Summary:
In this June, 1862, dispatch Union division commander Franz Sigel reports to
Secretary of War Stanton on the alignment of forces in the Shenandoah Valley. He
also debriefs two prisoners who had been through Staunton and observed the
arrival of Confederate troops in the area.
Hon. E. M. STANTON:
MIDDLETOWN, VA.,
June 19, 1862-
I inspected our lines to-day. Gen. Banks' division opposite Front Royal, and my division opposite Strasburg, behind Cedar Creek. Gen. Fremont's troops will encamp at Woodstock. Gen. Shields is at Front Royal. The enemy's pickets were 2 miles this side of Luray last night. Our lines will be perfectly established and in good condition to-morrow. Two prisoners were just brought before me-R. H. Wade and H. D. Didier. Was produced a certificate from the British consul at Richmond, and brought Didier with him from Richmond to Staunton, from which place they made their way through the mountains on horseback. Wade says Jackson received two re-enforcements, 3,000 men, on the 9th, who left the cars at Mechum's River, east of Charlottesville, and marched to Brown's Gap, southeast of Port Republic. On Saturday and Sunday last these two men were at Staunton. During the two days about 12,000 troops arrived from Richmond, via Lynchburg and Charlottesville. On Saturday trains with soldiers arrived, and on Sunday five trains. The troops consisted of infantry, cavalry, and about twenty pieces of artillery. These troops were marched off on Sunday and Monday in the direction of Harrisonburg. They were a part of the forces at Richmond, where Wade says there were 120,000 troops, under the command of Gen. Lee, as Gen. Johnson was wounded in the shoulder. Provisions are plenty at Richmond, but the whole city is filled with sick and wounded.
Didier says, "I left Savannah on 1st of June. There were 20,000 troops under Gen. Lawton at Savannah, including those in camp of instruction."
F. SIGEL,
Maj.-Gen.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 12, Serial No. 18, Pages 411, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
