Summary:
J. H. Sherrard writes Roy Conrad on Confederate attempts to defend the Shenandoah
Valley in April, 1861. Sherrard expresses fear about a Union build-up of force
at Chambersburg, and discusses the state of Confederate forces defending
northern Virginia.
ROY. CONRAD, Esq.:
WINCHESTER,
April 30, 1861.
MY DEAR SIR:
So tardy and irregular are our mails, even between this and Richmond, where, so far as we know, there is no cause for it arising out of the general disturbed condition of the country, that I have only just now received yours of the 27th. My attention had been attracted, as yours has been to the suspicious assemblage of a large and increasing military force at Chambersburg, in Pennsylvania, which is undoubtedly the very point of all others at which a hostile force designed for operations in the Valley, or for the capture of Harper's Ferry, would most probably be concentrated. The whole force at the latter point, rank and file, is about 2,000. I had been under the impression until a day or two ago that it was as much as 5,000; but the figures I give you are reliable unless the number has been varied within the last two days. In general they are an uncommonly fine body of volunteers, and the cavalry especially is of the best description; but there is said to be a great deficiency in the quality of the arms, in the quantity and quality of the artillery, and a deplorably inadequate supply of ammunition. The presence there of Col. Jackson, who went on yesterday, will, it is to be hoped, supply another deficiency which had been sorely felt. At this place we have no military force except a fragment of the Continentals (about thirty men). All the other volunteer companies of the town and country who have arms are at Harper's Ferry, and the same may be said of the volunteers of the neighboring counties, except those of Hampshire and Hardy, who are kept at home by the want of ammunition, which they find it impossible to obtain in any quarters. I had a letter yesterday from William A. Vance, of Romney, who informed me that they had been writing to Richmond fort he preceding ten days for arms and ammunition, and had not even received an answer to their letters, and mentioned further that a good deal of uneasiness was felt for fear of a rising of their negroes, of which he thought there were indications. So in Hardy they have several volunteer companies, but no ammunition--literally none. Young Alexander has been here for two or three days past to procure a supply, but as none was to be had here he went to Harper's Ferry, in the hopes of obtaining it there; but it was like going to the goat's house for wool, and he has now written to Richmond. If there is a supply of powder in the State, it should certainly be promptly distributed where it is so much needed. To meet the hosts who are arming against us, we should at least be provided with articles so indispensable necessary as powder and ball. We have not a piece of artillery nearer Winchester than Harper's Ferry, and our own home guards are without arms of any kind, except one in ten of us who may have a revolver, a musket, or a rifle, and fifty well-armed men could capture the town as easily as old John Brown captured Harper's Ferry. Angus W. McDonald, who has been at Harper's Ferry since the day before the burning of the arsenal, has made himself exceedingly useful there by employing himself very diligently in a close examination and personal inspection of all the passes, highways, and byways leading to our border from the enemy's country, and especially from the direction of Chambersburg and Carlisle. In addition to this he has men in his employment who are bringing him daily intelligence of what is passing at Chambersburg and along that part of the Pennsylvania border, so that if his agents are reliable we cannot be reached without notice.
Parker, William, and Barton, according to your suggestion, have just left my house, where we have been in conference for the last two hours, and we have prepared a letter to Gen. Lee, which will inclose with this. You mentioned that you will probably be at home to-morrow. I do not know whether I am to infer from that you expect the convention to adjourn immediately. If so, neither you nor Marshall will be in Richmond when this arrives there, and it has occurred tome, therefore, as a best means of securing our object in that instance, to inclose this with the letter to Gen. Lee, under care to Col. Munford, with a request that in the absence of yourself and Marshall he will place the letter to Gen. Lee in his hands at once. I write very hurriedly, as the postmaster is keeping his office open for me past his hours to mail my letter.
Yours, very truly,
J. H. SHERRARD.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 51, Serial No. 108, Pages 57-58, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
