Head. ANva
Octo. 1864
General Order
No.
The _______ battalion for cowardly conduct on every battlefield from Gettysburg to the present time, is unworthy of a place, as an organization, in the Army of Northern Virginia.
It will be marched to Division Headquarters Wednesday afternoon at 4 o’clock, and surrender its colors and be marched to the rear in disgrace. The General commanding the Army of Northern Virginia regrets that there are some brave officers and men belonging to this organization who must share in its common disgrace, but the good of the Service requires it, and they must bear it as brave soldiers.
By command of Genl R E Lee
A.A.G. [Walter H. Taylor]
Source: Hand-written copy, ca. 1906, of original order. The Archives of the Robert E. Lee Memorial Foundation, Papers of the Lee Family, Box 8, M2009.318, Jessie Ball duPont Library, Stratford Hall
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2015 October 21
