Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia,
January 19, 1864
General R. S. Ewell,
Commanding Corps:
General: I design sending General Hoke to North Carolina on special service with his brigade, and as it is much reduced, I wish to increase it by the temporary addition of the Twenty-first Georgia, Doles’ brigade, in the Forty-third North Carolina Regiment, Daniel’s brigade. I select the Twenty-first Georgia in preference to a North Carolina regiment because it has been under General Hoke and has operated with the Forty-third North Carolina Regiment. But if General Hoke prefers to take a North Carolina regiment you can order it. I desire General Hoke to proceed on the 21st to Petersburg, and his brigade will be placed under the senior officer with orders to report to General Pickett at that place. Similar orders will be given to the commanders of the regiments named. I wish you to have them prepared with what is requisite for the field and be marched to Gordonsville, where they will take the trains to Richmond. They must take with them their cooking utensils and such tents as may be necessary. Their transportation will accompany them no farther than Gordonsville. I understand provisions are issued to the troops to include the 21st. If flour is in the hands of the men that had better cook it; if not, they can draw hard bread from the division commissary. I have directed that two days’ hard bread and meat be issued to the men at Gordonsville. Hoke’s brigade will take the cars at Gordonsville Thursday, 21st, at 7 p.m.; the Twenty-first Georgia and Forty-third North Carolina Wednesday, 20th instant, at 7 p.m. To save time I will send the order direct to General Rodes for the two latter regiments. Please give the necessary orders, and direct General Hoke to call on me on his way for instructions.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. Lee,
General
Source: The War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 33, pp. 1099-1100
Transcribed by Colin Woodward, 2021 November 21
