Summary:
In the first months of the war, Staunton, VA, served as an important Confederate supply base. In this May, 1861, letter, Robert E. Lee writes Colonel George Porterfield concerning arms sent from Staunton to troops in the field. He also discusses armed companies sent to Beverly, with orders to recruit along the way.

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HEADQUARTERS VIRGINIA FORCES,

Col. GEORGE A. PORTERFIELD,
Commanding, &c., Grafton, Taylor County, Va.:

Richmond, Va.,

May 19, 1861.

COLONEL:

Your letter of the 16th instant is at hand. One thousand muskets and rifles and some ammunition have been sent from Staunton to Maj. Goff and Lieut. Chenoweth at Beverly, for the use of the troops under your command. Several hundred arms have also been sent, for the use of your command, to Col. Jackson, at Harper's Ferry. Several companies have been directed to go with the arms from Staunton to Beverly, and to gather strength as they passed along. It is hoped that a considerable force has, by this means, been gathered together, which will be increased by the arrangements which you have made.

Very respectfully, &c.,

R.E. LEE,
Maj.-Gen., Commanding.

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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 856-857, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.