War and Politics:
Lincoln, Virginia and the Election of 1864
How did the bloody military stalemate in Virginia affect the presidential election of 1864?
Also, how did candidates and generals respond to events during that long summer?
LEE'S DISPATCHES
Unpublished letters of General Robert E. Lee to Jefferson Davis and the War Department of the Confederate States of America (1862-65)
From the private collections of Wymberley Jones De Renne , 1915
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Courtesy of Internet Archive and the Univeristy of British Columbia
Click on the image above to be connected to the online text or click on the dispatch numbers below
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Dispatch No. 80 March 25, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: Theories on Grant's Campaign and Richmond preparations
Dispatch No. 89 April 24, 1864 - Telegram from Lee to Jefferson Davis: Requests for Davis to visit the troops/ discuss campaign plans
Dispatch No. 92 May 4, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: Discussions on the movements of Grant and Meade across the Rapidan River and the need to meet them with a large force
Dispatch No. 99 May 18, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: The enemy is waiting for reinforcements; we will strike when the opportunity presents itself
Dispatch No. 105 May 23, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: Theories Grant will follow the railroad and plans by Lee to cooperate with Beauregard
Dispatch No. 107 May 25, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: Plans to move south of the Anna Rivers; discussion on how Confederate forces may unite against Grant
Dispatch No. 114 May 30, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: Discussions over the movement of Beauregard's troops to the defense of Richmond
Dispatch No. 117 June 3, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: The enemy is repulsed (Battle of Cold Harbor)
Dispatch No. 121 June 9, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: Theories on the movements of Sheridan/ Grant's strategy in the Valley
Dispatch No. 138 June 19, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: Movement of troops/ new lines in the defense of Richmond (seige of Petersburg)
Dispatch No. 147 July 1, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: Discussions of northern gold markets and volunteer laws/ General Early's moves toward Washington go unnoticed
Dispatch No. 156 July 10, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: Praise of Early's raids in the North/ discussion of its economic impact
Dispatch No. 163 August 22, 1864 - Lee to Jefferson Davis: The line against Grant cannot be held; communication lines will be disconnected
Robert E. Lee - Primary Source Documents
In the spring of 1864, Lee found himself once again being pursued by the Army of the Potomac, under new Union leadership and equipped with a new strategy. In spite of the mismatched engagements (Lee was outnumbered and outsupplied), he fought against these odds with cunning and creative military tactics of his own. But would this be enough to ensure Confederate success in the Overland Campaign?
Below are documents created by Robert E. Lee during the spring and summer of 1864.
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