Summary:
Union Colonel J. F. Hoy writes to General Benjamin F. Kelley in July, 1864, to pass on information gathered from a deserter. Hoy reports on Confederate troop strengths and movements near Staunton.

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Gen. B. F. KELLEY:

NEW CREEK,

July 4, 1864.
(Received 3.30 p. m.)

A deserter says Early is in command of Ewell's corps, and also Breckinridge has command of corps. They had when he left Staunton about 20,000 infantry, 10,000 cavalry, and 60 pieces of artillery. He said they all moved down the Valley to make a raid on Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. His major told him they were going there.

J. F. HOY,
Lieut.-Col.

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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. 71, Pages 47, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.