17th September 1963 346

Bristoe Campaign – 9th October to 9th November 1863 347

Mine Run Campaign – 27th November 1863 – 2nd December 1863 348

Grant’s Overland Campaign – Wilderness to North Anna - 1864 349

Grant’s Overland Campaign – May to June 1864 350

Overland Campaign – 4th  May 1864 351

Overland Campaign – 27th to 29th May 1864 352

Overland Campaign –29th to 30th May 1864 353

Overland Campaign – 1st June 1864 – Afternoon 354

Sheridan’s Richmond Raid – 9th to 14th May 1864 355

Sheridan’s Trevilian Station Raid – 7th to 10th June 1864 356

Sheridan’s Trevilian Station Raid – 7th to 10th June 1864 357

Battle of Trevilian Station Raid – 11th June 1864 358

Battle of Trevilian Station Raid – 12th June 1864 359

Shenandoah Valley Campaign – May to July 1864 360

Operations about Marietta – 14th to 28th June 1864 361

Atlanta Campaign – 7th May to 2nd July 1864 362

Operations about Atlanta – 17th July to 2nd September 1864 363

Richmond-Petersburg Campaign – Position Fall 1864 364

Shenandoah Valley Campaign – 20th August – October 1864 365

Sherman’s March to the Sea 366

Franklin-Nashville Campaign – 21st to 28th November 1864 367

Operations about Petersburg – June 1864 to April 1865 368

Carolinas Campaign – February to April 1865 369

Appomattox Campaign - 1865 370

DEDICATION

TO THE

EIGHT THOUSAND VETERANS

(THE SURVIVING HEROES OF THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA)

WHO, IN LINE OF BATTLE,

ON THE 9TH DAY OF APRIL, 1865,

WERE REPORTED PRESENT FOR DUTY,

THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED

BY

THE AUTHOR.

THOSE who undertake to write histories do not, I perceive, take that trouble on one and the same account, but for many reasons, and those such as are very different one from another. For some of them apply themselves to this part of learning to show their great skill in composition, and that they may therein acquire a reputation for speaking finely. Others of them there are who write histories in order to gratify those that happen to be concerned in them; and on that account have spared no pains, but rather gone beyond their own abilities in the performance. But others there are who, of necessity and by force, are driven to write history, because they were concerned in the facts, and so cannot excuse themselves from committing them to writing, for the advantage of posterity. Nay, there are not a few who are induced to draw their historical facts out of darkness into light, and to produce them for the benefit of the public, on account of the great