Summary:
In June, 1864, Union troops advanced up the Shenandoah Valley, through Staunton to Lexington
and Lynchburg. In this dispatch, Union Colonel Thomas Morris reports on the role that the
Fifteenth West Virginia Infantry played in the campaign, including arrival at Staunton and
skirmishing in the area.
Lieut. C. W. KIRBY,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
Camp Piatt, W. Va.,
July 1, 1864.
SIR:
I have the honor to submit the following report of my command during the late expedition, from June 1 until the 29th:
On the 1st of June left Bunger's Mills, Greenbrier County, W. Va., and arrived at Staunton, Augusta County, Va.; on the 8th, had considerable skirmishing with the enemy, but met with no loss, marching a distance of 105 miles.
On the 10th left Staunton and proceeded to Lexington, via Middlebrook, where we skirmished with the enemy, lost 1 man killed and 1 severely wounded. Distance from Staunton thirty-six miles.
Left Lexington on the morning of the 14th and arrived at Liberty, on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, on the morning of the 16th a distance of forty-five miles. Occupied the day in destroying the railroad for a distance of eight miles.
On the morning of the 17th moved in direction of Lynchburg, a distance of sixteen miles, engaged the enemy, my regiment forming the right of the Third Brigade, Second Infantry Division; had 1 commissioned officer slightly wounded and 1 private severely wounded.
On the 18th, after some maneuvering, engaged the enemy about 1 p. m., and after a severe engagement was withdrawn from the field with a loss of 5 killed and 63 wounded.
Commenced retreating on the evening of the 18th and arrived at Lewisburg, Greenbrier County, W. Va., on the evening of the 26th, a distance of 148 miles.
Same evening left and arrived at this camp on the evening of the 29th, a distance of ninety miles. Whole distance marched 448 miles. Loss in killed, wounded, and missing, 70.
The men are much wearied and exhausted, not one-half of my command being able for effective duty at the present time.
I am, yours, very respectfully,
THOMAS MORRIS,
Lieut.-Col., Cmdg. Regt.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 37, Serial No. 70, Pages 135-136, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
