Summary:
In mid-July, 1861, Confederate General P. G. T. Beauregard faced a Federal advance on his positions around Manassas, VA. Staunton, VA, served as an important communications center as evidenced by Adjutant General Samuel Cooper's orders instructing Beauregard to get in touch with General Joseph Johnston through Staunton to inform him of the situation.

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Gen. G. T. BEAUREGARD, Manassas Junction, Va.:

RICHMOND,

July 17, 1861.

You are authorized to appropriate the North Carolina regiment on its route to Gen. Johnston. If possible, send to Gen. Johnston to say he has been informed, via Staunton, that you were attacked, and that he will join you if practicable with his effective force, sending his sick and baggage to Culpeper Court-House by rail or though Warrenton.

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