Summary:
Confederate Adjutant General Samuel Cooper writes Joseph E. Johnston concerning reinforcements and the strategic situation in June, 1861. Cooper refers to the benefit the Union would receive from advancing up the Valley as far as Staunton, thereby cutting important lines of communication.

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ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Gen. JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON,
Commanding C.S. Forces near Winchester, Va.:

Richmond,

June 19, 1861.

GENERAL:

Your letter of 18th instant just received. A large supply of ammunition for your command left here this morning, including eighty thousand percussion caps. An additional supply will be forwarded to you by to-morrow morning's train. Every effort will be made here to support and sustain you to the extent of our means. All that is asked is to be informed promptly of your wants.

The movement of the enemy indicate the importance he attaches to the position of the valley of Virginia, and that he has probably seen the power he would acquire, if left free to do so, by advancing as far as Staunton, and then distributing his force so as to cut off our communication with the West and South, as well as to operate against our Army of the Potomac by movements upon its lines of communication, or attacking upon the reverse, supplying himself at the same time with all the provisions he may acquire in the valley of the Shenandoah, and enabling him to dispense with his long train of transportation from Pennsylvania. Everything should be destroyed which would facilitate his movements through the valley.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector Gen.

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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 940, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.