Summary:
In July, 1861, Union forces under George B. McClellan won a series of victories in what is now West Virginia. In this letter to Assistant Adjutant Edward Townsend, McClellan reports that all opposing Confederate forces have retreated to Staunton.

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Col. E. D. TOWNSEND:

CAMP NEAR HUTTONSVILLE,

July 14, 1861.

I have just returned from Cheat River, having crossed the mountain with a strong advanced guard. The enemy have no doubt retreated to Staunton, and I have the pleasure to announce that, with the exception of the Kanawha, the part of Western Virginia included in my department is now free from the presence of the enemy. I expect every day to hear that the measures taken to drive Wise out of the Kanawha have proved successful. I shall now proceed to scour the country with small columns, unless the moral effect of our successes has sufficed to disperse the guerrilla bands. The three-months' regiments are to be reorganized, and some time will be required to prepare this hastily-reorganized army for further operations.

The general's kind telegraph is received. Offer him my thanks for it.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN.

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Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 2, Serial No. 2, Pages 204-205, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.