Summary:
Confederate Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin writes General William Loring, stationed at Staunton, in December, 1861, to discuss the movement of his command.

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Brig. Gen. W. W. LORING, Staunton:

Richmond,

December 23, 1861.

SIR:

Your letters of the 13th instant and 17th instant have been received, and the measures taken by you in disposing and moving your forces meet the entire approval of the Department.

You will use your own discretion as to the proper force to be left under command of Col. (now Brig. Gen. ) E. Johnson, and of the length of time it will be proper to hold the pass which the enemy has made so disastrous an effort to force.

I inclose you a letter for Brig.-Gen. Johnson, knowing that it cannot but be agreeable to you conveyed to meritorious and gallant soldiers under your command.

I am, your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN,
Secretary of War.

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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 5, Serial No. 5, Pages 1003, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.