Summary:
In mid-July, 1861, Federal troops under George B. McClellan defeated Confederates under Robert Garnett in what is now West Virginia. In this letter, Confederate Adjutant General Samuel Cooper orders Colonel Angus McDonald to Staunton to defend the Central Railroad against any advance by McClellan.

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ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Col. ANGUS, W. McDONALD, Romney, Va.:

Richmond,

July 18, 1861.

SIR:

Information has been received of the disastrous retreat of Garnett's command to Monterey and of McClellan's advance in that direction. It is deemed advisable to concentrate our forces in order to oppose any attempt on the Central Railroad. The President therefore directs that you proceed with your troops to Staunton to unite with those in that vicinity, unless the execution of your original orders should detain you, in which event you will thereafter retire upon Staunton.

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 981-982, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.