Summary:
Confederate General John Imboden writes Robert E. Lee in May, 1864, to discuss
preparations for defense of the Shenandoah Valley, including Staunton. He
mentions plans to arm reserves in Augusta County.
Gen. R. E. LEE,
Cmdg. Army of Northern Virginia:
HDQRS. VALLEY DISTRICT,
May 2, 1864.
GEN.:
I have been perplexed for several days by the uncertainty in regard to the enemy's intentions in the west. My force is too small to divide, and the menace of attack being about general from Beverly and from New Creek and Cumberland, I have concentrated my command (except the pickets below Woodstock) in Rockingham County, which I may move either to the lower Valley or to the defense of Staunton and the railroad, as circumstances may require. The inclosed dispatches, received at 11 p. m. last night, would seem to indicate a purpose on the part of the enemy to penetrate the Valley from some point on lost River, Orkney Springs, Columbia Furnace, or possibly Brock's Gap. I therefore to-day move my command toward Timberville to the vicinity of New Market and will attack the enemy, no matter in what force he appears. My knowledge of the country is so perfect that I believe I can beat back a raiding party five times my own number. I hear nothing new from the west, except that Capt. Hill, of the Sixty-second Regt., who has been on an expedition against the Swamp Dragons on the North Fork in Pendleton, returns to-day with one hundred and thirty-old good cattle. These, added to fifty-odd captured and brought out from the same parties two weeks ago and the flour and bacon taken from their camp when their leader, Capt. Harper, was killed, will leave this band of outlaws short of provisions for the summer, unless the Yankees supply their wants.
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 885, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
