Summary:
In April, 1864, Confederate forces in the Valley and northern Virginia prepared
to meet simultaneous Union advances. In this letter, Confederate General John
Imboden writes to General John C. Breckinridge to report on the situation,
including Imboden's preparations to defend Staunton and the rest of the
Valley.
Maj. Gen. J. C. BRECKINRIDGE,
Cmdg. Department of
Western Virginia:
April 30, 1864.
GEN.:
Your letter of the 24th was received three days ago, and I have delayed answering it in the hope that further developments of the enemy's plans would be made from day to day, but as yet I have been unable to discover his purpose. I have dispatches from Hampshire this morning of date 28th instant. Considerable bodies of troops from the West have been passing for a week over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to re-enforce Grant, reported to be the veteran troops of Grant's old command. Sigel has 800 cavalry in Cumberland and 300 at Springfield in Hampshire, and a considerable body of infantry at New Creek, all under marching orders, and believed to be in readiness to co-operate with Averell, whose precise whereabouts I cannot discover. He was personally present in Cumberland about a week ago in conference with Sigel. Citizens from Martinsburg on yesterday report that he is at that place. I do not believe this last report. The force to my front is small, guarding the railroad, and apparently meditating no advance up this valley, though I believe an advance will be made from New Creek and Cumberland through Hardy, Pendleton, and Highland to co-operate with a movement from Beverly and the Kanawha Valley. I have an effective force of a little over 2,000 men. I am concentrating about 1,500 of these about 20 miles northwest of Staunton; the residue I will leave in Shenandoah and Page as scouts and pickets. With my main body I will have to make the best defense I can of the Virginia Central Railroad and of Staunton and Lexington if menaced or attacked. The great difficulty with me is that I am threatened from two directions, New Creek and Beverly, and possibly from Martinsburg.
I am much obliged to you for directing Col. Jackson to communicate with me. It may become highly important for Col. Jackson and myself to unite at or about Millborough, if the enemy seeks to penetrate the valley about Lexington. I am therefore taking a position on the Warm Springs and Harrisonburg turnpike, from whence I may move in either direction. I will promptly advise you of any important movement of the enemy as soon as discovered.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. D. IMBODEN,
Brig.-Gen.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 33, Serial No. 60, Pages 1332-1333, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
