RARE LETTER FROM R.E. LEE TO GOVERNOR PICKENS OF SOUTH CAROLINA CONCERNING COASTAL DEFENSES.

RARE LETTER FROM R.E. LEE TO GOVERNOR PICKENS OF SOUTH CAROLINA CONCERNING COASTAL DEFENSES. The letter from General Robert E. Lee to His Excellency F.W. Pickens, Governor Of South Carolina, Columbia. From headquarters Coosawhatchie, South Carolina 5 September 1861. The text of which is as follows: “I have had the honor to receive your Excelly’s letter of the 2d inst. and am highly gratified at your report of the condition of efficiency and instruction of Genl. D.Lausseine’s brigade. I am very much obliged to you for the statement of Soundings at the entrances of the Inlets + Bays on the coast of the State which will be of great use to me. I hope the Battalions + Reg’ts you are organizing will soon be ready for service in the field, where they are now much wanted. Unless these troops have entered the Confederate service for the War, I shall not be able to comply with your Exelcy’s request of giving Enfield Rifles to the flanking companies of the regiments, since my instructions from the War Depart. restrict their issue to troops “for the War.” Should there be sufficient remaining after arming the regim’ts which I hope are now being organized by Col. Preston, it will give me pleasure to furnish rifles to the two flanking comps. of the regim’ts of Colonels D. Laussure + Dunnovant, in accordance with your request. The blasting, musket + rifle powder which you have given from the State stores, can be very usefully combined for the service of the batteries for the defence of Charleston, as the experiments on the mixture of blasting + musket powder, in the practice of 32pdrs, may be regarded as successful. With a mixture of 5 parts blasting and 3 of musket, at an elevation of 2 degrees, the first graze of the ball was 1200 yds with four ricochets, this is considered about as good as can be obtained with proof cannon powder. I learn from Genl. Ripley that the batteries at Fts. Sumter + Monetrie are in very good condition and properly armed. It is difficult, as yet, to discover the intentions of the enemy. On a visit which I recently made to Pt. Royal Sound, his fleet stretched from Hilton Head to St. Helena, + the vessels stood so thick, that I was unable to count them. Everything appeared perfectly quiet, and there was neither a passing boat or man to be seen. The same condition of things apparently existed today from a more distant view I had of the fleet from Palmetto Pt. on Broad River. He has abandoned Tybee Jct. though a number of his vessels are anchored inside the Savannah Bar. The defences around Charleston are progressing, but not as fast as I could wish, for want of laborers and Eng.?? Officers. I hope, however, that everything will be in readiness to resist the attack of the enemy at any point to which he may think proper to move; while so many avenues of approach are open to him, it is difficult to say which one he will select. I think by concentrating our force, both men + guns, at the strongest point on his line of advance, he can be successfully resisted. I am very much obliged to you for the suggestions contained in your letter, and hope you will not hesitate to favor me with your views, whenever it is convenient. I am with high esteem your obd. servant, RE Lee Gen Comd” The letter was hand-written by Lee’s aide but bearing a genuine signature of Robert E. Lee. According to the consignor, this document (together with 3 other related ones in this auction) has descended to him down through his family. CONDITION: Paper toned and with fold marks but generally sound with strong, readable text. 4-33400 JJ48 (15,000-30,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2008

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1394	$9,200.00	RARE LETTER FROM R.E. LEE TO GOVERNOR PICKENS OF SOUTH CAROLINA CONCERNING COASTAL DEFENSES. The letter from General Robert E. Lee to His Excellency F.W. Pickens, Governor Of South Carolina, Columbia. From headquarters Coosawhatchie, South Carolina 5 September 1861. The text of which is as follows: “I have had the honor to receive your Excelly’s letter of the 2d inst. and am highly gratified at your report of the condition of efficiency and instruction of Genl. D.Lausseine’s brigade. I am very much obliged to you for the statement of Soundings at the entrances of the Inlets + Bays on the coast of the State which will be of great use to me. I hope the Battalions + Reg’ts you are organizing will soon be ready for service in the field, where they are now much wanted. Unless these troops have entered the Confederate service for the War, I shall not be able to comply with your Exelcy’s request of giving Enfield Rifles to the flanking companies of the regiments, since my instructions from the War Depart. restrict their issue to troops “for the War.” Should there be sufficient remaining after arming the regim’ts which I hope are now being organized by Col. Preston, it will give me pleasure to furnish rifles to the two flanking comps. of the regim’ts of Colonels D. Laussure + Dunnovant, in accordance with your request. The blasting, musket + rifle powder which you have given from the State stores, can be very usefully combined for the service of the batteries for the defence of Charleston, as the experiments on the mixture of blasting + musket powder, in the practice of 32pdrs, may be regarded as successful. With a mixture of 5 parts blasting and 3 of musket, at an elevation of 2 degrees, the first graze of the ball was 1200 yds with four ricochets, this is considered about as good as can be obtained with proof cannon powder. I learn from Genl. Ripley that the batteries at Fts. Sumter + Monetrie are in very good condition and properly armed. It is difficult, as yet, to discover the intentions of the enemy. On a visit which I recently made to Pt. Royal Sound, his fleet stretched from Hilton Head to St. Helena, + the vessels stood so thick, that I was unable to count them. Everything appeared perfectly quiet, and there was neither a passing boat or man to be seen. The same condition of things apparently existed today from a more distant view I had of the fleet from Palmetto Pt. on Broad River. He has abandoned Tybee Jct. though a number of his vessels are anchored inside the Savannah Bar. The defences around Charleston are progressing, but not as fast as I could wish, for want of laborers and Eng.?? Officers. I hope, however, that everything will be in readiness to resist the attack of the enemy at any point to which he may think proper to move; while so many avenues of approach are open to him, it is difficult to say which one he will select. I think by concentrating our force, both men + guns, at the strongest point on his line of advance, he can be successfully resisted. I am very much obliged to you for the suggestions contained in your letter, and hope you will not hesitate to favor me with your views, whenever it is convenient. I am with high esteem your obd. servant, RE Lee Gen Comd” The letter was hand-written by Lee’s aide but bearing a genuine signature of Robert E. Lee. According to the consignor, this document (together with 3 other related ones in this auction) has descended to him down through his family. CONDITION: Paper toned and with fold marks but generally sound with strong, readable text. 4-33400 JJ48 (15,000-30,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2008 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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