Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia,
July 25, 1864
Lieut. Gen. R. S. Ewell,
Commanding, &c.:
General: Your letter of the 23d instant is received. I had understood that General Rains was in charge of the torpedoes on James River, and when Captain Bryan was sent from here I desired him to report to General Rains, or whoever might have the direction of the subject. Doctor Fretwell was brought to me by Lieutenant-Colonel Williams, of the engineers, who stated that Doctor Fretwell was acting under the chief engineer at Richmond. He applied for and received my permission to operate on James River so far as that permission was necessary, but I understood that the whole matter would be under the control and direction of General Rains, to whom he was directed to report. I did not contemplate sending independent parties. If General Rains is not in charge you had better slect some competent officer, and put the whole matter and all the persons engaged in it under his control.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. Lee
General
Source: The War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 40, part 3, pp. 800-801
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2017 July 25
