Hd qrs: 16 Feby ‘63
Genl
I regret to hear such bad accounts of the roads. Send Hood by a different route from Pickett. He need not go direct to Hanover junction, but Can halt near the Central R. R. in the vicinity of the junction of Hanover Ct House, but must be on the line of Communication to Richmond. I think Pickett had better go on. He can yet decide his troops & trains on different routes. I do not know how pressing the emergency is. It may be so, & I do not think that my time should be lost. I will give directions that every thing shall go by rail that Can. Each Genl must detail an energetic officer with sufficient men to attend to their articles. See to their transportation &c. Can you call by on your way back to your qrs?
Very truly
R E Lee
Genl
Genl Longstreet
Commg &c
Source: Digital scan of original letter, Cutts-Madison Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2018 December 27
