Summary:
Confederate Thomas Ransom reports to J. E. B. Stuart on May, 1864, Union
movements in the Shenandoah Valley. He reports that Union General William
Averell's force is threatening Staunton.
Maj. Gen. J. E. B. STUART:
LURAY,
May 3, 1864.
GEN.:
I have the honor to report that Private William Lock, Company B, Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, has just arrived here from Jefferson, having left the vicinity of Charlestown on Sunday night, 1st. He states that Gen. Sigel marched from Martinsburg to Winchester, reaching the latter place on the evening of the 1st, with a force variously estimated, but supposed by Mr. Lock to comprise some 3,500 men, principally infantry. Bell has gone toward Winchester to ascertain more definitely their force and intentions. Cole's battalion encamped near Charlestown on Sunday, and that evening 150 of them came up to Berryville and went out the Winchester pike. Force at Harper's Ferry reported small. Lock learned from east or west on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad prior to April 29. Nothing had been heard from Averell's command; rumor puts him at Buffalo Gap, menacing Staunton. I send the Daily News of April 25, and this note by Mr. Joseph Crane, the gentleman whose heart is in Luray.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THOMAS D. RANSOM.
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 710, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
