Summary:
In mid-July, 1861, Union General George B. McClellan's victories over
Confederates under Robert Garnett drove Confederate troops from what is now West
Virginia. In this dispatch, Confederate General H. R. Jackson reports to
Assistant Adjutant George Deas on the retreat and his attempts to prevent
further Federal advances at Monterey, VA. Jackson mentions receiving supplies
from Staunton, which served as an important supply base during the campaign.
BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,
Col. GEORGE DEAS,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen., C. S.
Army, Richmond, Va.:
Camp at Monterey,
July 19, 1861.
SIR:
Our present position in this village, the only one in the vicinage fit for a depot of supplies, is exposed and wholly untenable, unless the routes approaching it from the west be guarded at considerable distances; and I have been restless in the consciousness that, were the enemy apprised of our real condition, a comparatively small body of cavalry might make sad havoc among us and at least destroy what they might not be able to hold. The trains bringing supplies from Staunton are daily coming up, and as the wagons are needed below, must be unloaded. The debris of Gen. Garnett's command are constantly pouring in, and what of it is left in anything in a most forlorn condition. I fear that, while they must be cared for, they will be almost useless for any military purpose; yet, even under these circumstances, I have not felt authorized to beat a further retreat, thus substituting distances for regiments against the enemy's advance.
With a view mainly to guarding this point, hoping at the same time to relieve somewhat the panic-stricken people of the county and to revive the spirit of troops depressed by retreat, I am to-day making a forward movement, looking of course to the protection of our rear. The Twelfth Georgia Regiment, under the direction of Maj. Williams, of the Engineer Corps, who has joined this command, with an artillery company three pieces strong, which I have organized from the elements at hand, will take position to-day somewhere upon, or immediately beyond, the Alleghany Ridge. I have also formed a composite command of the Churchville Cavalry, the remnants of the Rockbrige Cavalry, and a company of riflemen, made up from the militia, to which I have assigned Maj. Jones, of the Forty-fourth Virginia Regiment of Volunteers, an officer who has inspired me with great confidence. They will constitute an advance guard and will be thrown along the turnpike road as near to the enemy as may be safe, to watch his movements, to intercept marauding parties, and the riflemen, who are familiar with the county, to annoy the enemy from the hills and bushes. This rifle corps, some eighty strong, are the picked men of one hundred and eighty militia who reported for duty; but who, on account of the state of their crops, were exceedingly reluctant to leave home. I offered, upon condition that they would make up this company well armed and provided for, to allow the others to go home for the purpose of reaping the crops of all. This proposition was cheerfully acceded to, and I am really in hopes that an efficient corps had been thus put in the field.
Should this force be deemed sufficient to hold for the present the turnpike pass in the Alleghany Mountains, our entire attention may be directed to the Huttonsville and Huntersville road.
Unless some point can be held upon it with a view to resisting the advance of the enemy, the entire country in that direction will be thrown open and our rear protected alone by the distance over which his column must pass. The people in that region, who are supposed generally to be loyal, are naturally alarmed and calling for protection. I inclose herewith the copy of a note received late last night from a gentleman of high character and great influence, as I understand; relating to that subject.
It is hardly necessary to add that, with but two regiments which have not been seriously demoralized by the disasters of the late conflicts with the enemy, the force here is altogether too weak for the necessities of the time. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. R. JACKSON,
Brig.-Gen., Commanding.
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 984-985, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
