K. E. G. Lee to J. Stoddard Johnston, June 15, 1864

Masor: Your note of the 13th reached me yesterday by return courier. It states ‘”‘McNeill and Gilmor are in the Valley below.” Major Gilmor has just showed me your note of the 12th requesting him to join the major-general commanding with all his force, andi directing him to order similar forces likewise—McNeill and Mosby, I suppose. If the intention of yours of the 13th to me was to supersede that of the.12th to Gilmor, I would respectfully call attention to the fact that there is now only McNeill’s sixty men between me and the Potomac, and he will, under Major Gilmor’s order, be removed. If consistent with the exigencies of the case, would it not be well to permit Gilmor and McNeill to remain below? If both, or either, are kept there, I ask that they be instructed to keep me advised of the enemy’s movements, and especially of all that threatens this point. I will have the telegraph ready for work to-morrow.

There are 200 wounded Yankees here at the hospital and forty nurses. I had no guard when I got here and did not know when the enemy might get back ; so I went to work and paroled the whole of them. I send a copy of the parole. It is the same that they gave our hospita] men, except the clause regarding escape, which I added because I had no guard, and because I did not know whether the paroles were binding anyhow. Is the parole they gave our men binding now? Is mine binding to them unless we keep the men and deliver them at a point of exchange? Is there not some special agreement between the two Governments about hospital paroles ? Cannot these fellows be returned to their own lines as fast as convalescent by mutual consent of Generals Breckinridge and Hunter, instead of sending them to Richmond? I have not yet delivered to. the surgeon in charge of them a copy of ‘the parole or the list.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,