good wishes,

"I am very truly yours,

"R. E. Lee.

"His Excellency, Governor John Letcher."





Chapter III
Letters to Wife and Daughters


From Camp on Sewell's Mountain--Quotation from Colonel Taylor's book--
From Professor Wm. P. Trent--From Mr. Davis's Memorial Address--Defense
of Southern ports--Christmas, 1861--The General visits his father's
grave--Commands, under the President, all the armies of the Confederate
States


The season being too far advanced to attempt any further movements
away from our base of supplies, and the same reasons preventing any
advance of the Federal forces, the campaign in this part of Virginia
ended for the winter. In the Kanawha Valley, however, the enemy had
been and were quite active. Large reinforcements under General
Rosecrans were sent there to assist General Cox, the officer in command
at that point. General Loring, leaving a sufficient force to watch