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216 11 “I AM TIRED OF INVASIONS” (May–July 1863) Pender is an excellent officer, attentive, industrious, and brave. —robert e. lee Tell my wife I do not fear to die. . . . My only regret is to leave her and our children. I have always tried to do my duty in every sphere of life in which Providence has placed me. —william dorsey pender as he lay in a hospital at staunton, virginia R obert E. Lee had been too long around history himself not to understand the odds that were gathering against him in waging a successful revolution. The Confederate general had noted with exasperation , “I wish I could get at those people over there.” Earlier in the spring, even before the miraculous and dearly bought victory at Chancellorsville , Dorsey Pender exposed his military instincts with regard to another Southern invasion of Northern soil. On April 8, 1863, he had noted plainly to Fanny: “I am inclined to think that will be the move we make, march for Md. turning the Yankee Army and force them to fall back upon Washington. I am now in favor of going straight through Md. into Penna. and I believe we can do it. Gen. Lee undoubtedly has some bold plan upon foot.” When Fanny expressed reservations, Dorsey reiterated his view with the stark declaration that he could see no other choice “but to go,” adding quickly: “This is a very different army than the one we marched into Maryland last year, and they have not as good a one to meet us. I am for going.” His determination had not subsided two days later when he observed: “You say you hope we will not go into Md. I hope we will pass through it into Penn. and believe the large majority of the Army would like to.” 217 “i am tired of invasions”: may–july 1863 Now, in the aftermath of Chancellorsville, the way seemed to be open for the Army of Northern Virginia to march northward with confidence that a second invasion might garner extraordinary results. “We have nothing new in the world, but all feel that something is brewing,” Dorsey confided to Fanny, “and that Gen. Lee is not going to wait all the time for them to come to him.” Pender also wanted his men to understand the confidence he had in them. On May 13 he issued General Orders No. 38, announcing his return to active service following his wounding. He commended the brigade for its performance in the recent engagement. “Upon resuming command of the brigade, it affords me great pleasure to express to you my high appreciation of your conduct and services in the late battle of Chancellorsville,” he began. Noting the gallantry with which they had fought, the odds they had faced, and the severe losses they had sustained, he concluded, “I may be exacting, but in this instance you may rest assured that I am perfectly satisfied.” Perhaps most importantly, he felt that the brigade had reflected with credit upon his leadership. “I am proud to say that your services are known and appreciated by those higher in command than myself.” In the meantime, the general continued to recover, assuring his wife on May 14 that he was now in “excellent” health and promising her that he would “take as good care” of himself “as possible.” He had much to look forward to in returning home when the war ended, as eventually it must. “Rest assured that I value my life too highly to throw it away uselessly,” Dorsey observed, but the demands of the conflict might still call upon him to make that sacrifice, as both of them knew in the recesses of their hearts and minds. In any case, he was returning to some of the feistiness of old. If Stonewall were dead, the old Jackson–A. P. Hill feud yet lived. “Do not believe all you see about the last words of Jackson,” Dorsey insisted to Fanny in mid-May, “for some designing person is trying to injure Gen. Hill by saying that he frequently said that he wanted [Richard S.] Ewell to have his Corps.” Pender was certain that a delirious Jackson was hardly in shape to make such definitive statements, but in any event, Powell Hill was still his man. “It is strange what a jealousy exists towards A. P. Hill and this Division, and for what cause I...

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