8th Virginia Cavalry- Pg 7
Lee gave as his reason for his apparent non-action, that he was confident of defeating Rosecrans by a flanking movement which he had planned for the following night, and that he could not afford to sacrifice five or six hundred of his people to silence public clamor.
In a letter to his wife, dated October 7th, from Sewell mountain, Lee gives an insight into his views, and incidentally touches on the part that politics was playing in the southern army.
He says: "The enemy was threatening an attack, which was continued till Saturday night, when, under cover of darkness and our usual mountain mist, he suddenly withdrew. Your letter, with the socks, was handed to me when I was preparing to follow. I could not at that time attend to either, but I have since; and as I found Perry (his colored servant from Arlington) in desperate need, I bestowed a couple of pairs on him as a present from you; the others I have put in my trunk, and suppose they will fall to the lot of Meredith (a colored servant from the white house), into the state of whose hose I have not yet inquired. Should any sick man require them first, he shall have them; but Meredith will have no on near to supply him but me, and will naturally expect that attention.
The water is almost as bad here as in the mountains I left. There was a drenching rain yesterday; and as I left my overcoat in camp, I was thoroughly wet from head to foot. It has been raining ever since, and is now coming down with a will; but I have my clothes out on the bushes, and they will be well washed. The force of the enemy, estimated by prisoners captured, is put down at from 17,000 to 20,000 -- General Floyd thinks 18,000. I do not think it exceeds 9,000 or 10,000, but it exceeds ours. I wish he had attacked, as I believe he would have been repulsed with great loss. The rumbling of his wheels, etc., were heard by our picket; but as that was customary at night in moving and placing his cannon, the officer of the day, to whom it was reported, paid no particular attention to it, supposing it to be a preparation for and attack in the morning. When day appeared the bird had flown, and the misfortune was that the reduced condition of our horses for want of provender, exposure to the cold rains in these mountains, and want of provisions for the men prevented the vigorous pursuit of following up that had been prepared.
We can only get up provisions from day to day, which paralyzes our operations. I am sorry, as you say, that the movements of the armies cannot keep pace expectations of the editors of papers. I know they can regulate matters satisfactorily to themselves on paper. I wish they could do so in the field. No one wishes them more success than I do, and would be happy to see them have full swing. General Floyd has three editors on his staff. I hope something will be done to please them."
When it was all over in Western Virginia, one of the officers, who had been with him there (General Starke), asked General Lee why he had not fought Rosecrans, as the forces were about equal, and the Confederates were ready and anxious for a fight, and felt certain of victory. Lee's reply was that while his men were in good spirits and would doubtless have done their duty, a battle then would have been without substantial results, owing to their being seventy miles from the railroad, their base of supplies, with the ordinary roads almost impassable, and that if he had fought and won the battle and Rosecrans retreated, he would have been compelled to fall back at least to a source of supplies. "But," said General Starke, "your reputation was suffering, the press was denouncing you, your own state was losing confidence in you, and the army needed a victory to add to its enthusiasm." To this Lee replied, with a smile: "I could not afford to sacrifice the lives of five or six hundred of my people to silence public clamor."
Sept 4: Lee at Valley Mountain Sept 10: Battle of Carnifix Ferry Sept 11: Wise arrives Sewell Mountain Sept 14, 1861 Nicholas Ramsey shot Sept 19, 1861 Wise Letter, My Scouts Sept 20: Lee arrives in Lewisburg Sept 26: General Wise leaves Sewell Mountain, General Floyd takes command Wise letter Oct 15, 1861 Lee Letter, "your scout", to floyd Oct 20: Loring arrives, H R Jackson still advising Lee. Oct 20-21: Lee leaves Mountain Cove, and western Virginia for Richmond.