Summary:
Union General Franz Sigel writes General Grant concerning Confederate forces in
the Shenandoah Valley during May, 1864. Sigel speculates that Confederate
General Elzey has moved from Staunton to Woodstock.
Lieut.-Gen. GRANT,
Culpeper, Va.:
BUNKER HILL, VA.,
May 1, 1864
The following dispatch just received; I also forwarded it to Gen. Crook:
BEVERLY, VA., April 30, 1864--6 p. m.
Just arrived. Went to Greenbrier bridge, Marling's Bottom; attacked rebel pickets
there and captured 7; brought 6 in; left 1 badly wounded. There were three
companies of the Nineteenth Virginia Cavalry at Little Levels, two companies at
Huntersville and Jacktown. Was between Sulphur Springs and the Warm Springs.
There were 300 of the Twentieth Virginia Cavalry at Crab Bottom. Very little
forage in the country. Several horses gave out. Did not think it prudent to go
further. Col. Harris says I took the right course under circumstances.
J.
B. GORE,
Capt., Cmdg. Detachment.
I have no positive information yet whether a large force of the enemy is in the Shenandoah Valley. From all reports received I believe that there is not. McNeill and Imboden, with 1,000 men, and Rosser, with 2,000 men, are near Front Royal and Woodstock; their pickets at Cedar Creek and their scouts at Winchester. Gen. Elzey has probably moved from Staunton to Woodstock with about 3,000 to 4,000 infantry and artillery. We will occupy Winchester to-day with all our forces, consisting of about 4,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry, and three batteries, and push our advance toward Cedar Creek.
FRANZ SIGEL,
Maj.-Gen., Cmdg.
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 363-364, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
