Summary:
Union General Henry Halleck reports to Grant that Confederate forces have been sighted at Staunton in mid-June, 1864. Union forces had briefly occupied the town, but withdrew as Union General David Hunter's advance ended.

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Lieut.-Gen. GRANT,
Bermuda Hundred, Va.:

WASHINGTON,

June 19, 1864

Telegram from West Virginia state that the cavalry sent out with dispatches to Gen. Hunter find the enemy in possession of Staunton and Lexington, in Hunter's rear, and have returned without being able to reach him or ascertain his whereabouts. I hardly think it possible that Gen. Stahel, who was sent back for ammunition, can return to him, even if he knew where Hunter is. He, however, will make the attempt, hopeless as it appears. If the enemy's force, as reported, is superior to Hunter's his only escape will be into West Virginia, or by crossing the James and reaching you on the south side. The latter is very possible for cavalry, but extremely perilous for infantry. It is hardly possible to get any communication to him from this side.

H. W. HALLECK,
Maj.-Gen. and Chief of Staff.

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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 37, Serial No. 70, Pages 650-651, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.