Summary:
Confederate Michael Harman, quartermaster at Staunton, writes Virginia Governor
Letcher concerning efforts to equip Virginia's troops, and a May, 1861,
expedition to the northwest corner of the state. Harman discusses buying guns,
including a number of shotguns purchased for the city of Staunton. He also
mentions repairing muskets in the town. Harman reports he has bought uniforms
for the men, suggests calling out the militia, and discusses the importance of
reinforcing troops in western Virginia for the purpose of destroying Union
sentiment.
Governor LETCHER:
Staunton, Va.,
May 20, 1861.
MY DEAR SIR:
I inclose you letters from Lieut. J. H. Chenowith, from Beverly, which convince me of the importance of re-enforcing the expedition to the northwest, just starting from here under command of Col. R. Turk, until it reaches Beverly, when he will report to Col. Goff. If the three companies of cavalry, viz, Bath, Rockbridge, and Greenbrier, can be armed, Lieut.-Col. Echols will send them out to join the expedition as fast as they can be armed. I telegraphed the other day to know if I should purchase the sixty double-barrel shot-guns. Not getting an answer, I purchased them for the town of Staunton. I have directed Mr. Dodamead to purchase thirty more. Now, if that State will take them, I can easily arrange to get them. I also see from lieutenant Chenowith's letter that he states that Gen. Lee had ordered that the 600 rifles should be delivered to Col. Porterfield, at Grafton. My understanding, when I conferred with Col. Smith, was that when he got to Richmond he would send up all the arms he could get, and arm the troops to be recruited on the route. You will see from the letters of Col.'s Turk and Christian and Capt. Hull that troops enough will be named before the expedition arrives at Beverly to take nearly all the arms sent, viz, 600 rifled from Richmond and 400 muskets from here. I hope you will write me and indorse all that I have done, which would otherwise appear as if I was acting without authority, and Maj.-Gen. Lee might censure me. I have ordered plain hunting shirts and caps to uniform the men recruited on the route, at a cost of less than $3 per man. Is it right that I should send them out to the men? I would suggest that you call out 500 to 600 of our militia from the country, arm them with muskets, and send them immediately to the northwest. In my judgment, the way to prevent a Union spirit from gaining ground in that country is to re-enforce them, and that speedily. I am now having the locks of all the muskets here taken off and put in complete order, as many of them are gummed up and need oiling. Those we have had fixed work elegantly. It would not be miss to send 1,000 men from here and Rockbridge and Rockingham of the militia, and arm them with muskets. I am having cartridge-boxes and bayonet scabbards made for the muskets. If you have them at Richmond, write me by Mr. Getty and I will stop having them made. Our people, on your requisition, will come immediately to your call. Do me the favor to write me fully by Mr. Getty, and instruct me specially in regard to all these matters. I m no military man, and I fear may take too much responsibility and get myself into trouble.
Yours, very respectfully,
M. G. HARMAN.
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 97, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
