The relatives and friends of several of the officers of this army who fell in the recent battles, have visited my headquarters with the view, if possible, of proceeding to the battle-fields to recover the bodies of those near to them.  I therefore have the honor to ask whether any person will be permitted to visit the battle-fields for the purpose indicated, or whether any arrangement can be made for sending to the lines of this army the bodies of such of our fallen officers as may have friends here seeking for them.

Very respectfully, etc.,
Joseph Hooker,
Major-General Commanding.

Headquartersarmy of Northern Virginia,
May 10, 1863. 
Major-gen.  Joseph Hooker,
Commanding United-States Forces on the Rappahannock.

General,—­In reply to your communication of the 9th inst., I have the honor to state that it will give me pleasure to afford every facility to relatives and friends of officers killed in the late battles, to recover their bodies; but I have no means of identifying them, or of ascertaining the fields on which they fell.  If you will have me informed, I will cause search to be made.

              Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
                                             R. E. Lee, General.

APPENDIX.

In February and March, 1886, there was delivered at the Lowell Institute, in Boston, a series of lectures upon the late civil war, by the following gentlemen:—­

  Feb. 16.  Introduction.  Gen. Charles Devens of Boston. 
  Feb. 19.  Pope’s Campaign.  Col.  Jed.  Hotchkiss of Staunton, Va. 
  Feb. 23.  Antietam.  Gen. George H. Gordon of Boston. 
  Feb. 26.  Chancellorsville.  Col.  Theodore A. Dodge, U. S. Army. 
  March 2.  Stonewall Jackson.  Col.  W. Allan of McDonough, Md. 
  March 5.  Gettysburg.  Gen. Francis A. Walker of Boston. 
  March 9.  The Northern Volunteer.  Col.  T. L. Livermore of Boston. 
  March 12.  The Southern Volunteer.  Major H. Kyd Douglas of Hagerstown, Md. 
  March 16.  Chattanooga.  Gen. William F. Smith of Wilmington, Del. 
  March 19.  The Wilderness.  John C. Ropes, Esq., of Boston. 
  March 23.  Franklin and Nashville.  Col.  Henry Stone of Boston. 
  March 26.  The Last Campaign.  Col.  Fred. C. Newhall of Philadelphia.

These lecturers were well equipped for their task.  Earnest study of their respective subjects had been attested by numerous volumes published by them relating to the war.  The desire to have the truth told was apparent in the presence of three Confederate officers among the number; and the special feature of the course seemed to be, that not only was the truth spoken in the most unvarnished manner, but that it was listened to with marked approval by overflowing audiences.