Summary:
Confederate General John Imboden writes from Staunton to General Jubal Early in
December, 1863, to announce his impending departure.
Maj. Gen. J. A. EARLY,
Cmdg. Forces in Valley of
Virginia:
STAUNTON, VA.,
December 24, 1863.
GEN.:
Having had a thirty days' leave of absence in my pocket since the 7th instant, and my reasons for going home being very urgent, I will leave in the morning. I have remained here on duty for the past two weeks because I believed my knowledge of the country would be of essential service to the country; but as you are now in a region well known to yourself, this peculiar advantage no longer attaches to my services, and I know that I leave my brigade in the hands of a highly competent officer, Col. George H. Smith, of the Sixty-second Regt., who will handle the troops certainly as well, perhaps better than I could do. If in pursuit of supplies you have to go to Hampshire County, or send over there, permit me to recommend to you, as fully acquainted with all the resources of that county and Hardy, Capt. George W. Stump, of the Eighteenth Virginia Cavalry. Capt. Stump can give you more valuable information than any man in my command in regard to supplies in Hampshire and Hardy. He knows where every lot of cattle in those counties can be obtained, and has very recently returned from a trip there in search of supplies. I take pleasure in recommending him to you as a man perfectly reliable in every respect, and one who will be exceedingly valuable to you, should you send to the counties named. Col. Smith will report to you with the brigade as soon as he can reach you in the jaded condition of our horses.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. D. IMBODEN
Brig.-Gen.
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 807, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
