"In the case of a less renowned officer, or one whose campaigns were not so critically studied in the military schools of the world, the omission of a few hundred telegrams or letters woul dnot be important. But in the case of General Lee, whose every written line was a lesson in war, the world wants all the correspondence of himself and of his secretaries. It is for this reason, among others, that this collection of General Lee's unpublished correspondence with President Jefferson Davis and with the War Department of the Confederate States is presented to the public. Some of the letters broaden our view of Lee's strategey and throw significant light on disputed movements; the whole, in the editor's judgement, deserves publication as it complements, fills out and, at the same time, epitomizes the many dispatches and reports scattered through the bulky volumes of the [Official] Records [of the Union and Confederate Armies]" -- From the introduction.

Note from printer "First published 1862, reprint 2018 in India by Delhi : Facsimile Publisher, 2018 -- However, while some of the correspondence dates from 1862, the work itself was originally published in its original form in 1915 by G.P. Putnam's Sons. This edition was originally published in 1957. Map in envelope at back of book.

1862: Thanks for offer of horses ; Traveller and other mounts -- 1862: Can Jackson strike into Pennsylvania while Lee holds Richmond? -- 1862: William Duncan Smith ; R.H. Anderson and Huger -- 1862: Jackson's explanation of his delay in starting the Seven Day's Fight -- 1862: Headquarters on the Mechanicsville Turnpike -- The enemy may be crossing the Chickahominy -- 1862: McClellan is making for the James -- 1862: Colonel Micah Jenkins' record -- 1862: The Louisiana troops and their organization ; "Dick" Taylor -- 1862: John Pope's command -- 1862: Colonel William Smith -- 1862: "Stonewall" Jackson and his cavalry commanders -- 1862: The murder of Munford ; Communications with McClellan -- 1862: Campaign plans against General John Pope -- 1862: Victory on the "plains of Manassas" -- 1862: Moving into Maryland ; Will destroy the railroad -- 1862: Burnside is preparing to move on Fredericksburg -- 1862: Ordnance needed -- 1863: Situation in North Carolina -- 1863: The condition of (Con.)the cavalry and its mounts -- 1863: Weather conditions ; Transportation of supplies -- 1863: The Sparrow bill ; Proposed changes in the army -- 1863: Report of Mosby's raids -- 1863: Promotion of Rodes and Edward Johnson -- 1863: How Hooker escaped -- 1863: The ability of Heth and Pender -- 1863: Gordon, Morgan and O'Neal -- 1863: Reasons for withdrawal across the Potomac -- 1863: Back at Culpeper with Longstreet's corps -- 1863: Surgeon Mitchell -- 1863: The responsibility for Gettyburg -- 1863: Will not fight north of the Rapidan -- 1863: Holt's Georgians -- 1863: Desertions ; The partisan corps -- Furloughs -- 1863: The Mine Run campaign -- 1864: Judgment on the New Bern affair ; General Barton's failure -- 1864: Re-enlistments -- 1864: Grant's plan of campaign ; ...Richmond should prepare for a siege -- 1864: The plaint of Colonel Edward O'Neal -- 1864: Courts-martial and the death penalty -- 1864: Pardon for military prisoners -- 1864: ...Amnesties and desertions (Con.) 1864: Re-establishment of the Cincinnati disapproved -- 1864: Can Davis visit the army? -- 1864: Breckinridge wants reinforcements -- 1864: At Hanover Junction -- 1864: Echols and McClausland ; Dissatisfaction among their men -- 1864: Destruction of the Meadow Bridge -- 1864: Conference with General Beauregard -- 1864: General Echols and the Western Virginia campaign -- Colonel Patton -- 1864: The location of pontoons on the James -- 1864: ...secrecy regarding Early's advance -- 1864: Ransom's movements -- The death of Polk -- 1864: Quartermasters' stores -- 1864: The defence of Richmond -- 1864: The troops at Howlett's -- 1864: Railroad cut -- 1864: ...Bad condition of Northern markets -- 1864: Proposed release of prisoners at Point Lookout -- 1864: Reported crossing at Bermuda Hundred -- 1864: The soap ration -- Prices -- 1864: Conscription and recruiting -- 1864: Operations on the Virginia and Tennessee railroad -- 1864: Federal raid on Saltville repulsed (Con.) 1864: The Hicksford raid -- 1864: No meat for the army -- 1864: Operations on the Roanoke -- 1865: The defence of Charleston and of Carolina -- 1865: The loss of Fort Fisher -- 1865: Piedmont railroad -- 1865: The destruction of cotton -- 1865: The Hampton Road Conference -- 1865: Message from Alexander H. Stephens -- 1865: Operations in Tennessee and North Carolina -- 1865: Activities of the Federal fleet in the James -- 1864: Fort Stedman -- 1865: Trans-Mississippi Department -- Kirby Smith's army -- 1865: Affairs in Alabama and Mississippi -- 1865: ...Hatcher's Run -- 1865: Mobile -- 1865: Selma, Alabama -- 1865: General John T. Morgan.