Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia
August 4, 1862
Maj. Gen. D. H. Hill,
Commanding Department of North Carolina:
General: It is reported that the enemy are seizing wood on the banks of the James and Appomattox Rivers. Please cause all the wood in the wood-yards accessible to their boats to be burned where it is possible to do so, unless it can be removed and appropriated to the benefit of its owners or our Army.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R E Lee
Source: The War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 11, Part 3, p. 662
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2019 January 3