I cannot conclude without alluding to the wanton destruction of the property of citizens by the enemy. Houses were torn down or rendered uninhabitable, furniture and farming implements broken or destroyed, and many families, most of them in humble circumstances, stripped of all they possessed and left without shelter and without food. I have never witnessed on any previous occasion such entire disregard of the usages of civilized warfare and the dictates of humanity.

I forward herewith the reports of corps, division, and other commanders, and a map* of the scene of operations.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.

Numbers 101. Report of Major General Jubal A. Early, commanding Second Army Corps.

CAMP NEAR SOMERVILLE FORD,

April 4, 1864.

COLONEL: I respectfully submit the following report of the operations of the Second Corps at and near Mine Run in the latter part of November and December 1 last, the corps being at that time under my command by reason of the illness of Lieutenant-General Ewell:

On the morning of November 26, Stafford's brigade, of Johnson's division, was moved to Zoar Church, on a road leading by that place to Locust Grove, and four regiments of Gordon's brigade, of my own division, were moved to the intersection of a road from Zoar Church to Verdierville with the old stone turnpike from Orange Court-House to Fredericksburg, for the purpose of guarding the roads on our right and resisting any force of cavalry which the enemy might send up from the lower fords on the Rapidan, this precaution having been taken at the suggestion of the commanding general, made in consequence of information received of a movement on the part of the enemy.

On the same morning, about a brigade of the enemy's cavalry made its appearance at Morton's Ford, on the Rapidan, and some skirmishing ensued with our pickets, but it was soon ascertained that no serious attempt to cross the river at this point was intended. At this time the atmosphere was foggy, and the enemy's camps in Culpeper could not be distinguished; but later in the day, as the fog cleared up, a large wagon train, accompanied by troops, was discovered from the works in the rear of Morton's Ford moving on the road by Stevensburg to Germanna Ford.

The position of the divisions of this corps was as follows: My own division, commanded by Brigadier-General Hays, was on the left, guarding the fords from Raccoon Ford to Robertson's Ford; Rodes' division in the center, guarding from Raccoon Ford to Mountain

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*To appear in atlas.

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