77. ROBERT E. LEE (1807-1870) Confederate General and commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, arguably the most brilliant commander of field armies in American history. A.L.S., 4pp. 8vo., Lexington, Dec. 4, 1865, to Col. Charles Marshall, his former aide-de-camp. In part: "...If I finished the work, I desire to offer it to Mr. Richardson for publication, as he first spoke to me on the subject, has done friendly acts to the South...He is very anxious to get it out at once, but even if I could I would not publish now for the public mind in my opinion is not yet ready to receive the truth, nor would I run any risk of compromitting by my statements any of our people. All of those statements you may have seen in the papers...by some newspaper Correspondent who had read several Chapters, are entirely fictitious...Mr. R. says the work now would now sell better later ...that's not altogether my goal...I have not yet received a single memoir from any of the officers to whom I have written...I have the report of the Comm. on the Conduct of the War 5 Vols. I have also the 'Rebel Record', 8 vols & the Army & Navy Journal & Gazette...another work, the 'American Annual Cyclopedia', for the years '61, '62, '63 & '64 which contains many articles on the 'Confederate States' & I understand my report of the Battle of Chancellorsville is in the vol. for '63...Mrs. Lee stood the pricing up better than I had hoped and is as comfortable as usual...". At this late stage of life, Lee wanted to write his memoirs but chose to devote his time to re-editing his father's memoirs. Of course there were reasons for this: the task was hindered by the fact that many of his reports and wartime paper were scattered or lost, while  his brother Carter urged him to undertake his father's work. Finally, it is likely he wished to not re-open very fresh wounds by writing what others might perceive to be apologia. Fine.       $12,000 - 14,000