- Joined
- May 27, 2008
Headquarters, Early Division March 31, 1864
I respectfully ask that the commanding General will send back the charges against Colonel Peck, 9th Louisiana Regiment, he is known as a gentleman and a faithful officer in the service, exceedingly scrupulous about the performance of his duty and in regard to the truth of all his statements. The statement of Colonel Peck giving his excuse for overstaying his leave is that when the trains commenced moving he went to the cars to get on the trains but found them so crowded by persons who had been detained in Richmond that he could not get on.
Colonel Peck at the beginning of the war was a large planter at Milliken Bend, Louisiana with an annual income between $20,000 and $30,000 per year. He came into the service in the summer of 1861. His plantation was the theatre of Grant's principle operation in which he was preparing for the attack on Vicksburg-many of his negroes were taken by the enemy. The others who remained true to him went to Texas and to Tennessee where Colonel Peck's father and mother lived, during the recent operations in Tennessee his father and mother were left inside the enemy's lines and the object of his was to find out their conditions and make provisions for them when the Army fell back from General Longstreet. Some of his servants who had remained faithful had managed to conceal provisions ample to prevent his mother and father from suffering-some gold and some silver which his father managed to save enabled then to provide for their wants. The object of his trip to Richmond was to raise money for supporting the servants and providing for his parents in the event that the presence of the enemy should again place them in need of assistance.
The only means he had for providing funds for the purpose was the sale of some Danish bonds he had tried to sell them but he could find no purchasers as the bankers in Richmond knew nothing of them. He found opportunity of disposing of his bonds with a Kentucky member of Congress. Colonel Peck joined the company of militia for the defense of Richmond and spent the night in their trenches. I think under the circumstances of this case and the peculiar incidents operating upon Colonel Peck which all persons are incapable to escape, that all charges against him should be dismissed. In his case the misfortune resulting from a relief from duty has been more punishment for him than any penalty likely to be inflicted by a Court Martial. Respectfully,
J .A. Early Maj .Gen'l Comdg.
Lt. Col. W.H. Taylor A.A.G. {Gen'l Lee's Adjutant}
Headquarters Second Army Corp April 1, 1864
Respectfully forwarded-Colonel Peck made a statement of the within causes for his absence to me with the request that I would give my opinion of the case in a private letter-thus he was willing if required to give them to the General Commanding. I stated that I considered his reasons sufficient, but the trial was ordered without calling for further statements.
R.S. Ewell Lt. Gen'l
April 1, 1864
Respectfully returned-It is not believed that this officer [from the character given him by his superiors} would intentionally violate an existing order; and it is hoped that in the future he and all others will be more particular in getting the certificates required in regulations, if prevented from returning to their commands by sickness and applying for an extension of their leave of absence, if circumstances rendered their furlough stay necessary. The charges will be dismissed
R.E. Lee Gen'l
It is very rare to find 3 letters, especially letters by those so closely connected to Lee, on the same subject. It is apparent that Lee was not only faced with a decision of ethical and moral reasoning, but also one of practical matters as he held dear every soldier and officer in his command. An important look into a difficult decision made by Lee towards the end of the war.
I respectfully ask that the commanding General will send back the charges against Colonel Peck, 9th Louisiana Regiment, he is known as a gentleman and a faithful officer in the service, exceedingly scrupulous about the performance of his duty and in regard to the truth of all his statements. The statement of Colonel Peck giving his excuse for overstaying his leave is that when the trains commenced moving he went to the cars to get on the trains but found them so crowded by persons who had been detained in Richmond that he could not get on.
Colonel Peck at the beginning of the war was a large planter at Milliken Bend, Louisiana with an annual income between $20,000 and $30,000 per year. He came into the service in the summer of 1861. His plantation was the theatre of Grant's principle operation in which he was preparing for the attack on Vicksburg-many of his negroes were taken by the enemy. The others who remained true to him went to Texas and to Tennessee where Colonel Peck's father and mother lived, during the recent operations in Tennessee his father and mother were left inside the enemy's lines and the object of his was to find out their conditions and make provisions for them when the Army fell back from General Longstreet. Some of his servants who had remained faithful had managed to conceal provisions ample to prevent his mother and father from suffering-some gold and some silver which his father managed to save enabled then to provide for their wants. The object of his trip to Richmond was to raise money for supporting the servants and providing for his parents in the event that the presence of the enemy should again place them in need of assistance.
The only means he had for providing funds for the purpose was the sale of some Danish bonds he had tried to sell them but he could find no purchasers as the bankers in Richmond knew nothing of them. He found opportunity of disposing of his bonds with a Kentucky member of Congress. Colonel Peck joined the company of militia for the defense of Richmond and spent the night in their trenches. I think under the circumstances of this case and the peculiar incidents operating upon Colonel Peck which all persons are incapable to escape, that all charges against him should be dismissed. In his case the misfortune resulting from a relief from duty has been more punishment for him than any penalty likely to be inflicted by a Court Martial. Respectfully,
J .A. Early Maj .Gen'l Comdg.
Lt. Col. W.H. Taylor A.A.G. {Gen'l Lee's Adjutant}
Headquarters Second Army Corp April 1, 1864
Respectfully forwarded-Colonel Peck made a statement of the within causes for his absence to me with the request that I would give my opinion of the case in a private letter-thus he was willing if required to give them to the General Commanding. I stated that I considered his reasons sufficient, but the trial was ordered without calling for further statements.
R.S. Ewell Lt. Gen'l
April 1, 1864
Respectfully returned-It is not believed that this officer [from the character given him by his superiors} would intentionally violate an existing order; and it is hoped that in the future he and all others will be more particular in getting the certificates required in regulations, if prevented from returning to their commands by sickness and applying for an extension of their leave of absence, if circumstances rendered their furlough stay necessary. The charges will be dismissed
R.E. Lee Gen'l
It is very rare to find 3 letters, especially letters by those so closely connected to Lee, on the same subject. It is apparent that Lee was not only faced with a decision of ethical and moral reasoning, but also one of practical matters as he held dear every soldier and officer in his command. An important look into a difficult decision made by Lee towards the end of the war.
Bringing the