Richmond, Va.,
May 11, 1863
General R. E. Lee:
Dear General: A great national calamity has befallen us, and I sympathize with the sorrow you feel and the embarrassment you must experience. The announcement of the death of General Jackson followed frequent assurances that he was doing very well, and though the loss was one which would have been deeply felt under any circumstances, the shock was increased by its suddenness.
There is sincere mourning here, and it will extend throughout the land as the intelligence is received.
Your friend,
Jefferson Davis
Source: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Vol. 25, Part 2, p. 791.
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2016 May 10
