Summary:
Union General William Averell reports to General Benjamin F. Kelley on intelligence gathered from two refugees who passed through Richmond and Staunton in January, 1864. The refugees discussed the bad conditions in Richmond, and reported seeing wagons filled with leather bound for Staunton.

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Brig. Gen. B. F. KELLEY,
Cmdg. Department of the Cumberland:

Martinsburg,

January 5, 1864.

Several refugees have just arrived from Richmond and Staunton. They left Richmond on 27th ultimo. They give the usual reports with regard to the miserable condition of affairs in the rebel capital. Gold at 22 to 30. They avoided Early's force in coming here, and passed a portion of it falling back on Sunday near Newton. They met several wagons returning toward Staunton loaded with leather. Their report confirms those heretofore received and forwarded to you with regard to the force in the valley, except that they heard or saw nothing of Ewell. They state the force at three brigades of infantry and two of cavalry, besides Imboden's command. Imboden is not with his command, which is now under Col. Smith.

WM. M. AVERELL,
Brig.-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 33, Serial No. 60, Pages 353-354, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.