Commenting on Jeb Stuart’s raid into Maryland
and Pennsylvania and his complete circuit of McClellan’s
army and his return over the river unharmed despite
McClellan’s attempt to head him off, Lincoln
remarked:
“When I was a boy we used to play a game, three
times round and out. Stuart has been round twice;
if he goes round him once more, gentlemen, McClellan
will be out.”
The General ascribed Stuart’s success to his
lack of horses, and telegraphed that unless the army
got more horses there would be similar expeditions.
To this Halleck telegraphed:
“The President has read your telegram, and
[Transcriber’s note: end of this extract.]
The following is reprinted by permission
from RECOLLECTIONS AND LETTERS OF ROBERT E. LEE
by his son Captain Robert E. Lee
envelope in which they were inclosed was the following
indorsement in General Lee’s handwriting:
“LONDON, July 31, 1866.
“Herbert C. Saunders asks permission to publish
his conversation with me. August 22d—Refused.”
“3 BOLTON GARDENS, SOUTH KENSINGTON,
“LONDON, July 31, 1866.
“My Dear General Lee: Presuming
on the acquaintance with you which I had the honour
and pleasure of making last November at Lexington,
while travelling in Virginia, I venture now to write
to you under these circumstances. You may remember
that, at the time I presented to you my letter of
introduction, I told you that two other Englishmen,
friends of mine, who had come with me to America, were
then making a tour through Georgia, the Carolinas,
and some other Southern States. One of them,
Mr. Kennaway, was so much interested with all he saw,
and the people at home have appreciated his letters
descriptive of it so well, that he is intending to
publish a short account of his visit. Not having,
however, had an introduction to yourself, he is anxious
to avail himself of the somewhat full accounts I wrote
home at the time, descriptive of my most interesting
interview with you, and, with this view, he has asked
me to put into the shape of a letter all those more
prominent points which occur to me as gathered from
my letters and my recollection, and which are likely
to interest and instruct the English public.
I have, after some hesitation, acceded to the request—a
hesitation caused mainly by the fact that at the time
I saw you I neither prepared my notes with a view
to publication nor did I inform you that there was
any chance of what you told me being repeated.
I may add that I never until a month or two ago had
the slightest thought of publishing anything, and,
in fact, have constantly resisted the many applications
by my friends that I should let my letters see the
light. My object in now writing to you is to
know whether you have any objection to my giving my
friend the inclosed short account of our interview,
