Summary:
In May, 1864, cadets from the Virginia Military Institute went to reinforce
Staunton against an expected Union attack. In this dispatch, Francis Smith,
director at the Institute, writes John C. Breckinridge to tell him how many
troops he can expect. Smith also itemizes the supplies and ammunition he is
sending to Staunton with the cadets.
Maj. Gen. J. C. BRECKINRIDGE,
Cmdg. Department of
Western Virginia:
May 11, 1864
GEN.:
Your dispatch of yesterday by courier was received by me at 9 p. m. Immediately gave orders to Lieut.-Col. Shipp, commanding Cadets, to have his battalion in readiness to move this morning at 7 o'clock. They are now forming and will reach Bell's, sixteen miles, to-day and be in Staunton to-morrow. I have issued to them rations for two days, and will send with them 500 pounds of bacon and as much beef as I can find transportation for. I have sixty-four barrels of flour near Staunton. I send 100 bushels of corn for forage. The Cadets are armed with Austrian rifles and take 40 rounds of ammunition. The section of artillery will consist of 3-inch iron, rifled, and the ammunition chests of the limbers and caissons will be filled. I have ten or twelve 6-pounder brass pieces here mounted and one 12-pounder howitzer, if any should be needed. Horses have been impressed for the artillery and transportation, but the horses are slow in coming in. The artillery have orders to reach the infantry battalion to-night.
I have ordered the four companies of reserves to rendezvous here. I will arm and equip them, and hold them in readiness to move at a moment's notice. No commanding officers have been appointed to this battalion. I will direct the commander of the post of Lexington to supply rations, should they be called out. Your dispatch finds me very unwell, but I shall hope to be with you to-morrow. Lieut.-Col. Shipp has orders to report to you on reaching Staunton. If the reserve companies are required to move to Staunton, I will have them in readiness to move to-morrow, and shall get transportation for 6,000 pounds bacon from the commissary of Confederate States here.
FRANCIS H. SMITH,
Brevet Maj.-Gen.
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 730, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
